Heraklion has grown by nearly 10% since 2001, while almost one in three households now consists of just one person. The 2021 census also shows women slightly outnumbering men, while most of the municipality’s population remains concentrated in the urban center.
The latest demographic snapshot of the Municipality of Heraklion offers some interesting clues about how the city and its surrounding communities have changed over the past two decades.
According to data from the 2021 Census by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), Heraklion has been moving in the opposite direction to Greece as a whole in terms of population. At the same time, the figures reveal a city with a substantial unmarried population and a surprisingly high number of one-person households.
And yes, for anyone wondering whether Heraklion might be a particularly good place to be single, there is at least some data to support the Sunday speculation.
Heraklion has more residents than it did 20 years ago
The Municipality of Heraklion had 179,301 permanent residents in 2021, compared with 173,993 in 2011 and 163,115 in 2001.
That represents an increase of almost 10% over two decades, or 16,186 additional residents.
The trend is particularly notable when compared with Greece as a whole. The country’s permanent population fell by 4.1% between 2001 and 2021, while Crete recorded a more modest increase of 5.1%.
| Area | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 | Change 2001-2011 | Change 2011-2021 | Change 2001-2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 10,934,097 | 10,816,286 | 10,482,487 | -1.1% | -3.1% | -4.1% |
| Crete | 594,368 | 623,065 | 624,408 | 4.8% | 0.22% | 5.1% |
| Municipality of Heraklion | 163,115 | 173,993 | 179,301 | 6.7% | 3.1% | 9.9% |
Source: ELSTAT, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Censuses.
Nearly half are unmarried
The figures become a little more interesting when looking at marital status.
In 2021, 43% of the permanent population of the Municipality of Heraklion was unmarried, compared with 46.4% who were married. Widowed residents accounted for 5.9%, while 4.7% were divorced.
| Marital status | Share of population |
|---|---|
| Married | 46.4% |
| Unmarried | 43.0% |
| Widowed | 5.9% |
| Divorced | 4.7% |
But there is an important distinction here.
Being unmarried does not necessarily mean living alone. An unmarried person may live with parents, children, relatives, friends or a partner. So the 43% figure should not be interpreted as implying that 43% of Heraklion residents live alone.
For that, the household figures are much more revealing.
One in three households has one person
The 2021 Census recorded 73,197 households in the Municipality of Heraklion, containing a total of 176,148 household members.
Of these, 23,480 households consisted of just one person.
That means approximately 32.1% of all households in the municipality were one-person households, or roughly one in every three.
| Household size | Number of households |
|---|---|
| 1 person | 23,480 |
| 2 people | 19,486 |
| 3 people | 13,657 |
| 4+ people | 16,575 |
| Total | 73,197 |
Source: ELSTAT, 2021 Census.
So, perhaps Heraklion isn’t necessarily a city of singles. It is, however, clearly a city where living alone is relatively common.
And that distinction makes the statistics considerably more interesting.
Most of Heraklion lives in… Heraklion
Another striking feature of the census is just how concentrated the municipality’s population remains around the urban core.
The Municipal Unit of Heraklion accounts for 87.5% of the municipality’s population.
The Municipal Unit of Nea Alikarnassos ranks a considerable distance behind at 8.2%, while the remaining units account for only small shares.
| Municipal Unit | Share of Municipality |
|---|---|
| Heraklion | 87.5% |
| Nea Alikarnassos | 8.2% |
| Temenos | 1.9% |
| Gorgolainis | 1.4% |
| Paliani | 1.1% |
This concentration helps explain the municipality’s essentially urban character. Despite its administrative boundaries extending beyond the city itself, the overwhelming majority of its residents are concentrated in and around Heraklion.
Women outnumber men
The gender balance is relatively close, although women have a small majority.
Women account for 51.62% of the municipality’s population, while men make up 48.38%.
| Sex | Share |
|---|---|
| Women | 51.62% |
| Men | 48.38% |
Taken together, the census figures paint a picture of a municipality that has continued to attract and retain residents while much of Greece has experienced population decline.
Heraklion’s population grew by almost 10% between 2001 and 2021, nearly nine out of every ten residents live within the main urban municipal unit, and almost one-third of households are occupied by a single person.
So, is Heraklion a city of singles? Not quite. But with 23,480 one-person households, there are certainly enough people living alone to make that an entertaining Sunday question.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), 2021 Census.
This feature was inspired by a recent report from Creta Live examining Heraklion’s population, household structure, and the 2021 census figures.
