What are the key demographic shifts highlighted by the 2025 survey?

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The 2025 survey shows Singapore is seeing later marriage, more singlehood among young adults, and rising education and English use
The General Household Survey 2025 finds that more young Singaporeans aged 25 to 29 are remaining single than in 2020, with singlehood rising for both women and men. Among women aged 25 to 29, 73.4% were single in 2025 versus 69% in 2020, while among men the figure increased from 81.6% to 85.9%. The survey also points to higher education levels, more dual-income households, and a stronger role for English in household language patterns.
Singlehood among ages 25 to 29 has increased since 2020
The survey reports that singlehood is higher in 2025 across both sexes for the 25 to 29 age group, rising from 69% to 73.4% for women and from 81.6% to 85.9% for men. The biggest five-year increase is among men aged 30 to 34, where the share single climbed from 41.9% to 47.6%. It also shows that singlehood and later marriage are more common among Chinese residents than among Malays and Indians.
Singlehood patterns differ by ethnicity and age
In 2025, 38% of Chinese resident men and 30.7% of Chinese resident women aged 30 to 39 were single. These proportions are higher than those for the other major ethnic groups included in the survey. Overall, the ethnic comparison is presented as a consistent pattern alongside the broader shift toward later marriage.
Household composition shifts toward dual-income arrangements
Even with more delayed marriage, married couples with children remain the most common household type, at 47.6% of resident households in 2025, down from 50.4% in 2020. The survey also highlights a rise in dual-income households, with the proportion of couples where both spouses are employed increasing from 52.5% in 2020 to 56.6% in 2025. It notes that the increase is most pronounced among couples aged 35 to 49 and those aged 50 to 64.
Education attainment and household language use continue to rise
Education levels increased, with 64.8% of residents aged 25 and above holding post-secondary or higher qualifications in 2025, up from 58.3% in 2020. Within marriages, 52% of couples share the same highest qualification, rising from 46.6% in 2020, and the share of marriages where wives have lower qualifications than their husbands fell from 30.8% to 26.7%. English strengthened its position as the primary household language, with 58.1% of residents aged 5 and above using English in 2025 versus 48.3% in 2020, while more than 80% of English-speaking residents also use a vernacular language at home; literacy remains high, with 98.6% of residents aged 15 and above able to read at least one language.

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What are the key demographic shifts highlighted by the 2025 survey?

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