The Central Statistical Office (CSO) of Saint Lucia has released the first comprehensive report from the 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC).
This census represents a historic transition for the CSO, being the first in the region to utilize the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) approach instead of the traditional Paper Assisted Personal Interview (PAPI) method.
The shift has enabled more efficient and accurate data collection, leveraging advanced technologies and methodologies as outlined in the UN ECLAC User Guide for Population and Housing Censuses—Rev 3.
Director of Statistics at the Central Statistical Office (CSO), Sean Mathurin noted: “The provisional report marks a milestone in our ongoing efforts to understand and analyze the social and economic and demographic dynamics of our nation.”
He emphasized that the ‘Provisional’ report indicates the department’s commitment to finalizing data publication by the end of the year.
The report includes several significant enhancements, such as an infographics section, improved disaggregation of tables, enhanced analytical analysis of key findings, and the inclusion of several CARICOM-recommended tables. The goal is to make the report available to the public as soon as possible.
Key findings from the 2022 National Population and Housing Census include a decrease in average household size from 2.8 individuals in 2010 to 2.6 in 2022, as well as a high prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the Castries and Gros Islet regions. The age dependency ratio has declined from 48.6 in 2010 to 44.5 in 2022, indicating reduced pressure on the working-age population.
Notably, while Saint Lucia’s population increased from 166,526 in 2010 to 172,948 in 2022, the growth rate has declined from 5 percent to 3.9 percent.
Mathurin explained that while Saint Lucia’s population is increasing, it is happening slowly.
The Director of Statistics encourages the public and stakeholders to utilize the information contained in the census. This census report is the first release, with subsequent thematic publications providing more detailed analyses and tables.
The preliminary census report can be downloaded from the website of the Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia.