The main contribution of this paper is the study of the evolution of the standard of living in Spain during the 1980s for a population partitioned by the following individual characteristics; the age group, the relation to economic activity, and the result of the decision on whether to live in a household headed by someone else, or to live on one's own with or without dependents. From the point of view of demographics studies, this paper is interesting because of the link established between demographic trends and an operational notion of an individual's standard of living. This makes it possible to follow up the consequences of individual decisions by key subgroups, such as the early retired or women in general, as well as the consequences of household formation decisions by both the old and the young.

Key words: welfare, inequality, living, arrangements, demographic trends.
JEL classification: D31, J10.