Nine in ten people in Ireland live in houses, highest share in the EU
Eurostat housing data shows Ireland is a clear outlier on dwelling type as EU homeownership falls to 68%
7 February 2026 | đŸ“§Â editor@ipropertyradio.com
New figures from Eurostat show that Ireland has the highest proportion of people living in houses anywhere in the European Union, with 90 per cent of the population residing in houses rather than apartments or flats.
The data, published in Eurostat’s Housing in Europe – 2025 edition, highlights Ireland as a significant outlier compared with EU averages, where housing is more evenly split between houses and flats. Across the EU, 51 per cent of people live in houses, while 48 per cent live in flats, reflecting far higher residential density in many member states.
The publication also shows that homeownership remains the dominant form of tenure across the EU, although it declined slightly in 2024. An estimated 68 per cent of people living in EU households own their home, down from 69 per cent the previous year, while 32 per cent live in rented accommodation.
Ireland broadly mirrors this pattern of high owner-occupation, in contrast to countries such as Germany, where 53 per cent of the population rent their homes. Eastern European member states continue to record the highest homeownership rates across the bloc.
Beyond tenure and housing type, the Eurostat figures provide insight into housing conditions and household composition. The average EU household consists of 2.3 people, with 1.7 rooms per person, though these figures vary widely between countries depending on settlement patterns and housing stock.
Housing quality and affordability pressures remain evident across the EU. Around 9 per cent of the EU population were unable to keep their home adequately warm, underscoring the link between housing conditions, energy efficiency and rising living costs.
For Ireland, the data reinforces the scale of the structural challenge facing housing and planning policy. The dominance of low-density, house-based living contrasts with European norms and continues to shape debates around apartment delivery, compact growth, infrastructure provision and climate targets.
As national policy seeks to increase housing supply while promoting more sustainable settlement patterns, the latest Eurostat data provides a clear comparative backdrop for assessing how Ireland’s housing system differs from, and aligns with, the rest of the EU.
