Late-life Divorce and Housing Changes among Older Adults in Sweden
Juta Kawalerowicz, Senior Lecturer, and Marianne Abramsson, Professor at the Department of Human Geography, along with researchers Linda Kridahl and Jani Turunen, have published a new article in Housing Studies that explores how divorces among older adults impact their housing situation.
In the article, "Late-life divorce and housing changes among older men and women in Sweden," the authors analyze the transitions in housing forms that occur during the divorce process for older adults aged 60–78 years.
By utilizing Swedish register data covering 30,000 late-life divorces between 1995 and 2013, the study highlights differences in residential mobility and tenure patterns between genders. The results indicate that women are more likely to move after a divorce, and there are significant gender differences in how late-life divorce affects homeownership. Women are more frequently tenants, while men are more likely to own single-family homes.
These findings are particularly important in light of an aging population and the increasing prevalence of divorces among older adults. The study provides valuable insights to address the specific needs of older divorced women and men.
Read more:
Kawalerowicz, J., Abramsson, M., Kridahl, L., & Turunen, J. (2025). Late-life divorce and housing changes among older men and women in Sweden.
Housing Studies, 1–20
Last updated: 2025-06-19
Source: Department of Human Geography