Household dwelling units and housing conditions: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Household dwelling units and housing conditions
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions describe the structure of household-dwelling unit and the housing conditions of the population. All persons residing permanently in the same dwelling form a household-dwelling unit. Statistics are published quarterly based on the preliminary population data and the annual statistics.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions constitute total data.
The statistical population of household-dwelling units is made up of persons residing in usual dwellings. Persons who according to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s Population Information System are institutionalised, or are homeless, or are abroad, or are registered as unknown, are not included in what is referred to as the dwelling population. Nor do persons living in buildings classified as residential homes or as residential dwellings for special groups form household-dwelling units if their living quarters do not meet the definition of a dwelling unit.
When combining data from different information systems, there may be small numbers of persons that cannot be linked unambiguously to dwellings.
There are some deficiencies in the attribute data of the dwelling and building data that are often classified in the category Unknown.
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
The statistical unit is a household-dwelling unit (persons living in the same dwelling form a household-dwelling unit). Household-dwelling units can be linked to data on buildings and dwellings with identifiers.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
The statistical population of household-dwelling units represents total data. The statistical population of household-dwelling units is made up of persons residing in the same dwelling. Only usual dwellings are accepted as a dwelling. Persons who according to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s Population Information System are institutionalised, or are homeless, or are abroad, or are registered as unknown, are not included in what is referred to as the dwelling population. Nor do persons living in buildings classified as residential homes or as residential dwellings for special groups form household-dwelling units if their living quarters do not meet the definition of a dwelling unit. In addition, oversize and atypical household-dwelling units, such as those with more than 25 persons or those with more than ten persons without any children, are excluded from household-dwelling units. Likewise, register errors, such as household-dwelling units of children aged under 16, are excluded from household-dwelling units.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency maintains data on persons that can be linked to dwellings and buildings with the help of identifiers.
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
The statistical data are published at municipal level and according to all regional divisions based on municipalities.
The statistics can be produced according to all regional divisions based on municipalities and coordinates, as well as by postal code area.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
More extensive data on the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are included in the annual statistics.
Some data on household-dwelling units have been published quarterly based on preliminary population data starting from the first quarter of 2023. The data of the statistics are published in StatFin database tables.
The data in the statistics have been collected in population censuses in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1975 and 1980. From 1985 to 2007, the data were published annually under the name statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions. In 2008 to 2024, the statistics were published as part of the statistics on dwellings and housing conditions. Some of the data from the earlier years are available solely as aggregated data.
Base period (SIMS 3.9)
The annual statistics describe the situation on the last day of each year. The reference period is the last day of a quarter in the quarterly statistics.
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
The units of measure used in the statistics are the number of household-dwelling units and dwelling population (i.e. persons) as well as the dwellings’ floor area in square metres. The total amounts are millions of units (household-dwelling units, persons, floor area).
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The more extensive data content of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions is compiled annually. The data describe the situation on the last day of the year.
Some data on household-dwelling units have also been published quarterly based on preliminary population data starting from the first quarter of 2023. Then the data describe the situation on the last day of a quarter.
The regional division used is that of the first day of the statistical reference year. Therefore, the statistics concerning any municipalities which merge on the first day of a year are compiled as one.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Age
Age refers to a person's age in whole years as at 31 December. The data are obtained from the Population Information System. Age is also used as an auxiliary variable. For example, only people between 15 and 74 can be in the labour force.
Average size of dwelling
The average size of dwellings is obtained by dividing the total floor area of dwellings by their number.
Child
In the family statistics children comprise the following persons living with their parents: - biological children, - adopted children, - biological children, adopted children and confirmed children of one of the spouses. Foster children and children in the care of the family are not classified as children. The definition of child has changed since 1990. A child is now defined as a person who lives with his or her parents irrespective of his or her marital status, unless the person has a spouse or children who live in the same household-dwelling unit. In 1990 only unmarried persons were counted as children. So while in 1990 widowed or divorced persons living with their parents were classified as not belonging to families, since 1992 they have been regarded as members of the family.
Consumption unit
Income and consumption expenditure calculated per consumption unit can be used to compare households of different sizes and structures with each other. There are several different ways of calculating consumption units. From 2002, the income distribution statistics and the Household Budget Survey have used the OECD's adjusted consumption unit scale recommended by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, where - the first adult of the household receives the weight 1 - other over 13-year-olds receive the weight 0.5 - children receive the weight 0.3 (0 to 13-year-olds). The selected consumption unit scale has a significant effect on income levels and on placement of different population groups in the income distribution.
