The bar depicts the number of people living in a house, comparing 1981 and 2001. Overall, the largest share in 1981 and 2001 was accounted for by the same category: a house occupied by two people, whereas other categories, such as one person and three or more than six people, accounted for smaller shares.
In 1981, the 1-person and 2-person per household rates were approximately 17% and 31%, respectively. Over the next two decades, the 1-person-per-household share rose to 25%, and the 2-person-per-household share became the largest, at approximately 34%.
In contrast, there was a downward trend in two figures, namely 3-person and 5-person households. In the first period, 20% of all houses in the UK were occupied by three people, while 18% were occupied by four people. This number then decreased in 2001, when the three people reached 17% and the four people fell to 15%. At this point, there was an equally 3% gap in both of these categories.
Furthermore, the five- and more-than-six-person categories also showed a slight gap. The five-person category reached 6% in 2001, lower than in the last two decades, which were 8%. The category of six or more people also showed a downward trend, falling from 6% in 1981 to 4% in 2001. There was a 2% difference in the last two decades for both categories.