Statistical Trivia: Which Housing Estate in Hong Kong had the Largest Population?
Large housing estates often offer better property management services and communal facilities. Have you ever wondered how many people lived in large housing estates in Hong Kong? Are you one of them? Let’s find out in the 2021 Population Census!
According to the results of the 2021 Population Census, there were 540 "major housing estates" in Hong Kong, each with at least 3 000 residents or 1 000 domestic households. In 2021, over 60% of the Hong Kong population, or 4.64 million people, lived in major housing estates. The remaining population (2.77 million people) lived in other types of quarters, such as small housing estates, single-block buildings, village houses, etc.
Which major housing estate had the largest population?
Among all major housing estates, "Kingswood Villas" (58 residential blocks) in Tin Shui Wai had the largest population with around 40 200 people, followed by "Mei Foo Sun Chuen" (99 residential blocks) in Lai Chi Kok and "Sau Mau Ping Estate" (19 residential blocks) in Kwun Tong, with population of 37 300 people and 35 300 people respectively. The total population living in these three housing estates exceeded 110 000, or about 1.5% of the total population.
Age distribution of the residents in major housing estates
Looking at the age distribution of the residents in major housing estates, their median age was 47.3, with 10.4% of children aged under 15 and 20.5% of elderly aged 65 and over. Compared to the age distribution of the population in Hong Kong (the median age was 46.3, with 10.9% of children and 19.6% of elderly), the residents in major housing estates were slightly older.
The "youngest" and "oldest" major housing estates
If we look at the median ages of the residents in all major housing estates in Hong Kong, it revealed an age gap of 25 years between the "youngest" and "oldest" housing estates!
Among the median ages of residents in major housing estates, there were only 3 housing estates in Hong Kong with a median age below 35. They were the "youngest" "Cullinan West", the above-station housing estate at Nam Cheong Station with median age of 34.3; the second "youngest" "Mun Tung Estate" in Tung Chung with median age of 34.4; and the third "youngest" "Lohas Park – Wings at Sea" in Tseung Kwan O with median age of 34.8. All these housing estates were completed in recent years.
On the other hand, "Lok Wah South Estate" in Kwun Tong was the "oldest" housing estate with median age of residents of 59.5; the second "oldest" was "Tsing Yi Estate" in Kwai Tsing, with median age of 58.3; and the third "oldest" was "Lai Kok Estate" in Sham Shui Po with median age of 58.0. Their buildings are around 40 years old.
Apart from the population living in major housing estates and their age distribution, there are many other interesting statistics relating to major housing estates. For more information, please refer to the District Profiles of the 2021 Population Census.
LI Chi-to, Felix
Research Manager
20 January 2025