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Overcrowded homes in the EU countries

Topic: Housing

40.4% of people in Romania live in an overcrowded home, against 2.2% in Cyprus.

In 2025, 16.8% of people in the EU lived in an overcrowded home. A home is overcrowded when it has fewer rooms than the household's size and make-up need.

Figures for:
2025.
Covers:
the time of the survey.
New data:
once a year.
Dataset updated:
20 October 2026.

Published 29 October 2026, updated 6 November 2026

27 / 27 EU countries ranked

The ranking

In 2025, the share of people living in an overcrowded home ranged from 2.2% in Cyprus to 40.4% in Romania.

Share of people living in an overcrowded home, %

2025
01020304050%
EU, 16.8 %
Rank 1: Romania, 40.4 %
Rank 2: Latvia, 38.9 %
Rank 3: Bulgaria, 32.5 %
Rank 4: Croatia, 31.8 %
Rank 5: Poland, 30.9 %
Rank 6: Greece, 28.3 %
Rank 7: Lithuania, 27.8 %
Rank 7: Slovakia, 27.8 %
Rank 9: Italy, 24.3 %
Rank 10: Estonia, 17.9 %
Rank 11: Czechia, 16.7 %
Rank 12: Sweden, 15.7 %
Rank 13: Hungary, 14.6 %
Rank 14: Austria, 14.2 %
Rank 15: Portugal, 12.7 %
Rank 16: Germany, 11.7 %
Rank 17: France, 10.8 %
Rank 18: Slovenia, 10.5 %
Rank 19: Denmark, 9.9 %
Rank 20: Spain, 9.5 %
Rank 20: Finland, 9.5 %
Rank 22: Luxembourg, 8.8 %
Rank 23: Belgium, 6.6 %
Rank 24: Ireland, 5.4 %
Rank 25: Malta, 4.7 %
Rank 26: Netherlands, 4.1 %
Rank 27: Cyprus, 2.2 %
How to read: bars start at zero. Every country with a value is shown, ranked from highest to lowest.Source: Eurostat, Overcrowding rate by age, sex and poverty status - total population (ilc_lvho05a).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Poverty risk and crowded homes

Among people above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, the spread across countries was slightly narrower. Cyprus was again the lowest, at 1.2%, and Latvia the highest, at 37.9%. The gap was 36.7 percentage points.

Among people at risk of poverty, the spread across countries was wider than among people above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. Cyprus was again the lowest, at 7.6%, and Romania the highest, at 52.6%. The gap between Romania and Cyprus was 45.0 percentage points.

Share of people living in an overcrowded home: above the threshold and at risk of poverty, %

