How cities define size of households
Cities that are growing
rapidly and have high
levels of in-migration
also tend to have smaller
households
Source: Housing Skyline of India
Demand Curve
The majority of households in the top 112 cities in India constitute between three
and five persons, including children and adults. Yet, at least a quarter of the
households have at least six persons in it, and just 15% consist of one-two people
living under one roof.
Typically, cities in southern India and larger cities tend to have smaller households.
This is partly due to lower fertility rates among women who are better educated and
live in households with higher incomes—both more likely in the south and in larger
cities. But education and awareness are not the only criteria that determine
household size.

Source: Housing Skyline of India
Cities that are growing rapidly and have high levels of in-migration also tend to have
smaller households. Early migrants tend to be unmarried, and, even if married, may
live by themselves. It is only after a few years of living in a new location, and after they
establish themselves, do their families join them.
It is for this reason that cities such as Allahabad, Kanpur, Srinagar or Gulbarga—with
low economic growth and in-migration—tend to have a larger share of large-sized
households. Cities such as Faridabad, Kanchipuram and Mangalore that are relatively
more dynamic with high economic growth tend to have fewer large households.
The size of a household has a huge impact on purchases of consumer goods. Larger
households typically spend less on consumer goods on a per capita basis as they are
able to share better. For the same reason, larger households are more able to afford
better quality of consumer goods.
Demand Curve is a weekly column by research firm Indicus Analytics Pvt. Ltd on consumer trends and
markets.