Not so happily ever after? Number of marriages in Hong Kong drops 7.4%

The number of marriages in Hong Kong in 2024 fell by 7.4 per cent from the previous year, while the tally of people who were divorced, widowed or separated rose by 5.2 per cent, according to the latest census report.

“The Women and Men in Hong Kong” report, which was published by the Census and Statistics Department on Friday, also showed the number of newborns last year rose by 10.5 per cent, but the overall population of children aged up to 14 fell by 4.7 per cent.

According to the latest figures, Hong Kong’s population stood at 7.5 million at the end of 2024, comprising 4.1 million female and 3.4 million male residents, a difference of 691,600 between the sexes.

A breakdown of the population data also showed that 3.9 million residents were married.

But the number of registered marriages fell from 47,723 in 2023 to 44,196 last year, a decline of 7.4 per cent. The 2024 figure was still higher than the 30,012 recorded in 2022, with the number believed to have been affected by Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, chair professor of population health at the University of Hong Kong, said the trend was driven by changing social norms and significant financial pressures.