Consumption unit (OECD)
The size of the consumption unit represented by the household-dwelling unit is indicated as the sum of the weights of its members. In accordance with international recommendations the value of each member of a household-dwelling unit is determined as follows: - first adult aged 18 and over = 1.0 - subsequent adults aged 18 and over = 0.7 - each person aged under 18 = 0.5. If all persons in the household-dwelling unit are aged under 18, the weight of the first member is 1.0 and that of subsequent members 0.5.
Dwelling
A dwelling refers to a room or a suite of rooms which is intended for year-round habitation; is furnished with a kitchen, kitchenette or cooking area; and has a floor area of at least 7 square metres. Every dwelling must have its own entrance. A single-family house may be entered through an enclosed porch or veranda. If a dwelling is entered through the premises of another dwelling, it is not regarded as a separate dwelling but instead those two constitute one dwelling.
Dwelling density
Dwelling density is the ratio between the size of the dwelling and the number of persons living in it. Dwelling size is expressed either as the number of rooms or as the floor area of the dwelling.
Dwelling occupancy
Dwelling units are classified according to their occupancy status into dwellings permanently occupied, dwellings temporarily occupied and dwellings not in residential use: - A dwelling is considered permanently occupied if according to the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency it is permanently occupied by one or more people. - A dwelling is considered temporarily occupied if according to the Population Information System it is occupied by temporary but not permanent residents. - A dwelling is not in residential use if according to the Population Information System it is not occupied by either permanent or temporary residents. The Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's buildings and dwellings data include details on units that in reality are not in residential use or that are incorrectly registered. Such dwellings are not included in the dwelling stock statistics in cases where it has been possible to infer that they are errors or that they should be removed on the basis of other information.
Dwelling population
The dwelling population comprises those persons who according to the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (The Finnish Digital Agency) resided permanently in dwellings on 31 December. Persons permanently institutionalised, living in residential homes and abroad and homeless people are not included in the dwelling population. Likewise, persons living in buildings classified as residential homes whose living quarters do not meet the definition of dwelling, are not included. The basic family population differs from the dwelling population in that it also includes those living in residential homes.
Facilities
Data on the facilities of dwellings and buildings are derived from the dwelling and building data of the Finnish Environment Institute. The facilities in a dwelling: - sewage - running water - toilet - hot water - washing facilities (shower, bathroom or sauna) - sauna in the dwelling - central or electric heating. The data on a dwelling’s facilities have been used in determining the standard of facilities in the dwelling. Facilities in a building: - electricity - sewage - running water - hot water - lift - sauna in the building - mechanical ventilation - air raid shelter.
Household-dwelling unit
A household-dwelling unit consists of the permanent occupants of a dwelling. Persons who according to the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency are institutionalised, or are homeless, or are abroad, or are registered as unknown, do not constitute household-dwelling units. Additionally, persons living in buildings classified as residential homes do not form household-dwelling units if their living quarters do not meet the definition of a dwelling. In the 1980 census household-dwelling units were also formed of these persons. The concept of household-dwelling unit was adopted in the 1980 census. In earlier years the concept of household was used. A household consisted of family members and other persons living together who made common provision for food. A subtenant providing for his or her own food constituted a separate household. Since 1980 subtenants have been classified in the same household-dwelling units with other occupants.
Income subject to state taxation
The information is based on data in the tax files of the National Board of Inland Revenue concerning income subject to state taxation. Average income refers to income calculated per income earner. Median income generally provides a better picture of the income level within a certain group. Median income indicates the amount of income that divides income earners into two groups of equal size. One half of the income earners have lower, and one half higher, incomes than the median. Net income means income obtained by subtracting taxes from income subject to state taxation (income tax, wealth tax, punitive tax increase, municipal tax, church tax, social security contributions and forestry levies). Income subject to state taxation is divided into the following categories according to source: 1. Wage income: wages and salaries subject to preliminary collection of taxes, wages and salaries from work at sea, reimbursements of expenses by employer, holiday pay in building and construction, wages and salaries to reservists, income from abroad taxed in Finland, value of purchased services in forestry, value of purchased services in partnerships, redemptions, service charges and other income subject to advance payment of taxes 2. Entrepreneurial income: earned income and capital income in agriculture and forestry, earned income and capital income in trade and business, income from partnerships 3. Other income subject to state taxation: other earned income, pension income, unemployment benefits and other social security benefits. A person's earned income consists of his or her entrepreneurial income and wage and salary earnings. Income subject to state taxation does not include scholarships and grants received from public corporations for studies or research, earned income from abroad if the person has worked abroad for at least six months, part of the social security benefits received from the public sector and tax-exempt interest income. Statistics Finland's annual publication "Statistics on income and property" contains descriptions of the different types of income.
