HCSO publishes the first results of the 2022 census

At a press conference, the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO) presented the preliminary results of the 2022 census. On 1 October 2022, the reference date of the census, Hungary's population was 9 million 604 thousand people, and the number of dwellings was 4 million 593 thousand. The processing of the questionnaires received during the census is ongoing, with preliminary settlement data expected to be published in the second quarter and final results from the autumn.

Only two and a half months after the end of the data collection period, HCSO published the first results of the census. Based on the census data, the population of Hungary is 9 million 604 thousand people and 4 million 593 thousand dwellings have been registered nationwide," said Marcell Kovács, Head of the Census, at a HCSO press conference. He added that in the period between the last two censuses, both the number of births and deaths fluctuated. The year 2011 marked the lowest point in the birth statistics, however, the last few years were characterized by an increasing desire to have children, the total fertility rate rose from the historical low of 1.23 in 2011 to over 1.5.

It will help the data to be processed quickly, as the 2022 census was the first to be fully electronic. From 1 to 19 October, the questionnaire could be filled in online and then, at the enumerator stage and during the replacement census, enumerators digitally recorded the data collected during the interview. The early publication of the results will also be facilitated by the fact that the missing data will be filled in from state databases," said Gabriella Vukovich, President of the HCSO.

The use of state databases and the practice of generating census data from administrative data sources is particularly important because 2022 was planned to be the last traditional census in Hungary in terms of the data collection method. For the next census, the HCSO will extract data exclusively from administrative sources, in line with the current practice in several countries," the HCSO President outlined the outlook for the future.

The data collected during the census will form part of the national data assets and will be available to all users in aggregate form, subject to data protection rules. The results of the census provide a reliable basis for preparing economic, social and spatial development decisions affecting the whole country, individual municipalities and the surrounding area. They also provide important information on local supply, service and infrastructure needs, but also help businesses to use the results to plan their activities, such as opening a new shop or factory or expanding their local services, with greater confidence and awareness of the data.