Female headed households in Madagascar

Madagascar: Female headed households was 24.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
24.7%
World rank
20th
of 34 countries
All-time high
28.5%
in 2016
All-time low
21.6%
in 1997
Years of data
8
1992–2021

Female headed households in Madagascar, 1992–2021

01020301992200620211992: 21.7 % of households with a female head1997: 21.6 % of households with a female head2004: 21.7 % of households with a female head2009: 22.3 % of households with a female head2011: 23.4 % of households with a female head2013: 25.1 % of households with a female head2016: 28.5 % of households with a female head2021: 24.7 % of households with a female head

Source: DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Measured in % of households with a female head.

Analysis

The most recent figure for female headed households in Madagascar is 24.7%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female headed households in Madagascar peaked at 28.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 21.6%, in 1997.

That places Madagascar 20th out of 34 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Female headed households in Madagascar, year by year

Annual values for Female headed households (% of households with a female head) in Madagascar, 1992 to 2021.
Year % of households with a female head Change
1992 21.7%
1997 21.6% -0.5%
2004 21.7% +0.5%
2009 22.3% +2.8%
2011 23.4% +4.9%
2013 25.1% +7.3%
2016 28.5% +13.5%
2021 24.7% -13.3%

Madagascar compared with similar countries

  • Madagascar's 24.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.6%, 96% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
  • Madagascar's 24.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 25.1%, 98% of the median. (10 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 21.6% 21.6% 21.7% 2
2000s 22.0% 21.7% 22.3% 2
2010s 25.7% 23.4% 28.5% 3
2020s 24.7% 24.7% 24.7% 1

Countries ranked near Madagascar

  1. 17 Peru 25.7% compare
  2. 18 Malawi 25.6% compare
  3. 19 Benin 24.9% compare
  4. 21 Senegal 24.5% compare
  5. 22 Ethiopia 22.1% compare
  6. 23 Côte d'Ivoire 19.4% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More health data for Madagascar

All data for Madagascar →

Frequently asked questions

What is female headed households in Madagascar?
Female headed households in Madagascar was 24.7% in 2021, according to DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program.
What is the highest female headed households recorded in Madagascar?
The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest female headed households recorded in Madagascar?
The lowest recorded value was 21.6% in 1997.
How does Madagascar rank for female headed households?
Madagascar ranks 20th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
Is female headed households rising or falling in Madagascar?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Madagascar data come from?
The figures come from DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, published as part of Female headed households (% of households with a female head). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Female headed households in Madagascar. Statizoid, drawing on DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/female-headed-households-percent-of-households-with-a-female-head/madagascar/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/female-headed-households-percent-of-households-with-a-female-head/madagascar/">Female headed households in Madagascar</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Female headed households (% of households with a female head)
Unit
% of households with a female head
Source
DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 236 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

Female headed households refers to the percentage of households that are headed by females.