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room furnished for cooking. A space furnished for cooking measuring less than 7 square metres is a kitchenette or cooking area.
Level of housing
The occupancy rate and standard of equipment of the dwelling together describe the level of housing of the household-dwelling unit. The classification of occupancy rate: - Spacious: a household-dwelling unit of one to five persons with room units at its disposal exceeding the number of its members by at least three (kitchen is not included in the number of rooms). - Overcrowded: more than one person per room unit (kitchen is not included in the number of rooms). - Normal: not belonging to the above categories. (Kitchen is not included in the number of rooms from 1989 onwards.) Standard of equipment: - High standard of equipment: the dwelling has running water, sewage, hot water, toilet, washing facilities (shower, bathroom or sauna) and central or electric heating. - Low standard of equipment: the dwelling lacks washing facilities and/or central or electric heating. - Substandard level of equipment: the dwelling lacks one of the following facilities: running water, sewage, hot water or toilet. As from 2005 only "High standard of equipment" and "Other or unknown level of equipment" are used.
Locality
An urban settlement is a cluster of buildings with at least 200 inhabitants. The delimitation is based on the population information of the previous year. Urban settlements are defined and delimited by the Finnish Environment Institute using geographic information methods that utilise the building and population data of Statistics Finland’s 250 m x 250 m grid data. The population size of grids containing buildings and their neighbouring grids, as well as the number of buildings and their floor area, are reviewed in the definition. From the uniform clusters of dwellings generated in the definition, the ones with at least 200 inhabitants are selected. All new urban settlements generated in the definition are named and numbered at Statistics Finland. In some years certain urban settlements may cease to meet the definition of urban settlement and thus disappear from the classification of urban settlements, merge into other urban settlements or withdraw from them. Administrative regional divisions do not affect the formation of urban settlements, and urban settlements do not follow municipal boundaries.
Network connection
The following network connections are identified for a building: - sewage - running water - electricity - natural gas.
Number of storeys
The number of storeys in a building consists of all storeys that are primarily above ground level and in which there are habitable rooms or office space or other space conforming to the intended use of the building. If the number of storeys varies in different parts of the building, the number usually refers to the largest number of storeys in the building. For buildings completed after 1980, the number of storeys is expressed as an average number that takes into account the whole building if the share of the gross floor area of a certain storey out of the gross floor area of the main storeys is very small. For instance, if a large industrial unit is mainly a one-storey building, but office space is located on three storeys, then the number of storeys is given as one.
Occupancy rate
The classification of occupancy rate: - Spacious: a household-dwelling unit of one to five persons with room units at its disposal exceeding the number of its members by at least three (kitchen is not included in the number of rooms). - Overcrowded: more than one person per room unit (kitchen is not included in the number of rooms). - Normal: household-dwelling units not belonging to the above categories.
Overcrowding
According to the norms below, a dwelling is over-crowded if it has - Norm 1: more than two persons per room, with kitchen included in the number of rooms - Norm 2: more than two persons per room, with kitchen excluded from the number of rooms - Norm 3: more than one person per room, with kitchen included in the number of rooms - Norm 4: more than one person per room, with kitchen excluded from the number of rooms. The norms applied in the statistics have changed over the decades. Norms 1 and 2 were used in the 1970 and 1975 population censuses. Data based on norm 3 have been produced since 1980. Norm 4 was first introduced in the 1990 census. Norm 4 has also been used in the level of housing classification since the 1990 census. Prior to that norm 3 was used.
Reference person
Residential home
A residential home refers to a building intended for dormitory accommodation. Residents share the same kitchen, living lounge and/or washing facilities. This type of residential home does not normally have separate dwelling units proper. In terms of structural engineering a residential home hardly differs from an accommodation building. A residential home is intended for specific groups of people, such as the elderly, disabled, etc. Ordinary residential dwellings built for these groups with no special uses of space (communal kitchens, etc.) are not residential homes. A dwelling unit within a building classified as a residential home is regarded as a normal dwelling if the dwelling has - more than one room, including kitchen, - a kitchen or kitchenette, - toilet, and - shower, bath or sauna. Dwellings in residential homes are not classified as a separate category, but they are counted as part of the regular housing stock. Dwellings in residential homes that do not meet the above conditions are not included in the dwelling stock statistics.
