{"id":2159762,"date":"2026-09-23T04:30:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2159762"},"modified":"2026-09-23T04:30:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T01:30:46","slug":"locked-out-why-young-europeans-cant-afford-to-buy-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2159762","title":{"rendered":"Locked out: Why young Europeans can\u2019t afford to buy homes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/89\/12\/1200x675_cmsv2_77c5bb94-4cc1-537a-a9fc-6a0e28b7cb95-9918912.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2927986-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2927986\" data-cid=\"9924617\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927986-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/46\/17\/189x106_cmsv2_a0864b7d-4484-547d-a208-7d8e0954a403-9924617.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Ring in Athens\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Ring<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who can afford to live in Greece? The Ring in Athens\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928112-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2928112\" data-cid=\"9925371\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928112-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/53\/71\/189x106_cmsv2_fde5fe82-f1c7-5091-b65b-61329d786eca-9925371.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Iran&apos;s President Masoud Pezeshkian holds an image of late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the 81st session of the General Assembly at UN headquarters, 23 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Iran<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pezeshkian tells UN Iran will not be bullied but will negotiate\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928065-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928065\" data-cid=\"9924933\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928065-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/49\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_e4f0548d-8a6d-57ec-aca9-e7f1d66dac3e-9924933.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A Syrian woman holds an AK-47 during an anti-Bashar Assad protest after Friday prayers on Friday, June 8, 2012, near Idlib, Syria.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Syria&#8217;s first women graduate from new police academy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927944-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2927944\" data-cid=\"9924343\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927944-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_4f976211-3f05-5c7b-b44a-b833059093ba-9924343.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Commission Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, St\u00e9phane S\u00e9journ\u00e9, during an interview with Euronews on 23 September, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Europe Conversation<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    China trade rebalancing &#8216;existential&#8217; for EU &#8211; Commissioner S\u00e9journ\u00e9\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927986-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2927986\" data-cid=\"9924617\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927986-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/46\/17\/189x106_cmsv2_a0864b7d-4484-547d-a208-7d8e0954a403-9924617.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Ring in Athens\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Ring<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who can afford to live in Greece? The Ring in Athens\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928112-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2928112\" data-cid=\"9925371\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928112-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/53\/71\/189x106_cmsv2_fde5fe82-f1c7-5091-b65b-61329d786eca-9925371.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Iran&apos;s President Masoud Pezeshkian holds an image of late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the 81st session of the General Assembly at UN headquarters, 23 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Iran<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pezeshkian tells UN Iran will not be bullied but will negotiate\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928065-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928065\" data-cid=\"9924933\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928065-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/49\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_e4f0548d-8a6d-57ec-aca9-e7f1d66dac3e-9924933.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A Syrian woman holds an AK-47 during an anti-Bashar Assad protest after Friday prayers on Friday, June 8, 2012, near Idlib, Syria.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Syria&#8217;s first women graduate from new police academy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927944-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2927944\" data-cid=\"9924343\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927944-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_4f976211-3f05-5c7b-b44a-b833059093ba-9924343.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Commission Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, St\u00e9phane S\u00e9journ\u00e9, during an interview with Euronews on 23 September, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    The Europe Conversation<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    China trade rebalancing &#8216;existential&#8217; for EU &#8211; Commissioner S\u00e9journ\u00e9\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Business<\/p>\n<p>                          Economy<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Locked out: Why young Europeans can\u2019t afford to buy homes<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/89\/12\/1536x864_cmsv2_77c5bb94-4cc1-537a-a9fc-6a0e28b7cb95-9918912.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"House and apartment prices in leading Polish cities have spiraled upward since the nation&apos;s 2004 entry into the European Union. \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              House and apartment prices in leading Polish cities have spiraled upward since the nation&#8217;s 2004 entry into the European Union.