Poland faces aging population and rise of single‑person households

Poland’s demographic profile is shifting rapidly. By the end of 2024 the country had almost 10 million people aged 60 and over, and the share of seniors is projected to keep growing. In Kraków, the Stowarzyszenie Wolontariat św. Eliasza runs a Daily Senior House that now serves 15 regular residents and a growing waiting list, offering meals, exercise, arts and psychotherapy to combat isolation.

At the same time, household composition is changing. Data from the Polish Institute of Economics and Eurostat show that single‑person households rose from 22 % in 2006 to 35 % in 2025, while the share of multigenerational homes fell dramatically – only 6 % of people aged 65 + now live with their children, down from 15 % in 2006. The trend reduces informal family care for both children and the elderly and puts pressure on housing policy.

Poland has also turned from a net‑emigration to a net‑immigration country. Over 2 million foreigners now reside in Poland, two‑thirds of them from Ukraine, creating new integration challenges and altering labour‑market dynamics. Demographers warn that low fertility – a replacement rate of about 0.5 – combined with an ageing population could trigger a rapid depopulation if the trend continues.