Singaporeans have enjoyed significant progress over the last decade: Census 2020

Singapore residents have enjoyed significant progress over the last 10 years, with around six in 10 residents aged 25 or older attaining post-secondary or higher qualifications – up from less than five residents in 2010.

This was one of the findings released in the Census of Population 2020 by the Department of Statistics on Wednesday (Jun 16). 

Conducted once every 10 years, the Census is “the most comprehensive source of information on population and households”. Last year, 150,000 households were surveyed for the Census.

The census also reported that females “have made more significant progress in education”. Among residents between 25 and 34, the proportion for females with post-secondary or higher qualifications was 90.2 per cent, while the percentage for males was 90.0 per cent.

Singapore’s population increased from 3.23 million in 2010 to 3.52 million in 2020, growing about 1.1 per cent every year. The ethnic composition “remained stable” with 74.3 per cent Chinese, 13.5 per cent Malays and 9.0 per cent Indians.

While surveys indicated that most Singaporeans wish to get married and start families of their own, the proportion of singles rose across age groups. The increase was most significant for residents between 25 and 34 years old.

Females also had fewer children – ever-married females between 40 to 49 gave birth to an average of 1.76 children in 2020 compared to 2.02 children in 2010.

Singapore’s literacy rate and multi-language literacy remained high at 97.1 per cent and 90.3 per cent respectively. For 48.3 per cent of residents, English was the most frequently spoken language at home – with 80 per cent of those residents also speaking a vernacular language at home.

20 per cent of residents stated that they did not have a religion, and the remaining residents identified as having different religions. 31.1 per cent were Buddhists, 8.8 per cent were Taoists, 18.9 per cent were Christians, 15.6 per cent were Muslims, and 5.0 per cent were Hindus.

More information from the census will be released this Friday (Jun 18).