The number of non-elderly single-person applicants newly registered for public rental housing has risen 450% in the past six years, to 16,000 in 2005-06.

A Census & Statistics Department survey has found that the average age of these applicants fell to 34.1 years, from 39.5 in 1999-2000. But the figure for those aged 18-30 rocketed from 570 in 1999-2000 to 7,360 in 2005-06.

On education attainment, about 10% had academic qualifications of up to post-secondary education or above. For those aged 35 or below, the corresponding figure rose to 18%.

Higher income

The survey found the median household income of the waiting-list applicants was on a downward trend from 1999-2005, in tandem with the faltering economy during the period.

Along with a revival in the economy, the median household income in 2005-06 grew 3% to $6,500 from $6,300 in 2004-05.

Recent years have also seen a notable decline in the applicants' average household size, from 2.9 people in 1999-2000 to 2.1 in 2005-06, shrinking at an average rate of 5.5% a year.

A massive escalation in the number of one- and two-person applicants in recent years is one of the contributory factors.

Single applicants

The number of one-person applicants accounted for 43% of all 97,400 applications in 2005-06. The corresponding figure in 1999-2000 was only 13%.

Off all the applicants in 2005-06, about 59% lived in private permanent housing, 25% in public-rental housing, 10% in subsidised sales flats and 5% in temporary housing.

The Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics February 2007 issue carries more figures, and feature articles on trading firms with manufacturing-related activities and expenditure on information technology in the business sector. Download the free publication here.