2025
Above the thresholdAt risk of povertyAt risk of poverty − above the thresholdDifference
02040pp
EU, Above the threshold: 14.3 %, At risk of poverty: 29.8 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +15.5
Rank 1: Romania, Above the threshold: 37.7 %, At risk of poverty: 52.6 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +14.9
Rank 2: Slovakia, Above the threshold: 24.4 %, At risk of poverty: 52.1 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +27.7
Rank 3: Latvia, Above the threshold: 37.9 %, At risk of poverty: 42.2 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +4.3
Rank 4: Sweden, Above the threshold: 11.0 %, At risk of poverty: 41.2 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +30.2
Rank 5: Bulgaria, Above the threshold: 30.4 %, At risk of poverty: 40.3 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +9.9
Rank 6: Czechia, Above the threshold: 14.2 %, At risk of poverty: 39.9 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +25.7
Rank 7: Poland, Above the threshold: 29.8 %, At risk of poverty: 38.2 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +8.4
Rank 8: Austria, Above the threshold: 9.8 %, At risk of poverty: 37.5 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +27.7
Rank 9: Greece, Above the threshold: 26.6 %, At risk of poverty: 35.3 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +8.7
Rank 10: Italy, Above the threshold: 21.8 %, At risk of poverty: 35.2 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +13.4
Rank 11: Finland, Above the threshold: 6.2 %, At risk of poverty: 30.5 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +24.3
Rank 12: Hungary, Above the threshold: 12.3 %, At risk of poverty: 28.7 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +16.4
Rank 13: France, Above the threshold: 7.6 %, At risk of poverty: 27.5 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +19.9
Rank 14: Germany, Above the threshold: 8.8 %, At risk of poverty: 27.4 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +18.6
Rank 15: Estonia, Above the threshold: 15.7 %, At risk of poverty: 27.3 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +11.6
Rank 16: Croatia, At risk of poverty: 26.9 %, Above the threshold: 33.0 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: −6.1
Rank 17: Lithuania, At risk of poverty: 25.8 %, Above the threshold: 28.4 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: −2.6
Rank 18: Denmark, Above the threshold: 7.8 %, At risk of poverty: 25.7 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +17.9
Rank 19: Belgium, Above the threshold: 4.6 %, At risk of poverty: 22.8 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +18.2
Rank 20: Luxembourg, Above the threshold: 6.4 %, At risk of poverty: 22.6 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +16.2
Rank 21: Portugal, Above the threshold: 11.1 %, At risk of poverty: 21.3 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +10.2
Rank 22: Spain, Above the threshold: 7.4 %, At risk of poverty: 17.9 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +10.5
Rank 23: Slovenia, Above the threshold: 9.5 %, At risk of poverty: 16.3 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +6.8
Rank 24: Netherlands, Above the threshold: 2.8 %, At risk of poverty: 13.4 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +10.6
Rank 25: Ireland, Above the threshold: 4.5 %, At risk of poverty: 11.4 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +6.9
Rank 26: Malta, Above the threshold: 4.1 %, At risk of poverty: 7.7 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +3.6
Rank 27: Cyprus, Above the threshold: 1.2 %, At risk of poverty: 7.6 %, At risk of poverty − above the threshold: +6.4
How to read: the filled dot is at risk of poverty, the outlined dot above the threshold, each with its value beside it. The column on the right is their difference, at risk of poverty − above the threshold. Countries are ranked by at risk of poverty.Source: Eurostat, Overcrowding rate by age, sex and poverty status - total population (ilc_lvho05a).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·
EveryoneAbove the thresholdAt risk of poverty
Lowest2.2%Cyprus1.2%Cyprus7.6%Cyprus
Highest40.4%Romania37.9%Latvia52.6%Romania
Highest − lowest38.2 pp36.7 pp45.0 pp

Everyone

Lowest: 2.2% (Cyprus)Highest: 40.4% (Romania)Highest − lowest: 38.2 pp

Above the threshold

Lowest: 1.2% (Cyprus)Highest: 37.9% (Latvia)Highest − lowest: 36.7 pp

At risk of poverty

Lowest: 7.6% (Cyprus)Highest: 52.6% (Romania)Highest − lowest: 45.0 pp

Children and older people

In 2025, 29.8% of people aged 12 to 17 in the EU lived in an overcrowded home, against 6.2% of people aged 65 or over.

