Household formation
This refers to the process whereby individuals in the population form separate households. ‘Gross’ or ‘new’ household formation refers to households that form over a period of time, conventionally one year. This is equal to the number of households existing at the end of the year that did not exist as separate households at the beginning of the year (not counting ‘successor’ households, when the former head of household dies or departs). ‘Net’ household formation is the net growth in households resulting from new households forming less the number of existing households dissolving (eg through death or joining up with other households).