Room and number of rooms
A room is a space with one or more windows that has a floor area of at least 7 square metres and an average height of at least 2 metres. A hall, porch, bed recess, etc. are not counted as rooms. Kitchen is not normally counted in the number of rooms.
Stage in life
The classification of stages in life is used to distinguish between the stages of a household-dwelling unit, which usually differ in terms of income and consumption. The classification is based on type of household-dwelling unit, age of reference person and age of children. The household-dwelling unit's stage in life is described by the age of the reference person in cases where the household-dwelling unit does not comprise a family (single-person households, non-family households comprising at least two persons) or where the family consists of a married or cohabiting couple without children. The stage in life of a family with children is determined by the age of the children belonging to the household-dwelling unit. Since 1993 families consisting of a cohabiting couple with children have been classified separately from families consisting of a married couple with children.
Standard of facilities
The standard of facilities is described with two categories: - a dwelling with a high standard of facilities the dwelling has running water, sewage, hot water, toilet, washing facilities (shower/bathroom or sauna) and central or electric heating - other or unknown standard of facilities
Structure of household-dwelling unit
Household-dwelling units are divided according to their structure into two categories: Family household-dwelling units comprise: - 1 family, no other persons - 1 family and other persons - at least 2 families, no other persons - at least 2 families and possibly other persons. Other household-dwelling units comprise: - 1 person - 2 persons, both of the same sex - 2 persons, male and female - at least 3 persons, all of the same sex - at least 3 persons, male and female.
Sub-area (of municipality)
Municipal sub-areas are formed of operationally functional wholes defined by the municipality itself, which are the basis of the municipality's regional planning and monitoring. Statistics Finland is responsible for digitising new sub-area boundaries and for maintaining name files. Municipalities have the opportunity to check their sub-area division once a year. The division into sub-areas is a hierarchical three-level classification which has a 1-digit major area level, a 2-digit statistical area level and a 3-digit small area level. Sub-areas are numbered consecutively using these three hierarchical levels. The 6-digit sub-area code is bound to the 3-digit municipality code, so the sub-area code consists of a total of nine characters.
Tenure status
Dwellings are classified according to tenure status as follows: Owner-occupied dwelling - occupant of the dwelling owns the house - occupant of the dwelling owns shares in housing corporation Rented dwelling - rented dwelling subsidised by the State - rented dwelling with interest support loan - other rented dwelling Right of occupancy dwelling Other tenure status - e.g. life annuity, kinship Tenure status unknown In the dwelling stock statistics the tenure status is mainly defined for permanently occupied dwellings.
Type of building
Dwellings are classified according to the type of building as follows: - one to two-dwelling houses: one to two-dwelling houses and permanently occupied free-time residences - terraced houses: detached houses with at least three adjoining dwellings and where the spaces belonging to different dwellings are not on top of each other. - blocks of flats: residential buildings of at least three dwellings in which at least two dwellings are located on top of each other and which do not belong to the categories above - other buildings: also buildings whose type of building is unknown.
Year of construction
The year of construction refers to the year in which the building was completed and was ready for use. If the building was completed prior to 1980, the year of renovation may have been entered as the year of construction.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Legal acts and other agreements (SIMS 6.1)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
The data of the statistics are used at Statistics Finland by other statistics related to household-dwelling units and housing conditions.
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are mainly compiled with the help of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's Population Information System, the Finnish Environment Institute’s data on dwellings and buildings in the built environment and various register data of the Tax Administration, for example.
The preliminary population statistics are used as the source data for household-dwelling units in quarterly releases.
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The register of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency is updated continuously. Statistics Finland draws the data as both weekly and annual level data.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
Statistics Finland has an agreement with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, the Finnish Environment Institute and the Tax Administration on the supply of data to Statistics Finland.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
When the source data are received, the variables are checked at Statistics Finland to ensure that they correspond with the data needed for the statistics.
The numbers of the units are checked and compared to previous deliveries. Data validation is carried out at every stage of the processing of the statistical data (for more information, see section Data compilation).
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
In data processing, the identifiers of unit data are replaced with artificial identifiers. The data compilation makes use of corrections made in previous years, logical conclusions and data outside the basic data. The data of the Tax Administration’s real estate register, for instance, and the data of the Residential and Commercial Property Information System are used for checking building data and imputing missing data.
