Housing units in PH reach 28.5 million in 2020

The 2020 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that the number of housing units in the Philippines reached 28.50 million in 2020, up from 24.22 million in 2015 and 21.29 million in 2010.

Data show that of the total housing units in 2020, 25.18 million were occupied by households/household population as of May 1, 2020. 

The occupancy rate or the ratio of the total occupied housing units to the total number of housing units in 2020 was posted at 88.4 percent.

The top three regions with the largest population sizes are also the top three regions in terms of number of occupied housing units. Region IV-A (CALABARZON) had the highest number of occupied housing units with a total of 3,820,739, or 15.2 percent of the total occupied housing units in the Philippines. 

This was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 3,257,020 (12.9%), and the Region III (Central Luzon) came in third with 2,892,184 (11.5%). CAR, which had the smallest regional population size, recorded the least number of occupied housing units with 432,668 (1.7%). 

In Visayas, Region VII (Central Visayas) had the most number of occupied housing units with 1,909,857 (7.6% share) while in Mindanao, Region XI (Davao) ranked first in terms of the number of occupied housing units with 1,285,860 (5.1% share). (Figure 3)

Meanwhile, there were 105 households per 100 occupied housing units in the country. A total of 26,376,522 households were recorded in the country in 2020. This translated to 105 households in every 100 occupied housing units, higher than the ratio reported in 2015. 

On the other hand, 4.3 persons per occupied housing unit was recorded in 2020, slightly lower than 4.5 persons recorded in 2015. 

Of the total number of occupied housing units in the Philippines,  22,059,348 or 87.6 percent were single house. This was followed by occupied housing units in apartment/accessoria/row house with 1,628,258 (6.5%), in duplex with 746,765 (3.0%), in other multi-unit residential with 541,490 (2.1%), and in condominium/condotel with 169,327 (0.7%). 

Meanwhile, 46,346 (0.2%) were occupied housing units in commercial, industrial, agricultural buildings, institutional living quarters, and other types of building. 

In 2020, three in five (60.4%) of the occupied housing units in the country had outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone followed by outer walls of occupied housing units made of wood with 14.5 percent. On the other hand, 11.5 percent of the occupied housing units had outer walls made of half concrete/brick/stone and half wood while 11.1 percent had outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa. 

Majority (85.9%) of the occupied housing units in 2020 had roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum. This was followed by the proportion of occupied housing units with roofs made of cogon/nipa/anahaw and concrete/clay tile with 4.7 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. (Figure 6)

Three in every four occupied housing units (76.4%) have concrete construction materials of the floor. Other construction materials of the housing units are wood (9.9%), earth/sand/mud (7.4%), bamboo (4.9%), coconut lumber (0.3%), and others (0.1%). (Figure 7)

Meanwhile, around 37.4 percent of the occupied housing units have cement/brick/stone as the finishing materials of the floor. Other finishing materials of the floor are ceramic tile/marble/granite (32.9%), wood plank (8.0%), linoleum (6.4%), vinyl/carpet tile (1.1%), wood tile/parquet (0.4%), and others (1.4%). Moreover, one in ten of the housing units (11.9%) do not have any finishing materials of the floor. 

Majority or about 19.99 million occupied housing units (79.4%) were only one-storey buildings. This was followed by housing units in two-storey buildings with 4.26 million (16.9%) and housing units in three-storey buildings with 0.51 million (2.0%). The remaining 0.38 million (1.5%) are housing units in buildings with more than three storeys. 

Four in every five occupied housing units (84.1%) only needed minor repair or need not be repaired at all. Meanwhile, the proportion of occupied housing units needing major repair comprised of 11.6 percent. 

Moreover, the rest of the occupied housing units were categorized as unfinished construction (1.4%), under construction (1.3%), under renovation/being repaired (1.1%), and dilapidated/condemned (0.2%).  

About  34.6 percent of the occupied housing units in the Philippines were built 10 years prior to the 2020 CPH, that is in the period 2011 to 2020, while 20.6 percent were built during the period 2001 to 2010. The remaining 35.4 percent were built more than 20 years prior to the 2020 CPH with 15.5 percent during the period 1991 to 2000, 9.1 percent during the period 1981 to 1990, and 10.8 percent in 1980 or earlier. 

In 2020, occupied housing units with a floor area of less than 20 sq. m. (less than 209 sq. ft.) accounted for 27.2 percent of occupied housing units. This was followed by the housing units with a floor area of about 30 – 49 sq. m. (318 – 532 sq. ft.) comprised of 19.5 percent, housing units with floor area of 20 – 29 sq. m. (210 – 317 sq. ft.) comprised of 18.6 percent, and with floor area of 50 – 69 sq. m. (533 – 748 sq. ft.) comprised of 12.6 percent. 

Meanwhile, occupied housing units with floor area of 120 sq. m. (1,287 sq. ft.) or larger accounted for 7.9 percent. Those with floor area of ranging from  70 – 89 sq. m. (749 – 963 sq. ft.)  accounted for 7.8 percent, while those with floor area of about  90 – 119 sq. m. (964 – 1,286 sq. ft.) accounted for 5.8 percent. 

Of the 26,376,522 households, 57.3 percent owned or had owner-like possession of the house and lot they occupied. Moreover, 18.6 percent of the households owned the house while occupying a rent-free lot with consent of the owner. Furthermore, 10.8 percent rented the house/ room including the lot that they occupied, and 6.6 percent had rent-free house and lot with consent of the owner.