Share of people living in an overcrowded home, by age, %

2025
allunder 66–1112–1718–6465+
EU, all: 16.8 %,under 6: 21.7 %,6–11: 23.7 %,12–17: 29.8 %,18–64: 18.1 %,65+: 6.2 %,
Rank 1: Romania, all: 40.4 %,under 6: 59.8 %,6–11: 57.9 %,12–17: 65.3 %,18–64: 42.7 %,65+: 14.2 %,
Rank 2: Latvia, all: 38.9 %,under 6: 49.5 %,6–11: 49.4 %,12–17: 56.7 %,18–64: 39.2 %,65+: 26.0 %,
Rank 3: Bulgaria, all: 32.5 %,under 6: 50.7 %,6–11: 48.0 %,12–17: 58.7 %,18–64: 34.6 %,65+: 12.4 %,
Rank 4: Croatia, all: 31.8 %,under 6: 40.7 %,6–11: 36.1 %,12–17: 50.8 %,18–64: 34.3 %,65+: 16.6 %,
Rank 5: Poland, all: 30.9 %,under 6: 37.8 %,6–11: 37.0 %,12–17: 45.6 %,18–64: 31.7 %,65+: 20.4 %,
Rank 6: Greece, all: 28.3 %,under 6: 32.7 %,6–11: 43.0 %,12–17: 49.4 %,18–64: 31.7 %,65+: 9.7 %,
Rank 7: Lithuania, all: 27.8 %,under 6: 31.9 %,6–11: 41.4 %,12–17: 49.6 %,18–64: 28.5 %,65+: 14.4 %,
Rank 7: Slovakia, all: 27.8 %,under 6: 33.5 %,6–11: 29.4 %,12–17: 45.2 %,18–64: 29.0 %,65+: 15.3 %,
Rank 9: Italy, all: 24.3 %,under 6: 29.3 %,6–11: 32.4 %,12–17: 46.9 %,18–64: 28.1 %,65+: 7.6 %,
Rank 10: Estonia, all: 17.9 %,under 6: 26.1 %,6–11: 24.9 %,12–17: 30.8 %,18–64: 18.5 %,65+: 7.4 %,
Rank 11: Czechia, all: 16.7 %,under 6: 22.0 %,6–11: 27.9 %,12–17: 31.5 %,18–64: 16.9 %,65+: 6.0 %,
Rank 12: Sweden, all: 15.7 %,under 6: 22.0 %,6–11: 19.3 %,12–17: 24.0 %,18–64: 17.6 %,65+: 4.4 %,
Rank 13: Hungary, all: 14.6 %,under 6: 20.7 %,6–11: 28.1 %,12–17: 27.4 %,18–64: 14.7 %,65+: 5.0 %,
Rank 14: Austria, all: 14.2 %,under 6: 18.3 %,6–11: 25.0 %,12–17: 24.9 %,18–64: 14.7 %,65+: 4.9 %,
Rank 15: Portugal, all: 12.7 %,under 6: 18.4 %,6–11: 21.4 %,12–17: 23.9 %,18–64: 13.9 %,65+: 4.0 %,
Rank 16: Germany, all: 11.7 %,under 6: 17.4 %,6–11: 17.4 %,12–17: 22.0 %,18–64: 12.6 %,65+: 3.1 %,
Rank 17: France, all: 10.8 %,under 6: 16.1 %,6–11: 17.1 %,12–17: 21.4 %,18–64: 11.3 %,65+: 2.3 %,
Rank 18: Slovenia, all: 10.5 %,under 6: 16.3 %,6–11: 15.7 %,12–17: 18.9 %,18–64: 11.1 %,65+: 3.6 %,
Rank 19: Denmark, all: 9.9 %,under 6: 11.7 %,6–11: 15.1 %,12–17: 11.1 %,18–64: 12.1 %,65+: 1.2 %,
Rank 20: Spain, all: 9.5 %,under 6: 12.7 %,6–11: 14.0 %,12–17: 17.3 %,18–64: 10.2 %,65+: 2.9 %,
Rank 20: Finland, all: 9.5 %,under 6: 9.8 %,6–11: 9.8 %,12–17: 10.7 %,18–64: 11.8 %,65+: 3.2 %,
Rank 22: Luxembourg, all: 8.8 %,under 6: 12.7 %,6–11: 7.7 %,12–17: 12.1 %,18–64: 9.3 %,65+: 2.7 %,
Rank 23: Belgium, all: 6.6 %,under 6: 8.3 %,6–11: 11.9 %,12–17: 15.6 %,18–64: 6.3 %,65+: 1.9 %,
Rank 24: Ireland, all: 5.4 %,under 6: 9.8 %,6–11: 8.7 %,12–17: 10.6 %,18–64: 4.8 %,65+: 1.2 %,
Rank 25: Malta, all: 4.7 %,under 6: 6.5 %,6–11: 6.5 %,12–17: 4.7 %,18–64: 5.6 %,65+: 0.0 %,
Rank 26: Netherlands, all: 4.1 %,under 6: 5.4 %,6–11: 5.8 %,12–17: 5.9 %,18–64: 4.9 %,65+: 0.4 %,
Rank 27: Cyprus, all: 2.2 %,under 6: 3.4 %,6–11: 2.9 %,12–17: 5.8 %,18–64: 2.1 %,65+: 0.5 %,
allunder 66–1112–17
EU, all: 16.8 %,under 6: 21.7 %,6–11: 23.7 %,12–17: 29.8 %,
Rank 1: Romania, all: 40.4 %,under 6: 59.8 %,6–11: 57.9 %,12–17: 65.3 %,
Rank 2: Latvia, all: 38.9 %,under 6: 49.5 %,6–11: 49.4 %,12–17: 56.7 %,
Rank 3: Bulgaria, all: 32.5 %,under 6: 50.7 %,6–11: 48.0 %,12–17: 58.7 %,
Rank 4: Croatia, all: 31.8 %,under 6: 40.7 %,6–11: 36.1 %,12–17: 50.8 %,
Rank 5: Poland, all: 30.9 %,under 6: 37.8 %,6–11: 37.0 %,12–17: 45.6 %,
Rank 6: Greece, all: 28.3 %,under 6: 32.7 %,6–11: 43.0 %,12–17: 49.4 %,
