Brussels Briefing - Housing affordability for young people in the EU: Insights from Eurofound’s latest research

This briefing, by invitation only, featured Eurofound’s research expert Marie Hyland who shared key findings from our recent report Foundational challenges: The housing struggles of Europe’s youth.

The analysis showed how rapidly rising prices and rents are outpacing income growth across the EU and reshaping people’s opportunities to live independently, affecting labour mobility, household formation and regional cohesion. Analysis showed that in several Member States - including Bulgaria, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain - young people would need more than 80 % of their median wage to afford a standard two-room rental. In some coastal regions this rises above 100 %, effectively requiring more than one full-time income to secure a starter home.

Marie explored what these trends mean for social outcomes, regional disparities, and highlight policy responses aimed at improving access to affordable housing across the Union. Finally, Marie briefly introduced Eurofound’s new data dashboard of housing indicators, noting the data currently available as well as plans for its development.

This session provided stakeholders with an opportunity to engage directly Eurofound experts on the most recent data and analysis. Following opening remarks and a short presentation, the schedule included a Q&A and an exchange of ideas with the audience on policy options to address the deepening housing crisis in Europe.

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