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">ALIK KEPLICZ\/AP2006<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0ALIK KEPLICZ\/AP2006\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspServet Yanatma\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1790137846\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-23 06:30:46 +02:00\">23\/09\/2026 &#8211; 6:30 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div 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height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Euronews Business examines how homeownership rates among younger Europeans have changed compared with previous generations, and what is driving the shift.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--business js-article-content\">\n<p>Europe is facing a serious housing crisis and young people are feeling the strain. While many dream of owning their own home, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Younger generations in Europe have lower homeownership rates than earlier generations, according to the OECD.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>So, how have homeownership rates changed across generations? Why is homeownership falling among young Europeans? And in which countries are young people struggling the most?<\/p>\n<p>According to the \u2018Mapping trends and gaps in household wealth across OECD countries\u2019 report, younger generations in Europe are finding it increasingly difficult to reach the same homeownership levels as previous generations did at the same age.<\/p>\n<p>The OECD data covers the average across 20 EU countries. For example, 60% of people born around 1975 owned a home by age 32. This fell to 58% for the 1980 birth cohort and <strong>to<\/strong> 52% for those born in 1985. That means there is an 8 percentage point gap between the 1975 and 1985 cohorts.<\/p>\n<p>By age 36, 65% of the 1970 and 1975 birth cohorts owned a home, but this fell to 60% among the 1980 cohort.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, by age 29, the homeownership rate was 52% among the 1980 cohort, before gradually declining to 45% and 41% among the 1985 and 1990 cohorts, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The difference is also clear at younger ages among more recent cohorts. For example, by age 23, 32% of the 1985 cohort owned a home, compared with 26% among people born in 1990.<\/p>\n<p>Among earlier cohorts, homeownership rates were much closer. By age 44, 68% of the 1965 cohort owned a home, compared with 69% for the 1970 cohort and 68% for the 1975 cohort.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, 70% of people born in 1960 owned a home by age 46. The figure was 71% among the 1965 cohort and 70% for the 1970 cohort.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Reasons behind homeownership decline<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cA number of interconnected reasons are likely to be at play,\u201d OECD experts told Euronews Business. They emphasised that access to mortgage credit has become more challenging, as rising interest rates since 2021 have increased borrowing costs. House prices have also grown faster than incomes in many OECD countries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRelatively slow wage growth has further reduced affordability, making it more difficult for first-time buyers to accumulate down payments and qualify for mortgages,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n<p>OECD analysts also pointed out that higher tertiary education enrolment may have delayed labour market entry and the transition to independent living. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Homeownership: Mid-1990s vs late 2010s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>More recent country-level data also show that this trend continues in most European countries. According to the OECD Employment Outlook 2025 report, the share of people in their 30s who own their main residence dropped in around two-thirds of countries when comparing the mid-1990s with the most recent year available. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYounger generations are less likely to own a home than they were three decades ago,\u201d the report finds. <\/p>\n<p>The mid-1990s refers to 1995 or the closest available year, while the most recent year refers to the latest pre-COVID year or 2022\/23.<\/p>\n<p>Ireland recorded the largest decline in the homeownership rate among people in their 30s over this period. While 81% owned a home in the mid-1990s, this fell to 53% in the most recent years.<\/p>\n<p>Greece also saw a 20-point decline from 78% to 58%. <\/p>\n<p>Two major European economies were also among those with the largest falls. Homeownership dropped from 74% to 56% in the UK, while Spain recorded an 18-point decline from 77% to 60%.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Beyond the deposit challenge<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe most important barrier is how high house prices are compared to incomes for generations that have reached adulthood since the early 2000s,\u201d Jonathan Cribb, deputy director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), told Euronews Business, explaining the fall in the UK. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s not just about how hard it is to get a deposit together, it&#8217;s about even with good deposits, people not being able to borrow enough to purchase homes in the area in which they live (or nearby),\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<p>J. Antonio M\u00f3denes from the Autonomous University of Barcelona pointed to thecollapse of credit expansion following the 2008 financial crash, lower job stability, stricter mortgage lending criteria and declining housing construction in Spain. <\/p>\n<p>Denmark (13 pp), Austria (11 pp) and Luxembourg (10 pp) also saw double-digit declines. Germany and Switzerland (both at 9 pp) were close to this level.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Impact of post-socialist transition<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>By contrast, three European countries recorded strong increases. The share of people in their 30s who own their main residence rose from 38% to 88% in Slovakia. Czechia also saw an increase from 36% to 76%. <\/p>\n<p>J\u00e1n V\u00fdbo\u0161\u0165ok, senior researcher at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, explained that the market was highly centralised during the socialist era before 1989 in Slovakia, and the state was the almost exclusive owner of the entire housing stock. As in other countries that have undergone a post-socialist transition, residents purchased flats for a nominal sum, leading to the privatisation of almost the entire housing stock.