Household-dwelling units and housing conditions: documentation of statistics
22.6.2025 valid documentation
Basic data of the statistics
Data description
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions constitute total data. The statistics describe persons living in usual dwellings, household-dwelling units and the housing conditions of the population. A household-dwelling unit is formed by persons living permanently in the same dwelling.
Most of the statistical data are published as annual data, which means that the situation on the last day of the year (at the end of the year) is described. Annual data on household-dwelling units are formed from the data of the statistics on population structure. Some of the data on household-dwelling units are also published quarterly based on preliminary population data. The reference period in the quarterly statistics is the last day of a quarter.
The source data for household-dwelling units are mainly based on two source data: demographic data on individuals obtained from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's Population Information System and the building and dwelling stock data derived from the Finnish Environment Institute's built environment data resource. The built environment data resource was taken into use in early 2025. Municipal building supervision authorities start reporting the data subject to building permits in stages to the information system maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute (instead of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's building and dwelling register).
Data on individual persons are combined with data on the building and dwelling stock at Statistics Finland. All persons residing permanently in the same dwelling form a household-dwelling unit. Household-dwelling units are described by their structure, stage in life and the age of their members and demographic data. Housing conditions are described by variables such as tenure status, type of building, number of rooms and occupancy rate (overcrowding). The statistics can be compiled by all regional divisions based on municipalities and coordinates and by postal code area. The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions constitute total data.
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are part of the population and housing census conducted every ten years. The statistics comply with the UN’s recommendations for censuses of population and housing and the EU Regulation on population and housing censuses.
Most of the statistical data are published as annual data, which means that the situation on the last day of the year (at the end of the year) is described. Annual data on household-dwelling units are formed from the data of the statistics on population structure. Some of the data on household-dwelling units are also published quarterly based on preliminary population data. The reference period in the quarterly statistics is the last day of a quarter.
The source data for household-dwelling units are mainly based on two source data: demographic data on individuals obtained from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's Population Information System and the building and dwelling stock data derived from the Finnish Environment Institute's built environment data resource. The built environment data resource was taken into use in early 2025. Municipal building supervision authorities start reporting the data subject to building permits in stages to the information system maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute (instead of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's building and dwelling register).
Data on individual persons are combined with data on the building and dwelling stock at Statistics Finland. All persons residing permanently in the same dwelling form a household-dwelling unit. Household-dwelling units are described by their structure, stage in life and the age of their members and demographic data. Housing conditions are described by variables such as tenure status, type of building, number of rooms and occupancy rate (overcrowding). The statistics can be compiled by all regional divisions based on municipalities and coordinates and by postal code area. The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions constitute total data.
The statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions are part of the population and housing census conducted every ten years. The statistics comply with the UN’s recommendations for censuses of population and housing and the EU Regulation on population and housing censuses.
Statistical population
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.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency maintains data on persons that can be linked to dwellings and buildings with the help of identifiers.
Statistical unit
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.
Unit of measure
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).
Base period
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.
Reference period
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.
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.
Reference area
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.
The statistics can be produced according to all regional divisions based on municipalities and coordinates, as well as by postal code area.
Sector coverage
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.
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.
Time coverage
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.
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.
Frequency of dissemination
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.
Some of the data on household-dwelling units are published quarterly based on preliminary population data starting from the first quarter of 2023.
Accuracy, reliability and timeliness
Overall accuracy
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.
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.
Timeliness
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.
Quarterly data based on preliminary data are published at a lag of around two months.
Punctuality
There is no delay in releasing the data. The data are published on the dates specified in the release calendar.
Comparability
Comparability - geographical
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Source data and data collections
Source data
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.
The preliminary population statistics are used as the source data for household-dwelling units in quarterly releases.
Data collection
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.
Frequency of data collection
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.
Methods
Data compilation
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.
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.
Data validation
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).
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).
Principles and outlines
Contact organisation
Statistics Finland
Contact organisation unit
Social Statistics
Legal acts and other agreements
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
The compiling of the statistics on household-dwelling units and housing conditions is guided by the population and housing census conducted every ten years. The census is based on the UN’s recommendations and the EU’s Regulation on European Statistics.International regulations and recommendations related to the Population and Housing census: EU Regulation on population and housing censuses and the Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2020 Censuses of Population and Housing, (Chapter XIV. Household and family characteristic).
Confidentiality - policy
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment
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.
Release policy
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 are public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Data sharing
The data of the statistics are used at Statistics Finland by other statistics related to household-dwelling units and housing conditions.
Accessibility and clarity
Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.
In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases.
Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.
Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service.
Data revision - policy
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.
Quality assessment
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.
Quality assurance
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are also compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: Quality management | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
User access
Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled 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 separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of use for statistical data.