01/2026
What are our homes like?
In this number...
The basic characteristics of dwellings are collected annually in the Living Conditions Survey and more specifically in the housing modules that households complete periodically. The harmonised publication of this data in the countries that make up the European Union allows us to make comparisons between them and observe how some of these indicators have evolved over time.
We focus here on aspects related to the type of housing and its condition at the time of the survey. The problems identified by the household regarding the area where they are located are also addressed, without losing sight of the difficulties to access housing in a final section.
- 51.5% of the EU population lives in single-family homes. In Spain, this percentage stands at 35.1%. Apartments are prevalent in only nine of the 27 Member States.
- In 2023, 23.0% of the population in Spain had damp in their homes, 11 points more than in 2012.
- Noise in the neighbourhood or in the street affected an average of 18.1% in the EU and 23.6% in Spain.
- The percentage of the population with security issues in their area decreased in 23 of the 27 countries between 2012 and 2023, but increased by 3.5 points in Spain.
- Difficulty in meeting rent affected 13.0% of the EU population living in rented accommodation in 2023, with the highest rates in Greece, France and Spain.
Fuentes: INE (Living Conditions Survey, Housing Module) and Eurostat
Building and characteristics of housing
Detached houses or flats?
In the European Union, the population residing in detached or semi-detached single-family homes is slightly predominant: 51.5% of the total compared to 47.8% who reside in flats or apartments within buildings that house several dwellings.
The highest percentage of single-family homes is found in Ireland, where almost 90% of the population resides in this type of dwelling. In Belgium, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Cyprus, this is three out of every four people.
Conversely, the population residing in flats constitutes a majority in nine of the 27 countries. In Spain, 64.7% of the population lives in flats, and 35.1% in single-family homes.
Compared to 2016, it is estimated that single-family homes have lost two points on average across the European Union, although in the case of Spain there has been an evolution in the opposite direction, gaining 1.6 points in the last decade.
Nearly 103 m2 on average
Taking into account the dwelling surface area, the average value in the EU in 2023 was 102.8 m2 and in Spain, 106.5 m2.
The countries with the highest average values were Cyprus, Belgium, and Luxembourg. And the lowest values were recorded in Romania, Lithuania, and Estonia. In general, and regardless of the country, the figures were higher in rural areas, towns and suburban areas and lower in cities.
Taking into account the average number of rooms per person (four rooms or additional m2, including the kitchen), the average value in the EU was 1.7 in 2025, experiencing an increase of 0.1 points since 2016.
Spain was above average in 2025, with 1.9 rooms per person, the same as in 2016.
Toilets not always inside the home
Although the availability of toilet facilities in the home is common throughout the EU, there are countries where the proportion of the population that does not have a bath or shower in the home is still significant.
The countries with the highest recorded values in 2023 were Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria. These are also the ones who have reduced those percentages the most in recent years.
Until 2020, the Living Conditions Survey recorded the data in all countries, becoming optional from 2023 onwards, due to its residual nature in most of cases.
Housing problems
Fewer people affected by damp in 20 of the 27 countries
An important aspect to note regarding housing conditions is damp. The survey provides data on the population living in homes with leaks, damp in walls, floors or foundations, or rot in window frames or floors.
Cyprus, Portugal, and Spain had the highest percentages of affected population, while Sweden, Finland, and Croatia had the lowest. In the period from 2012 to 2023, the proportion of the population affected by this type of problem decreased in 20 of the 27 Member States and increased in the remaining seven.
The average figure in the EU was 15.6% and 23.0% in Spain, with a decrease of 0.8 points on average and an increase of 11 points in the case of Spain, being the country in which this indicator increased the most since 2012.
6.7% of the population had a lack of natural light
The lack of natural light in housing affected an average of 6.7% of the population in the EU, a figure that experienced an increase of 0.8 points since 2012. It declined in 19 of the 27 countries and increased in the remaining eight.
