Ministry of Finance: Residential Floor Space in Taipei City Decreased by 7.2% in Nearly 10 Years, Reflecting Small Home Trend

Central News Agency

(CNA, Reporter Lu Yen-tzu, Taipei, 14th) The latest statistics from the Ministry of Finance show that the number of housing tax cases has grown by nearly 20% in the last 10 years. The average floor space per household across all counties and cities has shrunk from 42.3 pings to 40.7 pings. Among the six special municipalities, Taipei City saw the largest decrease at 7.2%, with its average floor space in year 114 (2025) being 28.3 pings, the smallest in the nation, reflecting the trend of 'small-sized' housing.

The Department of Statistics of the Ministry of Finance today released a fiscal statistics report explaining the housing tax collection situation for the years 104 (2015), 109 (2020), and 114 (2025).

The statistics department pointed out that last year, the number of housing tax cases, including residential and business use, totaled 11.84 million households, an increase of 1.85 million households compared to year 104, a growth of 18.5% over 10 years. This is mainly due to the continuous promotion of urban renewal and the increase in new housing construction. In addition, with declining birthrates and later marriages, the number of single-person or small-sized households has increased, also driving up the number of housing tax registrations.

Comparing the average floor space per household in each county and city, the statistics department stated that due to rising housing prices and the trend towards smaller residential units, over 80% of counties and cities have seen a reduction in average household floor space over the past 10 years. Only four counties, including Taitung and Hualien, showed slight growth, possibly because detached houses or traditional housing types still predominate there.

The statistics department indicated that the counties and cities with larger reductions in floor space are, in order, Kinmen County, Lienchiang County, and Penghu County, with decreases ranging from 8% to 12%. This may be related to the rising construction costs in the outlying islands in recent years, as well as the increased demand for housing for singles and small families, leading developers to focus on apartment buildings.

Regarding the six special municipalities, the statistics department explained that in year 114, Taichung City had the highest average household floor space at 47.3 pings, followed by Tainan City at 46.3 pings. Taoyuan City ranked third at 43.9 pings, Kaohsiung City fourth at 42 pings, and New Taipei City fifth at 32.1 pings. Taipei City was the smallest at 28.3 pings, and also the only county or city in the nation to fall below 30 pings.

According to the statistics, from year 104 to 114, the reductions in average household floor space in the six special municipalities, from largest to smallest, were Taipei City (7.2%), Tainan City (5.8%), Taoyuan City (5.1%), Taichung City (5.1%), New Taipei City (3.3%), and Kaohsiung City (3%).

Furthermore, observing the gender of taxpayers as a whole, the statistics department pointed out that the proportion of females rose to 45.2%, a record high, and the gender gap narrowed to its lowest level of 9.6 percentage points.

In terms of age, the statistics department explained that housing taxpayers are predominantly in the middle-aged and elderly groups, with the 60 and over age group accounting for nearly 50%. This is mainly due to the aging of homeowners, which has caused the overall structure to trend towards an older demographic.

The statistics department added that when observing both gender and age brackets, male taxpayers account for a higher proportion in all age groups. However, with increasing age, women's economic capabilities and changes in property distribution patterns lead to a rise in the proportion of female taxpayers, peaking in the 60-69 age group at 47.3%. (Editor: Lin Chia-hsien) 1150514