Comprehensive study of the factors influencinghousehold solid waste (HSW) generation is crucial andfundamental for exploring the generation mechanism andforecasting future dynamics of HSW. A case study ofXiamen Island, China was employed to reveal the directand indirect effects of demographic/socioeconomic factorson solid waste generation at the urban household scale.Based on a face-to-face questionnaire and two-stage surveyof solid waste generation, a path analysis model was built.Results showed that the proposed path model exhibitedgood fit indices. Family size and dinning-at-home rate(DR), whose coefficients were -0.40 and 0.43, respectively,were the two major factors influencing HSWdirectly. Moreover, family size, education level, employmentrate and age structure played different degrees ofindirect effects on HSW generation through respectivepaths, which should not be ignored. In terms of totaleffects, coefficients of family size, DR and employmentrate were -0.46, 0.43 and -0.37, respectively, which werethree most dominant factors influencing HSW generation.As for waste composition, organic waste was the mostrepresentative of HSW dynamics, and was the most sensitiveto impact by the factors studied. Quantitative resultsof this study have important policy implications for sustainablemunicipal solid waste management.