Satisfaction with neighbourhood and estate facilities remained high, and vast majority were satisfied with neighbourly relations

More families chose to live closer to one another, with proximity playing an increasingly important role in strengthening family bonds and enabling more frequent visits between children and parents, HDB’s latest Sample Household Survey (SHS) found. Close to two-thirds (64.5%) of younger married residents¹ in 2023/24 lived with or near² their parents, up from slightly under 6 in 10 (57.4%) in 2018, for mutual care and support.

2 The SHS 2023/24 findings also revealed that residents’ satisfaction with neighbourhood and estate facilities remained high, with commercial facilities including supermarkets, coffee shops and HDB shops or neighbourhood centres being well-utilised. In addition, over 9 in 10 HDB residents were satisfied with neighbourly relations, and more residents contributed actively to their communities.

3 Since 1968, HDB has been conducting the SHS once every five years, to gather feedback on public housing and identify changing needs and expectations. The SHS covered residents’ profile, housing satisfaction and preferences (i.e. satisfaction with physical living environment and estate facilities), as well as social well-being, which included family ties, living arrangements and neighbourly relations. For SHS 2023/24, about 7,000 households and more than 1,600 single occupiers³ in all HDB towns and estates were interviewed between October 2023 and April 2024. The surveys were conducted predominantly through face-to-face interviews and online surveys.

Profile of HDB resident population and households

4 The number of Singapore citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents living in HDB flats⁴ increased from 3.15 million persons in 2018 to 3.18 million persons in 2023⁵ , with HDB flats being home to almost 8 in 10 of Singapore’s resident population. Of the approximately 1.1 million households⁶ living in HDB flats, home ownership remained high, with more than 9 in 10 owning their homes⁷.

5 The median age of HDB residents was around 43 years old in 2023. In particular, the proportion of seniors aged 65 and above increased, making up close to 1 in 5 (18.2%) of the HDB resident population. This is nearly twice the proportion of seniors (10.4%) in 2013, a decade ago.⁸

6 The average household size continued to decrease, from 3.1 persons in 2018 to 3.0 persons in 2023/24. While family-based households remained the predominant household type at 83.0% in 2023/24, this was a drop from 86.6% in 2018. On the other hand, one-person households increased from about 1 in 8 (12.6%) in 2018 to close to 1 in 6 (15.6%) in 2023/24 (refer to Infographic 1), reflecting societal shifts such as an ageing population and changing housing preferences. ⁹

Infographic 1: Proportion of family-based and one-person households

Closer proximity strengthens family interactions and support

7 Family ties remained strong among HDB residents, with over 9 in 10 satisfied with family relations. Younger married residents with parents, and older residents with married children reported high levels of trust and reciprocity with their family members. At the same time, more families chose to live near each other, with close to two-thirds (64.5%) of younger married residents living with or near their parents, up from slightly under 6 in 10 (57.4%) in 2018.

8 Proximity facilitated more frequent family interactions and support. More than 8 in 10 (84.1%) younger married residents who were not living with their parents visited one another at least once a month. Those living nearby were more likely to visit frequently – about 3 in 4 (75.1%) visited at least once a week, compared with less than half (45.9%) living elsewhere in Singapore (refer to Infographic 2). Living close also enabled them to rely more on their parents for physical and emotional support. For younger married residents whose parents were living with them, the main reasons were to care for their parents, provide mutual care, or receive help with childcare.

Infographic 2: Frequency of visits between younger married residents and their parents by proximity

*Values with high coefficient of variation were dropped.

9 Overall, a higher proportion of residents were satisfied with their proximity to family members. More than 8 in 10 (86.1%) younger married residents were satisfied with where they lived in relation to their parents, while close to 9 in 10 (88.0%) older residents were satisfied with where they lived in relation to their married children (refer to Infographic 3).

Infographic 3: Married children and parents’ satisfaction with where they lived in relation to the other group

10 These findings affirm HDB’s policies in supporting extended families to live with or near one another. We will continue supporting such families through housing policies and schemes, including the Family Care Scheme (FCS) (Proximity) and FCS (Joint Balloting), 3Gen flats and Proximity Housing Grant (PHG).

