One in six Europeans squeezed into overcrowded homes

In the EU27, housing conditions differ considerably between Member States. These differences can be seen both in the type of housing in which people live and in the housing problems they encounter. On average in the EU27 in 2009, 42% of the population1 lived in a flat, 34% in a detached house and 23% in a semi-detached or terraced house. Of the EU27 population, 18% lived in an overcrowded dwelling, while 16% lived in a dwelling where a leaking roof or damp were perceived as a problem, 7% considered their dwelling to be too dark, 4% had no indoor flushing toilet and 3% no bath or shower.

These figures on housing conditions were published in a report from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union in February 2011.

Eurostat: News Release, No.27, 2011: One person in six lives in an overcrowded dwelling http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-press-releases/-/3-23022011-BP

Eurostat: Income and Living Conditions: Overview http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/income-and-living-conditions/overview

Eurostat: Statistics in Focus: Population and Social Conditions No.4, 2011: Housing conditions in Europe in 2009 http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-statistics-in-focus/-/KS-SF-11-004

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