<\/p>\n<p>Poland recorded a 20-point increase from 57% to 77%. The Netherlands followed with a 9-point rise.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Dutch expert challenges OECD figures<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>However, Cody Hochstenbach from the University of Amsterdam challenged the OECD figures. Referring to the Housing Survey (WoON), he noted that homeownership rates among young adults in the Netherlands have fallen since the global financial crisis. For example, the homeownership rate among people aged 25-34 declined from 50% in 2002 to 44% in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>He added, however, that the 1990s and 2000s were a period of rapidly expanding homeownership in the Netherlands across different age groups, helped by policies that stimulated and subsidised homeownership, and the growth of mortgage markets.<\/p>\n<p>Among the five largest economies, France was the only country where the homeownership rate rose by 4 points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add 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<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2538308-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2538308\" data-cid=\"8423532\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2538308-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/42\/35\/32\/480x270_cmsv2_1e2e5bf1-f6a0-5bf7-a779-d8a0f2e993da-8423532.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Residential houses in the town of Bad Staffelstein are pictured from the Staffelberg hill in Germany\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Housing in Europe: Where do people rent more than they buy?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  housing crisis<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  home<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  young generation<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Euronews Compare<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2927952-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927952\" data-cid=\"9924364\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927952-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/64\/320x180_cmsv2_b7781494-c130-5338-ba61-ece8089656e0-9924364.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"File - A protester carries a mock fuel pump during a May Day march in France on 1 May 2026, criticising fuel prices and oil companies. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Higher fuel bills are costing the EU \u20ac270 million a day, report says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2927727-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927727\" data-cid=\"9923183\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927727-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/31\/83\/320x180_cmsv2_419eeca3-30bd-544e-b131-65279962abef-9923183.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A customer fuels his vehicle at an Essence gas station in Paris, 5 April 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Surging prices, voters\u2019 anger: France\u2019s fuel crisis hits the campaign<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2928046-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928046\" data-cid=\"9924875\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928046-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/48\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_c03ca012-4da2-52a9-bb60-25789e00296b-9924875.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. Shipping containers are seen ready for transport at the Guangzhou Port in the Nansha district in southern China&apos;s Guangdong province, 17 April 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    OECD lifts 2026 global growth forecast to 2.9% despite Iran war<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2927959-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927959\" data-cid=\"9924409\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927959-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/44\/09\/320x180_cmsv2_b7604464-c053-5e2c-9c40-6ff31a777f5c-9924409.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Tera Yatirim Holding Chairman Emre 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alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2927504-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927504\" data-cid=\"9922016\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Fuel taxes in Europe: Which country taxes petrol the most?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2926811-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 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data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2901905-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/79\/80\/52\/480x270_cmsv2_246dd942-65ed-5781-a431-75578cbd61f4-9798052.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"BRITAIN HOUSE PRICE\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What&#8217;s the average age of first-time homebuyers across Europe?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2538308-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2538308\" data-cid=\"8423532\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2538308-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/42\/35\/32\/480x270_cmsv2_1e2e5bf1-f6a0-5bf7-a779-d8a0f2e993da-8423532.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Residential houses in the town of Bad Staffelstein are pictured from the Staffelberg hill in Germany\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Housing in Europe: Where do people rent more than they buy?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927952-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927952\" data-cid=\"9924364\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927952-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/31\/83\/320x180_cmsv2_419eeca3-30bd-544e-b131-65279962abef-9923183.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A customer fuels his vehicle at an Essence gas station in Paris, 5 April 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Surging prices, voters\u2019 anger: France\u2019s fuel crisis hits the campaign<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928046-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928046\" data-cid=\"9924875\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928046-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/48\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_c03ca012-4da2-52a9-bb60-25789e00296b-9924875.