Seniors preferred to age in place

11 In 2023/24, senior households¹⁰ accounted for about one-third (31.0%) of all resident households in HDB flats, up from one-quarter (25.6%) in 2018. Overall, seniors preferred to age in place – more than 8 in 10 (85.9%) intended to continue living in their existing flat, citing comfort and emotional attachment to their homes. Even if they required assistance with daily living, most seniors preferred to remain in their own home with caregiving from family members, domestic helpers, or professional support. A small proportion of seniors (14.1%) wanted to move, mainly to right-size to smaller flats for easier maintenance or unlock the value of their flats for additional income.

12 When asked about their preferred housing type, about 1 in 5 (21.5%) senior households chose 2-room flats, up from about 1 in 9 (11.8%) in 2018. On the other hand, seniors who preferred to live in 4-room and bigger flat types dipped from 45.4% in 2018 to 36.9% in 2023/24. Overall, 3-room flats remained the most popular flat type among seniors (28.8%).

13 With Singapore’s ageing population, HDB will continue to provide a range of housing options and create a safe and comfortable living environment for seniors. As announced during the National Day Rally by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the Government will roll out Age Well Neighbourhoods¹¹, starting with Toa Payoh, to enable our seniors to age comfortably in familiar living environments with proper care and social support. Concurrently, HDB will continue offering Community Care Apartment (CCA) projects, which integrate senior-friendly housing with care needs. The sixth CCA project will be launched in Toa Payoh next year to expand the continuum of housing options for seniors.

Single occupiers who intended to move, preferred to buy their own housing unit ¹²

14 In this SHS, HDB also surveyed single occupiers living in HDB flats to better understand their housing intentions. A majority (82.2%) were below 35 years old and living in 4-room or bigger sold flats (81.6%). Most presently lived with only their parents or immediate family members.

15 Single occupiers had strong family ties, with most enjoying close relationships with their parents (87.4%) and siblings (80.6%). They also indicated they would provide financial (96.9%), physical (92.9%) and emotional support (93.0%) to their parents, even after moving out.

16 To better understand the potential housing choices of singles, the SHS delved into the housing intentions of those with no clear intention or plans to get married (80.3%). Among this group, more than 6 in 10 (66.2%) intended to move (refer to Infographic 4). Of those who intended to move, about 7 in 10 (72.3%) intended to buy their own housing unit rather than rent or live with someone else. Among those planning to purchase a home, a higher proportion preferred a new housing unit to a resale housing unit, citing affordability and newer living environments as key reasons.

Infographic 4: Housing intentions of singles with no clear intention/ plan to marry (i.e 80.3%)

17 To better support singles' home ownership aspirations and family caregiving needs, we have progressively enhanced public housing access over the years. Since October 2024, singles can apply for new 2-room Flexi flats in Standard, Plus and Prime projects across Singapore. We have also introduced the new FCS (Proximity) giving singles priority when applying for a new flat to live with or near their parents, and FCS (Joint Balloting)¹³ allowing parents and singles to jointly apply for two units in the same project. We will continue to review our housing policies to meet the housing needs of singles.

High satisfaction with estate facilities and neighbourhood

18 Residents’ overall satisfaction with their neighbourhood and estate facilities (i.e. commercial facilities, precinct facilities, parks & greenery, etc) remained consistently high, with satisfaction levels exceeding 90% for most facilities throughout the last 15 years (refer to Infographic 5).

Infographic 5: Households’ satisfaction with types of estate facilities

* New category included in SHS 2023/24.

19 Households attributed their satisfaction with their neighbourhoods to pleasant and peaceful environments, good transportation networks, and friendly neighbours. Among households who were satisfied with their neighbourhood, almost all (97.9%) felt a sense of belonging towards their towns or estates.

20 On estate facilities, households were also asked how often they used each facility. Commercial facilities, including HDB shops and eating houses/coffee shops, remained the most used, with at least 9 in 10 households using them. In particular, supermarkets were more popular than wet/dry markets, with close to 8 in 10 (79.4%) households utilising them at least once a week compared with 6 in 10 (61.0%) for wet/dry markets, likely due to the convenience and wider variety. More households also used neighbourhood parks and roof/sky gardens at least once a week, compared with 2018, reflecting a greater focus on outdoor activities and an awareness of the mental health benefits offered by green spaces.