Not all alterations constitutes construction subject to a permit, nor are all measures pertaining to a building’s facilities and network connections subject to a permit, due to which data about them are not always conveyed to the authorities and thereby to the statistics. Statistics Finland aims, to some extent, to deduce and correct errors in the original data and any data missing in terms of buildings. Some of the data concerning the facilities of buildings and dwellings have only been collected after the register was established, i.e. after the 1980 census, due to which they are partly incomplete. Such data pertain to lifts, balconies and mechanical ventilation, for example.
Household-dwelling units are formed of persons living in the same dwelling. Household-dwelling units which are oversize or have a deviating structure of persons do not form household-dwelling units and are not included in the statistics. Household-dwelling units are formed of persons living in usual dwellings. Institutionalised persons or persons living in institution-like conditions do not form household-dwelling units.
Overall accuracy (SIMS 13.1)
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are based on register data. Thus, the quality of the statistics is fairly directly dependent on the quality of the source data. The data of the statistics are mainly based on the Population Information System maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the built environment information system maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).
The data maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency are partially based on data reported by the persons themselves, in which case there may be deficiencies in address data, for example. Deficient address data are not combined with the building and dwelling stock data, whereby a small number of household-dwelling units is missing.
The data on the dwelling and building stock has some deficiencies and therefore Statistics Finland's statistical data are corrected with external source data, such as the Tax Administration's real estate register and the Residential and Commercial Property Information System, and other errors or missing data in the original data are inferred by logic checks or data derived from legislation. Some of the data concerning the facilities of buildings and dwellings have only been collected after the building and dwelling register was established, i.e. after the 1980 census, which impairs the coverage of the data in question. Such data pertain to lifts, balconies and mechanical ventilation, for example. Statistics Finland is able to correct some of the erroneous data by removing inconsistencies between various facilities, heating systems and heating fuels.
With the help of unique identification data, persons are combined with dwelling data and household-dwelling units are formed.
The tenure status (owner-occupied, rented, etc.) of a dwelling is updated in the Population Information System through notifications on moves when occupants relocate. Statistics Finland primarily uses the Tax Administration's tax data on housing company transactions, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s building ownership data and the Housing Fund of Finland’s data in deducting the tenure status data. The secondary source for deducing the tenure status is the register data derived from the change of address notifications if no other information is available.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
The quality of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are assessed in all different stages of the statistical process. Coherence analyses are conducted annually by comparing the data in the statistics to other corresponding data on housing, such as figures concerning the number of government-subsidised rental dwellings, other changes that have taken place in the operating environment (including changes to housing benefit regulations) and, temporally to the data of earlier years.
Data revision - policy (SIMS 17.1)
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The more extensive data content of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions is published at a lag of a few months relative to the reference period of the last day of the year.
Quarterly data based on preliminary data are published at a lag of around two months.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
There is no delay in releasing the data. The data are published on the dates specified in the release calendar.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
The data of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions can be produced with both national and European regional classifications (NUTS) and regional divisions based on coordinate data.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
When comparing data from different periods, it must be taken into account that some of the changes may be partly attributable to checks made to the register, changes in the compiling of the statistical data, or different collection methods during earlier years. For example, corrections to years of construction have an impact on buildings’ age structure. Likewise, changes to the intended use of buildings have to be accounted for when reviewing annual changes.
The 1985 census marked the first time that register data were used in forming statistics on dwellings, buildings and household-dwelling units. Data on the housing and building stock were produced in the population and housing censuses of 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1985. The UN’s recommendations on population and housing censuses were taken into account in the censuses. As of 1987, the data have been produced annually on the basis of registers, and the annually compiled statistical data are relatively comparable over a longer period of time. Detailed annual changes are not accurate in all respects.
The classification of tenure status has changed slightly over the years. As of 1995, company dwellings and other rental dwellings are no longer separated from each other. As of 1998, the statistics have applied a new tenure status classification which includes data on government-subsidised (formerly ARA) rental dwellings and right-of-occupancy dwellings. The production system of the statistics on buildings, dwellings and housing conditions was revised on the statistical year 2005. The compiling of some data was specified at the same time; for example, the treatment of a dwelling’s tenure status accounted for the data on a building’s owner in increasing detail. The impact is visible in the figures of the tenure status data as of 2005, particularly in terms of the class of Other rental dwellings and the class of Owns the house. The size of the first-mentioned one decreased, while the size of the latter increased. The data processing of tenure status data was revised as concerns rental dwellings especially for dwellings recorded as unknown in 2014. The review of statistics production carried out in the statistical reference year 2020 further specified the tenure status data especially as concerns buildings owned by rental housing companies and rented one-dwelling houses.
