Highlights

In 2025, the home ownership rate among nationals in the European Union (EU) was 73.5%, which was three times higher than the rate recorded for non-EU citizens (24.1%) and nearly twice as high as the rate for citizens of other EU countries (38.4%). Housing conditions for migrants often differ significantly from those of the native population across various metrics including overcrowding and cost overburden.

Regarding overcrowding, 33.5% of non-EU citizens lived in overcrowded housing in 2025. In comparison, the share for citizens of other EU countries was 20.0%, while for nationals, the rate was notably lower at 13.6%. Furthermore, the housing cost overburden rate reached 18.1% for non-EU citizens, compared with 15.2% for citizens of other EU countries and 7.1% for nationals.

Home ownership rate

Between 2016 and 2025, home ownership was consistently more common among nationals than among foreign citizens, whether from other EU or non-EU countries. Over this ten-year period, the ownership rate among nationals increased slightly from 72.8% to 73.5%. Conversely, the ownership rate for non-EU citizens experienced a decline from 30.2% in 2016 to 22.9% in 2024, followed by a slight recovery to 24.1% in 2025.

In 2025, home ownership rates remained high among nationals across the EU, with the highest rates recorded in Slovakia (94.6%), Romania (93.7%), and Croatia (92.3%). The lowest rates for nationals were found in Germany (52.0%), Denmark (57.6%), and Austria (60.9%). For non-EU citizens, ownership levels varied widely between member states; the highest rates were seen in Bulgaria (85.5%), Slovakia (76.8%), and Latvia (74.9%), while particularly low rates were noted in Austria and Germany (both 15.9%).

Generally, citizens of other EU countries had higher ownership rates than non-EU citizens. However, exceptions were noted in Ireland, where non-EU citizens had a rate of 33.9% compared to 28.9% for other EU citizens, and Denmark, with 31.3% compared with 29.8% for other EU citizens.

Overcrowding rate

Between 2016 and 2025, the overcrowding rate in the EU remained considerably higher among non-EU citizens than among nationals. Over this decade, the overcrowding rate for nationals declined slightly from 15.3% to 13.6%. In contrast, the rate for non-EU citizens remained broadly stable, ending at 33.5% in 2025. Notably, the rate for citizens of other EU countries increased from 18.2% to 20.0%, causing the gap between them and nationals to widen to 6.4 percentage points.

In 2025, the overcrowding rate was highest among non-EU citizens in Romania (77.6%), Poland (59.4%), and Slovakia (58.9%). The lowest rates for this group were in Cyprus (7.4%) and both Ireland and Malta (both 9.7%). Among nationals, the highest rates were recorded in Romania (35.4%) and Latvia (35.1%), while Cyprus recorded the lowest at 1.0%.

Housing cost overburden rate

Between 2016 and 2025, the housing cost overburden rate remained consistently higher among foreign citizens than among nationals. For nationals, the rate decreased from 10.5% to 7.1%. Non-EU citizens faced higher and more fluctuating rates; despite an increase between 2020 and 2023, there was an overall downward trend, with the rate falling from 26.7% in 2016 to 18.1% in 2025. The share of citizens of other EU countries overburdened by housing costs declined to 15.2%.

In Denmark, Greece, and Slovakia, citizens of other EU countries recorded lower overburden rates than the other two population groups. Greece was the only country where nationals recorded the highest overburden rate at 27.0%, compared with 24.7% for non-EU citizens and 23.4% for citizens of other EU countries.

Source data for graphs

The data displayed are derived from specific Eurostat datasets concerning population distribution by citizenship and tenure status, overcrowding rates, and housing cost overburden rates. These analyses are conducted for the population aged 18 years or over. For information on data reliability or breaks in series, readers are referred to the specific flags in the source datasets.

Data sources

Statistics are derived from the EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC), which are compiled annually. This is the primary source for measuring income and living conditions in Europe. The reference population includes all private households residing in an EU country at the time of collection. The statistics presented for 2025 cover the EU, its member states, Norway, Serbia, and Türkiye.

Context

Housing quality and affordability are crucial for measuring living standards and social inclusion. In November 2020, the action plan on integration and inclusion 2021–2027 was adopted to foster social cohesion. This plan includes actions in sectoral areas such as education, employment, health, and housing. It aims to support effective integration at regional and national levels, with specific attention paid to ensuring young people have adequate space and privacy in their dwellings.