Number of households rise by 82.4% in 20 years

AMMAN — The number of families in Jordan increased from 672,472 in 1994 to around 1.27 million in 2014, marking an 82.4 per cent growth, the Department of Statistics (DoS) announced Wednesday. 

In a report DoS issued on the occasion of World Family Day, which falls on May 15, the department said that families headed by women increased from 10.5 per cent in 2004 to 14.2 per cent in 2014.

Maan Governorate had the highest rate of families headed by female single parents in 2014 with 14.9 per cent, followed by Amman and Irbid with 14.8 per cent each, and Ajloun with 14.7 per cent, while Aqaba had the lowest rate with 10.7 per cent.

Economically, DoS' 2010 data reveal that the average annual expenditure of families stands at JD9,626, of which JD3,389 is spent on food items, JD426 on alcoholic beverages and smoking, and JD5,811 on non-food materials and services, according to the report, e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

The same data indicated that the poverty rate among families stood at 10.5 per cent, with the poverty line of the standard family of 5.4 members reaching a monthly income of JD366, and JD407 for families of six members.

The economic development the Kingdom has witnessed during the past few years has positively reflected on families in terms of possessing appliances and services.

In this regard, the 2013 DoS-compiled data show that 99 per cent of households have a mobile, 56 per cent have a computer, and 57 per cent have an Internet subscription.