The countries with the highest proportion of the population experiencing a lack of natural light in their homes in 2023 were France, Malta, and Hungary. Spain was in fourth place, with 8.4% of the population affected and an increase of four points since 2012.
At the opposite end of the spectrum were the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Estonia, registering 3% or less of the population reporting a lack of natural light in their homes.
Problems in the environment
Below average in pollution and other environmental problems
An average of 12.2% in the EU reported problems with pollution, uncleanliness or other environmental issues in the area near their home in 2023, a figure 2.6 points lower than that recorded in 2012.
This proportion decreased in 19 of the 27 countries and increased in the remaining eight. The countries with the highest values in 2023 (Malta, Greece and Germany) also had the highest figures in 2012, but all of them with declines of close to five points during the period.
In Spain, 10.7% of the population reported these types of problems in 2023, still below the average, but with a growth of 2.7 points compared to 2012.
The degree of urbanisation influences the values, regardless of the country, being higher in cities and lower in rural areas.
The Maltese population, the most affected by noise
Regarding the population that reports noise problems in their neighbourhood or their street, the average in the EU in 2023 was 18.1%, a decrease of 0.8 points compared to 2012. It declined in 15 of the 27 countries and rose in the remaining 12.
The highest percentages were recorded in Malta, Luxembourg and Portugal, with no change in the first position throughout the period (Malta). Furthermore, the three countries with the highest figures in 2023 increased their proportion compared to 2012, with Luxembourg showing a notable increase of 13.2 points. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the countries with the lowest proportion of population affected by environmental noise were Croatia, Slovakia, and Bulgaria.
In Spain, 23.6% reported noise problems in their neighbourhood, almost one in four, an increase of 8.6 points since 2012.
As with environmental problems, the population affected by noise is also greater in cities, regardless of the country.
The percentage of the population experiencing problems with crime or vandalism in their surroundings rose by 3.5 points in Spain
On average, 10.0% of the EU population reported having problems with crime or vandalism in the area where their home was located in 2023.
Compared to 2012, the percentage fell by an average of 2.8 points and decreased in 23 of the 27 countries, while it increased in Greece (+0.8), Spain (+3.5) and Finland (+2.9), and remained unchanged in France.
Greece, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria had the highest percentages. And Croatia, Lithuania and Poland, the lowest.
The degree of urbanisation has the same influence as the above housing environment problems, with higher figures found in cities and lower figures in rural areas.
Difficulties accessing housing
The risk of poverty or social exclusion makes access even more difficult
There is great disparity within the EU regarding the difficulties people have experienced in accessing housing at some point in their lives.The incidence was significantly higher among people at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In this regard, the EU countries with the highest rates of having problems at some point were recorded in Denmark (18.4%), Finland (17.5%) and France (17.1%). Conversely, the lowest variation rates were observed in Poland (1.9%), Italy (2.0%) and Hungary (2.0%).
13% of people living in rented accommodation had difficulties
In 2023, 13.0% of the EU population aged 16 and over living in rented accommodation reported having difficulty paying rent in the past 12 months. People at risk of poverty or social exclusion were more likely to experience these difficulties (23.4% versus 8.1%) and the rates were lower among people aged 65 and over, in both cases.
Greece (26.1%), France (24.1%) and Spain (17.2%) had the highest overall rates in difficulties renting, while the lowest were observed in Romania (0.3%), Slovakia (1.1%) and Belgium (4.2%).
Unmet demand and a holding back new households
According to the results of the Living Conditions Survey in Spain and its module on difficulties in accessing housing (2025), 7.6% of people aged 16 or over had actively sought housing in the last 12 months without changing their residence. Among these people, 67.2% cited the excessive price of housing as the main reason why they did not move.
Unsuccessful searches for housing (renting or buying) were more frequent among the younger population. The percentage was 14.9% among people aged 30 to 44 and 9.6% among those aged 16 to 29, compared to 6.0% in the 45 to 64 age group and 1.5% among people aged 65 or over.
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