Rank 7: Lithuania, all: 27.8 %,under 6: 31.9 %,6–11: 41.4 %,12–17: 49.6 %,
Rank 7: Slovakia, all: 27.8 %,under 6: 33.5 %,6–11: 29.4 %,12–17: 45.2 %,
Rank 9: Italy, all: 24.3 %,under 6: 29.3 %,6–11: 32.4 %,12–17: 46.9 %,
Rank 10: Estonia, all: 17.9 %,under 6: 26.1 %,6–11: 24.9 %,12–17: 30.8 %,
Rank 11: Czechia, all: 16.7 %,under 6: 22.0 %,6–11: 27.9 %,12–17: 31.5 %,
Rank 12: Sweden, all: 15.7 %,under 6: 22.0 %,6–11: 19.3 %,12–17: 24.0 %,
Rank 13: Hungary, all: 14.6 %,under 6: 20.7 %,6–11: 28.1 %,12–17: 27.4 %,
Rank 14: Austria, all: 14.2 %,under 6: 18.3 %,6–11: 25.0 %,12–17: 24.9 %,
Rank 15: Portugal, all: 12.7 %,under 6: 18.4 %,6–11: 21.4 %,12–17: 23.9 %,
Rank 16: Germany, all: 11.7 %,under 6: 17.4 %,6–11: 17.4 %,12–17: 22.0 %,
Rank 17: France, all: 10.8 %,under 6: 16.1 %,6–11: 17.1 %,12–17: 21.4 %,
Rank 18: Slovenia, all: 10.5 %,under 6: 16.3 %,6–11: 15.7 %,12–17: 18.9 %,
Rank 19: Denmark, all: 9.9 %,under 6: 11.7 %,6–11: 15.1 %,12–17: 11.1 %,
Rank 20: Spain, all: 9.5 %,under 6: 12.7 %,6–11: 14.0 %,12–17: 17.3 %,
Rank 20: Finland, all: 9.5 %,under 6: 9.8 %,6–11: 9.8 %,12–17: 10.7 %,
Rank 22: Luxembourg, all: 8.8 %,under 6: 12.7 %,6–11: 7.7 %,12–17: 12.1 %,
Rank 23: Belgium, all: 6.6 %,under 6: 8.3 %,6–11: 11.9 %,12–17: 15.6 %,
Rank 24: Ireland, all: 5.4 %,under 6: 9.8 %,6–11: 8.7 %,12–17: 10.6 %,
Rank 25: Malta, all: 4.7 %,under 6: 6.5 %,6–11: 6.5 %,12–17: 4.7 %,
Rank 26: Netherlands, all: 4.1 %,under 6: 5.4 %,6–11: 5.8 %,12–17: 5.9 %,
Rank 27: Cyprus, all: 2.2 %,under 6: 3.4 %,6–11: 2.9 %,12–17: 5.8 %,
all18–6465+
EU, all: 16.8 %,18–64: 18.1 %,65+: 6.2 %,
Rank 1: Romania, all: 40.4 %,18–64: 42.7 %,65+: 14.2 %,
Rank 2: Latvia, all: 38.9 %,18–64: 39.2 %,65+: 26.0 %,
Rank 3: Bulgaria, all: 32.5 %,18–64: 34.6 %,65+: 12.4 %,
Rank 4: Croatia, all: 31.8 %,18–64: 34.3 %,65+: 16.6 %,
Rank 5: Poland, all: 30.9 %,18–64: 31.7 %,65+: 20.4 %,
Rank 6: Greece, all: 28.3 %,18–64: 31.7 %,65+: 9.7 %,
Rank 7: Lithuania, all: 27.8 %,18–64: 28.5 %,65+: 14.4 %,
Rank 7: Slovakia, all: 27.8 %,18–64: 29.0 %,65+: 15.3 %,
Rank 9: Italy, all: 24.3 %,18–64: 28.1 %,65+: 7.6 %,
Rank 10: Estonia, all: 17.9 %,18–64: 18.5 %,65+: 7.4 %,
Rank 11: Czechia, all: 16.7 %,18–64: 16.9 %,65+: 6.0 %,
Rank 12: Sweden, all: 15.7 %,18–64: 17.6 %,65+: 4.4 %,
Rank 13: Hungary, all: 14.6 %,18–64: 14.7 %,65+: 5.0 %,
Rank 14: Austria, all: 14.2 %,18–64: 14.7 %,65+: 4.9 %,
Rank 15: Portugal, all: 12.7 %,18–64: 13.9 %,65+: 4.0 %,
Rank 16: Germany, all: 11.7 %,18–64: 12.6 %,65+: 3.1 %,
Rank 17: France, all: 10.8 %,18–64: 11.3 %,65+: 2.3 %,
Rank 18: Slovenia, all: 10.5 %,18–64: 11.1 %,65+: 3.6 %,
Rank 19: Denmark, all: 9.9 %,18–64: 12.1 %,65+: 1.2 %,
Rank 20: Spain, all: 9.5 %,18–64: 10.2 %,65+: 2.9 %,
Rank 20: Finland, all: 9.5 %,18–64: 11.8 %,65+: 3.2 %,
Rank 22: Luxembourg, all: 8.8 %,18–64: 9.3 %,65+: 2.7 %,
Rank 23: Belgium, all: 6.6 %,18–64: 6.3 %,65+: 1.9 %,
Rank 24: Ireland, all: 5.4 %,18–64: 4.8 %,65+: 1.2 %,
Rank 25: Malta, all: 4.7 %,18–64: 5.6 %,65+: 0.0 %,
Rank 26: Netherlands, all: 4.1 %,18–64: 4.9 %,65+: 0.4 %,
Rank 27: Cyprus, all: 2.2 %,18–64: 2.1 %,65+: 0.5 %,
How to read: one row per country, one column per group, each value in its cell. The stronger the colour, the higher the value. Countries are ranked by the “all” column.Source: Eurostat, Overcrowding rate by age, sex and poverty status - total population (ilc_lvho05a).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

