A Female Cohort Analysis of Housing Choices in Taiwan—Comparing the Female as Head and not as Head of the Household

In this study, we follow the female in a cohort analysis of her housing choices in Taiwan, using data from the population and housing census for 1980, 1990 and 2000. In addition to looking at the female population as a whole, we also compare the differences between females who are heads of households and those who are not. Econometric models focusing on the tenure choice of housing and living space per person are estimated simultaneously. The age effects show that households have the highest homeownership rate and lowest amount of living space per person in their middle years. This is due to persons in their middle years having the highest accumulated wealth and also the largest household size during their life cycle. However, no clear trend can be found in the male sample with respect to the age effect in their middle years, for instance, 25-60, for both homeownership and living space. Hence, the female is probably more suitable than the male in terms of representing a household during its life-cyle. The birth cohort effect shows that the earlier a female is born, the higher is the probability that she will become a homeowner and occupy a larger living space. This result can also be found in studies on male cohorts. These findings thus raise our concerns over the disadvantages that the younger generation faces in becoming homeowners. In addition, we find that the age and birth cohort effects are very different for female-headed and non-female-headed households. Although on average, the female heads have more years of education and higher job participation rates, they have lower homeownership rates. They also benefit less from economic growth. Nevertheless, the gap between the female-headed and non-female-headed households has narrowed as the birth cohort has become younger.