Housing Cost Burden Declines Across the EU, but Remains Highest in Cities

The share of households experiencing severe housing cost burdens in the EU-27 has trended downward since 2016, according to findings by Eurostat, although urban areas continue to face significantly higher pressure than less populated regions. In cities, the proportion declined from 13.4% in 2016 to 9.8% in 2024, with a sharp drop in 2020 (9.8%) followed by a modest rebound, peaking at 10.6% in both 2022 and 2023 before easing again. Towns and suburbs saw a similar pattern, falling from 10.3% to 7.8% over the same period, while rural areas remained consistently lower, decreasing from 8.5% to 6.3%. Notably, all three categories experienced a dip around 2020, suggesting a common macroeconomic effect, before partially rising in subsequent years. Despite the overall improvement, the gap between cities and rural areas remains pronounced, underscoring the persistent concentration of housing affordability challenges in urban centres.