Household Estimation in South Africa: Assessment of the Headship Method

Princelle Dasappa-Venketsamy

The number of households in a country at different geographical levels is an integral measure for planning, resource allocation and the equitable share. The number of households in a population is also used for the weighting of household surveys. This paper assesses the headship method utilized in household estimates by, (i) utilizing a constant rate or a regression; (ii) the effect of inclusion and exclusion of the institutional population, and (iii) the adoption of household or person weights. Consideration is given to using a single Census method or all three Census points. The outcome of this research is to determine the most suitable way to estimate the number of households, and to determine the average household size. As a country of destination, the study assesses the effect of migration on household size, as well as the growth of single person households in the country.

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 Presented in Session 3. Population, Development, & the Environment; Data & Methods; Applied Demography