Work

An urban demographic transition. The rise of one-person households and the remaking of northwestern European cities, 1960–2000

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The number of people living alone in northwestern European cities has grown rapidly since the 1960s. Why did this happen, and to what effect? This article explores the causes and social, political and spatial consequences of this demographic transition, hypothesizing that it has fundamentally reshaped social life, housing politics and the design and use of buildings and spaces in modern urban societies. The article underscores the need for urban historians to address the rise of one-person households during the second half of the twentieth century. It urges them to move beyond the urban crisis paradigm that still dominates this period to understand the profound and lasting effects of changing household structures. The article proposes a broad temporal and geographic scope for further research, using Amsterdam as a pilot study.

Source: Urban History

DOI: 10.1017/s0963926826100881

Author: Tim Verlaan

Institution: University of Amsterdam

Language: English

Topic: Urbanization and City Planning

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550