Housing Affordability in the EU

With the current financial and economic crisis putting increasing pressure on the budget of European households, the issue of housing affordability raises increasing concern at the European level. Access to affordable housing is among the priorities indicated by the 2012 Annual Growth Survey.

Similarly, the progress report of the Europe2020 Strategy highlights that ‘the cost and quality of housing are a key determinant of living standards and well- being, especially for the most vulnerable people’. But what is the reality of housing affordability and what trends can be identified?

In this briefing, we gather available information on housing affordability in the EU, drawing on a number of indicators available at the European level.