Housing too cramped under EU standards for half of all Romanians
According to Eurostat, 52 percent of all Romanians suffered from overcrowded living conditions in 2014. Eurostat’s calculation not only takes into account the number of rooms per person but also the composition of the household. Under the European standard, over 25 percent of the population in many other countries across eastern and southern Europe are living in houses that are in fact too small. This is the case for less than 10 percent of the population in western Europe; in the Netherlands, it applies to 3 percent.
More rooms per person in rural areas
Households living in rural areas generally have more spacious dwellings than those in the city. In the larger cities across the EU, the average size was 1.5 rooms per person in 2014, in rural areas 1.7. Norway, Malta and Cyprus were exceptions: city-dwellers had more living space than the rural population.
Rooms per person by degree of urbanisation, 2014/15
Rooms per person by degree of urbanisation, 2014/15
Rural areas
Cities
Belgium*
2.3
2.1
Ireland
2.2
1.9
UK
2.2
1.8
Denmark*
2.1
1.8
Luxembourg
2.1
1.9
Spain*
2
1.9
Finland*
2
1.7
Sweden
2
1.6
Switzerland
2
1.8
Germany
1.9
1.7
France
1.9
1.7
Cyprus
1.9
2.1
Netherlands*
1.9
1.9
Malta
1.8
2.1
Portugal
1.8
1.6
Iceland*
1.8
1.5
Norway
1.8
2.2
Estonia
1.7
1.6
Austria*
1.7
1.4
Lithuania
1.6
1.3
Czech Rep.
1.5
1.3
Italy
1.5
1.3
Slovenia*
1.5
1.6
Bulgaria*
1.3
1.1
Greece
1.3
1.2
Latvia*
1.2
1.1
Hungary*
1.2
1.2
Slovakia
1.2
1.1
Croatia
1.1
1.1
Poland
1
1.1
Romania
1
0.9
Rooms per person by degree of urbanisation, 2014/15
Rural areas
Cities
Belgium*
2.3
2.1
Ireland
2.2
1.9
UK
2.2
1.8
Denmark*
2.1
1.8
Luxembourg
2.1
1.9
Spain*
2
1.9
Finland*
2
1.7
Sweden
2
1.6
Switzerland
2
1.8
Germany
1.9
1.7
France
1.9
1.7
Cyprus
1.9
2.1
Netherlands*
1.9
1.9
Malta
1.8
2.1
Portugal
1.8
1.6
Iceland*
1.8
1.5
Norway
1.8
2.2
Estonia
1.7
1.6
Austria*
1.7
1.4
Lithuania
1.6
1.3
Czech Rep.
1.5
1.3
Italy
1.5
1.3
Slovenia*
1.5
1.6
Bulgaria*
1.3
1.1
Greece
1.3
1.2
Latvia*
1.2
1.1
Hungary*
1.2
1.2
Slovakia
1.2
1.1
Croatia
1.1
1.1
Poland
1
1.1
Romania
1
0.9
More rooms for Baltic, Hungarians and Slovenians
In most EU countries, the number of rooms per person has remained the same or increased slightly since 2010. The increase was strongest in Baltic Sea states, Hungary, Slovenia and in Portugal. There, the number of rooms per person increased in both urban and rural areas.