本研究採用主計處「家庭收支調查」1991-2000共十年資料，分析台灣地區單人戶的人口特質與經濟特性，及其變化趨勢。鑒於人口的高齡化以及老人單人戶的社會弱勢，解析其貧窮的人口特質也是本文之重點。 台灣地區單人戶，從1991年佔總普通住戶之5.83%持續增加至2000年10.82%；若以數量來說，從約30萬增至71萬戶，多了一倍以上o其中65歲以上老人為最多，佔四成左右。單人戶當中一直是以未婚人口為最多，其次為喪偶人口，再次者為離婚。喪偶人口比例隨著年齡層降低而減少，未婚人口比例則呈相反的方向。在各年齡層當中，老人單人戶以喪偶比例最高，未婚為次多，離婚人口所佔比例則相當低o至於單人戶的性別，老人單人戶從男性佔將近百分之七十持續下降至約百分之五十。大致上反映該年齡層台灣特殊的人口結構，以及女性平均餘命高於男性的現象。 關於單人戶之經濟狀況，本研究以官方「低收入」以及「相對貧窮」兩種測量，來比較各年齡層單人戶落入貧窮的情形。研究發現，除了55-64歲組在近三年有後來居上的情形，老人單人戶貧窮率均較其他年齡層為高。在老人單人戶中，女性貧窮率較男性為高，喪偶者比非喪偶者高；在多變項分析中也證賣了性別的淨效應，且進一步指出教育程度與年齡對貧窮的顯著影響，也就是教育程度低或年齡較長者越有可能成為貧窮。

Using data from the Surveys of Family Income and Expenditure between 1991 and 2000, this paper examines the changes in demographic and economic features of single-person households in Taiwan. Specifically, it focuses on households that are vulnerable and in poverty occupied by a single-person aged 65 and above. According to estimatesfrom samples across Taiwan, the proportion of single-person households in the counry has raisedfrom 5.83% in 1991 to 10.82% in 2000. Similarly the total number of single-person households has also increased from 300,000 to 710,000 between 1991 and 2000. Furthermore, 40% of these householders are elder1y people. However, at the beginning of the 1990s, about 70% of all single-person householders were male. They have since dropped to about 50% in 2000. This research employs the official poverty line as well as other relative poverty measures to indicate the poverty situation of single­person households of all ages. Not surprisingly, the poverty rates among ,the aged are higher than the younger cohorts, except for those between 55 and 64 in recent years. Among the aged single-person householders, females were more likely to experience economic plights than males. ,With the use of logit models, the net effects of gender and education are further confirmed.