The production system for the statistics on buildings, dwellings and housing conditions was revised in terms of the data on dwellings and buildings during statistical reference year 2020. In the same context, the new building classification (Classification of Buildings 2018) was adopted. The biggest changes in the classification of types of building formed on the basis of the new building classification concerned the detached and semi-detached houses (some 12,000), which were not unambiguously one-dwelling or two-dwelling houses. In the new building classification, these houses, formerly classified under Other detached and semi-detached houses (013), are classified either under terraced houses (3,000 dwellings) or low-rise blocks of flats (9,000 dwellings) based on their attribute data.
Starting from the statistical reference year 2025, data describing household-dwelling units and the population's housing conditions will be published in the new statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions. The production system of the statistics was renewed and transferred to the cloud environment at the same time as the Finnish Environment Institute's information system for built environment was taken into use in statistics production in early 2025.
The statistics on household-dwelling units have been compiled on the basis of registers since 1980. This is when the concept of a household-dwelling unit was adopted. In 1980, persons who lived in buildings classified as residential buildings for communities, but whose dwelling did not meet the definition of a dwelling, also formed household-dwelling units. Subsequently this was no longer the case.
The concept of a household was used in censuses prior to 1980. A household consisted of family members and other persons living together who made common provision for food. A subtenant providing for his or her own food constituted a separate household. As of 1980, the statistics on housing conditions have classified subtenants in the same household-dwelling units as the other occupants in the dwelling.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
Statistics Finland's statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are formed with the help of identification data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's population data and the Finnish Environment Institute’s building and dwelling data. Data on the building stock and dwelling stock correspond with each other in such a way that for each dwelling in the dwelling stock, there is a corresponding building in the building stock.
Statistics Finland’s data on the building stock and dwelling stock and, on the other hand, the Finnish Environment Institute’s built environment data are not entirely coherent, given that Statistics Finland aims to correct any deficiencies in the original data.
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions primarily include all dwellings that were occupied on the last day of the year.
Family statistics do not include one-person households (persons living alone), who are included in the household-dwelling unit and dwelling population data. The dwelling population does not include persons living permanently in institutional-like housing conditions; see concepts and definitions.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
Household-dwelling units are formed of persons living in the same dwelling. Data describing housing conditions are derived by combining individuals with data on buildings and dwellings with the help of a permanent building identifier and the address number. Statistics Finland’s data on the building and dwelling stock correspond with each other in such a way that for each dwelling in the dwelling stock, there is a corresponding building in the building stock.
Persons living alone do not belong to families or to the family population. However, persons living alone belong to household-dwelling units and the dwelling population. Household-dwelling units are formed based on the permanent place of residence recorded in the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's Population Information System. For example, in children's shared residence children are usually recorded only in the household-dwelling unit of one parent, in which case the other parent can be living alone or living in a new partnership in the statistics. According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey (ad hoc module), a total of 63,000 women had children aged under 15 living in two homes in 2018. Of the children with two homes that lived mostly with their mother, around 40 per cent regularly also lived with their father, for example on weekends (release of Statistics Finland’s family statistics published on 17 June 2022).
Persons living permanently in residential homes, in buildings for institutional care or in other institutions, homeless persons, persons living abroad or registered as unknown do not form household-dwelling units and do not belong to the so-called dwelling population.
Statistics Finland’s data on the building stock and dwelling stock and, on the other hand, the Finnish Environment Institute’s building and dwelling data are not entirely coherent, given that Statistics Finland aims to correct any deficiencies in the register.
A household-dwelling unit is formed even if the building or dwelling has not yet been completed.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
Statistics Finland's release calendar Future publications
Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Future publications of the statistics
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The more extensive data content of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions is published once a year.
Some of the data on household-dwelling units are published quarterly based on preliminary population data starting from the first quarter of 2023.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The release is published monthly/annually/quarterly on the home page of the statistics. (linkki tilaston omille sivuille)
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
The data are processed with pseudonymous identifiers, i.e. artificial identifiers for persons. The suppression of individual pieces of data is applied case-specifically in regional breakdowns smaller than a municipality.