Elderly cohort sees highest increase between 2011 and 2021, while birth rate slows

The highest increases in the Maltese population between 2011 and 2021 were seen in people aged over 65 years old, while the lowest increase was noted in the cohort of people between 10 and 19 years old, NSO statistics show.

Regional statistics published by the NSO shed light on the country’s ageing population due to a decreasing birth rate, while the old age-dependency ratio in Malta stood at 27.6%, meaning that there are approximately three working-age adults for every elderly person aged 65 or more.

While Malta’s natural population change has maintained a positive trend throughout the years, 2015 and 2021 saw more deaths than births in Gozo, leading to a negative population growth rate for the two years. When it comes to the foreign population in the country, the highest increase in this population was noted in the cohort of people aged 30-39 years old.

Households and their income

Marriages in Malta and Gozo continued their decline from 2016. While more than 3,000 marriages were registered in 2016, the number gradually decreased to just over 2,500 in 2019. 2020 saw the least marriages due to the Covid-19 pandemic with just over 1,000 marriages, with the number shooting up to 2,276 in 2021.

Two-person households were the most common households in 2021 across Malta and Gozo, while the average household disposable income was highest among households in the Western district, which stood at €39,063. The lowest average household disposable income was registered in the Northern Harbour district. 

Education

State schools remained the most popular among primary students, as from the 26,941 students enrolled in primary education in the 2020/2021 scholastic year, 58.1% attended state schools. Most of the 21,790 students enrolled in secondary education were noticed to attend schools in the same district where they reside.

The highest share of students attending state-run institutions was observed within the post-secondary schools, as 76.8% of the 5,785 students in post-secondary general education attended state schools. Meanwhile, a 3.9% increase was noted in students enrolled in tertiary education, as 23,159 students attended full-time or part-time courses in the 2020/2021 academic year. The majority of the students (56.3%) were females.

Labour Market

In 2021, there were 230,034 people in full-time employment in Malta, with the highest share of employees being registered in the wholesale and retail trade, followed by motor vehicle repair, transportation and storage, and the accommodation and food service activities. In Gozo, 13,180 people were employed on a full-time basis.

Meanwhile, 57.3% of Gozo residents who work in Malta are employed in the public sector.

In 2021, the average annual basic salary stood at €19,755. The average salary for males in the same year was €20,610, while that for females was €18,684.

Tourism

Last year, 2,286,597 tourist arrivals were recorded, with more than half of them arriving to Malta with low-cost airlines. This contrasts heavily with 2021 figures, due to travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Inbound tourists who only visited Malta during their holiday stayed an average of 7.1 nights in 2022, registering a 1.4 night decrease from the previous year. They were most likely to stay in rented accommodation establishments, and had an estimated expenditure of €1.9 billion. 

On the other hand, tourists who only visited Gozo amounted to 64,687, which is a 116.4% increase of the amount seen in 2021. They spent an average of 9.9 nights on Malta’s sister island, which is 1.9 nights less than 2021. In total, they spent about €62.4 million during their holiday.