About the data

The share of people living in an overcrowded household. A household is overcrowded when it has fewer rooms than the minimum for its size and make-up. That minimum is one room for the household, one per couple and one per single person aged 18 or more. Two young people aged 12 to 17 of the same sex share a room, otherwise each has one. Two children under 12 share a room. Kitchens count as rooms, but bathrooms, toilets and passageways do not. A room must be at least 4 square metres.

Eurostat: “The overcrowding rate is defined as the percentage of the population living in an overcrowded household. A person is considered as living in an overcrowded household if the household does not have at its disposal a minimum number of rooms equal to:” (source)

EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC), a yearly sample survey of households run by the national statistical institutes.

How to read these numbers

How it is measured

The survey covers people living in private households. People in collective households and institutions are generally not included (Estonia includes collective households).

People at risk of poverty are those whose equivalised disposable income is below their country's at-risk-of-poverty threshold. The threshold is derived from each country's own median income. It is therefore a different income level in each country. The income is that of the calendar year before the survey (in Ireland until 2019, the twelve months before the interview).

France's figures cover the European part of the country and, since 2022, four overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Réunion). Mayotte is not included. Portugal's figures include the Azores and Madeira, and Cyprus's cover the government-controlled areas.

Provisional figures

A provisional value (flag p) may still be revised. This concerns Lithuania (2025).

Sources and data

Eurostat, Overcrowding rate by age, sex and poverty status - total population (ilc_lvho05a). Data updated 20 October 2026, retrieved 3 November 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.

Eurostat metadata · Eurostat methodology

The exact Eurostat API query

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/ilc_lvho05a?format=JSON&lang=en&age=TOTAL&freq=A&geo=AT&geo=BE&geo=BG&geo=CY&geo=CZ&geo=DE&geo=DK&geo=EE&geo=EL&geo=ES&geo=EU27_2020&geo=FI&geo=FR&geo=HR&geo=HU&geo=IE&geo=IT&geo=LT&geo=LU&geo=LV&geo=MT&geo=NL&geo=PL&geo=PT&geo=RO&geo=SE&geo=SI&geo=SK&rskpovth=TOTAL&sex=T&unit=PC

How every number in this story was computed

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