21 The SHS findings on residents’ satisfaction with and usage of facilities will help guide HDB’s planning and provision of estate facilities, to meet changing demographics and lifestyle needs.

Vast majority satisfied with neighbourly relations

22 Community ties remained strong across HDB estates, with over 9 in 10 (94.4%) HDB residents satisfied with neighbourly relations. Notably, the shift towards working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic created more opportunities for residents to interact and connect with their neighbours, as they spent more time at home. Nearly all residents interacted with their neighbours, from low intensity interactions such as greeting each other, to higher intensity engagements which included exchanging suggestions or advice about personal issues (refer to Infographic 6).

Infographic 6: Proportion of households who engaged in different types of neighbourly interactions

* New category included in SHS 2023/24.

23 More residents also stepped up to contribute their services to the community, from 4 in 10 (40.2%) in 2018 to almost 7 in 10 (69.3%) in 2023/24. Among these, the most common types of assistance rendered included keeping common areas clean and providing general help to their neighbours (e.g. receiving parcels, watering plants, etc).

24 Communal spaces and facilities within the block, precinct or town also facilitated community bonding, either through chance encounters between neighbours or planned gatherings. More residents met their neighbours within their block, with common areas of interaction including corridors or areas outside their flats, lift lobbies and void decks (refer to Infographic 7).

Infographic 7: Places where neighbours meet for interaction

25 Recognising that positive neighbourly relations are essential for fostering harmonious living in HDB estates, HDB has in place various programmes, including the Good Neighbours Movement, Lively Places Programme, and Friends of Our Heartlands network to encourage residents to play an active role in building strong communities. Beyond such programmes, HDB will continue to refine the designs of HDB estates to better facilitate social interactions and community bonding.

Conclusion

26 Over the years, SHS findings on residents’ sentiments and housing preferences have helped HDB to continuously adapt its housing policies and flat designs to keep in step with Singapore’s evolving demographics and lifestyles.

27 Likewise, the SHS 2023/24 findings have enabled HDB to gain deeper insights into residents' living arrangements and the changing housing needs of families, seniors, and singles. Going forward, we will continue to provide affordable, accessible and inclusive homes for Singaporeans. We will also press ahead with rejuvenating our towns and homes through programmes such as the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), to provide a quality living environment for residents of all ages.

¹ For the survey, younger married residents are defined as those aged 54 years and below (with parents living in Singapore) while older residents with married children are those aged 55 years and above.

² This refers to those who live within close proximity (living next door, in the same block, in a nearby block, or in the same estate) or in a nearby estate from their parents.

³ Single occupiers refer to single (i.e. never-married) Singapore citizens who are occupiers of sold or public rental HDB flats (excluding open market rental tenants), aged 21 to 54 years old.

⁴ This includes flat owner/co-owners, HDB public rental tenants, occupiers and open-market rental tenants.

⁵ Data on HDB resident population is provided by Department of Statistics (DOS), compiled based on administrative sources as at June of the reference year.

⁶ A household is defined as an entire group of persons, who may or may not be related, living together in a housing unit.

⁷ Data on HDB households is compiled based on results from SHS of the reference year.

⁸ Figures in Para 5 are provided by DOS, compiled based on administrative sources as at June of the reference year.

⁹ Figures in Para 6 are compiled based on results from SHS of the reference year.

¹⁰ A senior household is defined as one where the decision maker of the household is aged 65 years and above.

¹¹ Led by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of National Development (MND) and Ministry of Transport (MOT), Age Well Neighbourhoods aim to support our seniors to age comfortably within their communities through enhancements in housing, transport, active ageing and care services. These neighbourhoods will be implemented in estates with higher concentrations of seniors.

¹² Housing unit refers to both public and private housing, e.g. HDB flats, private condominiums etc.

¹³ Under FCS (Proximity), introduced in July 2025, first-timer singles can enjoy priority access when applying for a new flat to live with or near their parents. Under FCS (Joint Balloting) introduced in October 2025, first-timer singles can jointly apply with their parents for units in the same project.

Sample Household Survey 2023/24: Family Bonds Remained Strong, With More Living Nearer to Each Other