Family Size by Country 2024

No matter where in the world a person is from, family is likely a core life value, both for them and for the community in which they live. However, actual family size can vary quite a bit from one country to the next, as well as be influenced by multiple social, economic, and cultural factors. Here’s a breakdown of how that works in 2023.

Countries with the Largest and Smallest Families

Globally speaking, the average family size worldwide hovers around 3.45 people per household in 2023. However, there are many countries where the local average is either less or more than that.

Senegal tops the global list when it comes to large families, with most households including between ten and a dozen people. Larger countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and India also tend to favor larger family sizes on average with most households including between five and nine people.

Meanwhile, smaller families are more common across Europe and North America with average households consisting of three people or fewer. Top countries where small family sizes are popular include Germany, Norway, France, Switzerland, the United States, Serbia, Monaco, and Finland.

Factors That Can Influence Family Size

As is the case with most lifestyle approaches, the average family size of a country is greatly influenced by multiple outside factors. Here’s a look at some of the most important ones to know.

Cultural and Social Norms

In many cultures, family size is a response to widespread social expectations. In some countries, larger families are encouraged for practical reasons. In others, households may run large on average because social norms dictate that families come together to better care for children, elderly, and sick members.

Economic Factors

In wealthier nations with higher incomes on average, people can afford to maintain smaller households, as fewer people are needed to cover costs related to food, bills, raising children, and so forth. Smaller households are also more common in dense urban areas due to lifestyle and space factors.

Government Regulation

Some countries’ governments actively regulate family size to prevent overpopulation. China is one country that is famous for this. For decades, the Chinese government restricted Chinese families to just one child. However, in 2016, the limit was officially raised to two children. As of 2021, families in China can have up to three children each.

Female Empowerment

In regions like the United States, Canada, and much of Europe where the average woman is educated and empowered to make life choices freely, family sizes also typically trend smaller.