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. Shipping containers are seen ready for transport at the Guangzhou Port in the Nansha district in southern China&apos;s Guangdong province, 17 April 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    OECD lifts 2026 global growth forecast to 2.9% despite Iran war<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927959-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927959\" data-cid=\"9924409\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927959-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/44\/09\/320x180_cmsv2_b7604464-c053-5e2c-9c40-6ff31a777f5c-9924409.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Tera Yatirim Holding Chairman Emre Tezmen\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Turkey arrests Tera chairman as $18bn fund scandal widens<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927725-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927725\" data-cid=\"9923180\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927725-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/31\/80\/320x180_cmsv2_ff4d1bf5-db4d-56e1-b72f-80cc9c9aa1df-9923180.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"File - A worker prepares to fill up an aircraft with jet fuel at the airport in Duesseldorf, Germany, 27 April 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe may avoid jet fuel shortage, but small airports remain at risk<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927504-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927504\" data-cid=\"9922016\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Fuel taxes in Europe: Which country taxes petrol the most?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926811-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926811\" data-cid=\"9918912\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why young Europeans are struggling to get on the property ladder<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927351-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927351\" data-cid=\"9921030\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Qatar rules out Hormuz bypass, launches new investments platform<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927669-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927669\" data-cid=\"9923096\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    One-bedroom flat rent in Portugal costs more than minimum wage<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927469-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927469\" data-cid=\"9921758\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Made in Europe&#8217; battery rules could add \u20ac2,100 to electric car prices<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Europe is facing a serious housing crisis and young people are feeling the strain. While many dream of owning their own home, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Younger generations in Europe have lower homeownership rates than earlier generations, according to the OECD.So, how have homeownership rates changed across generations? Why is homeownership falling among young Europeans? And in which countries are young people struggling the most?According to the \u2018Mapping trends and gaps in household wealth across OECD countries\u2019 report, younger generations in Europe are finding it increasingly difficult to reach the same homeownership levels as previous generations did at the same age.The OECD data covers the average across 20 EU countries. For example, 60% of people born around 1975 owned a home by age 32. This fell to 58% for the 1980 birth cohort and to 52% for those born in 1985. That means there is an 8 percentage point gap between the 1975 and 1985 cohorts.By age 36, 65% of the 1970 and 1975 birth cohorts owned a home, but this fell to 60% among the 1980 cohort.Similarly, by age 29, the homeownership rate was 52% among the 1980 cohort, before gradually declining to 45% and 41% among the 1985 and 1990 cohorts, respectively.The difference is also clear at younger ages among more recent cohorts. For example, by age 23, 32% of the 1985 cohort owned a home, compared with 26% among people born in 1990.Among earlier cohorts, homeownership rates were much closer. By age 44, 68% of the 1965 cohort owned a home, compared with 69% for the 1970 cohort and 68% for the 1975 cohort.Likewise, 70% of people born in 1960 owned a home by age 46. The figure was 71% among the 1965 cohort and 70% for the 1970 cohort.Reasons behind homeownership decline\u201cA number of interconnected reasons are likely to be at play,\u201d OECD experts told Euronews Business. They emphasised that access to mortgage credit has become more challenging, as rising interest rates since 2021 have increased borrowing costs. House prices have also grown faster than incomes in many OECD countries.\u201cRelatively slow wage growth has further reduced affordability, making it more difficult for first-time buyers to accumulate down payments and qualify for mortgages,\u201d they said.OECD analysts also pointed out that higher tertiary education enrolment may have delayed labour market entry and the transition to independent living.\u00a0Homeownership: Mid-1990s vs late 2010sMore recent country-level data also show that this trend continues in most European countries. According to the OECD Employment Outlook 2025 report, the share of people in their 30s who own their main residence dropped in around two-thirds of countries when comparing the mid-1990s with the most recent year available.\u00a0\u201cYounger generations are less likely to own a home than they were three decades ago,\u201d the report finds.\u00a0The mid-1990s refers to 1995 or the closest available year, while the most recent year refers to the latest pre-COVID year or 2022\/23.Ireland recorded the largest decline in the homeownership rate among people in their 30s over this period. While 81% owned a home in the mid-1990s, this fell to 53% in the most recent years.Greece also saw a 20-point decline from 78% to 58%.\u00a0Two major European economies were also among those with the largest falls. Homeownership dropped from 74% to 56% in the UK, while Spain recorded an 18-point decline from 77% to 60%.Beyond the deposit challenge\u201cThe most important barrier is how high house prices are compared to incomes for generations that have reached adulthood since the early 2000s,\u201d Jonathan Cribb, deputy director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), told Euronews Business, explaining the fall in the UK.\u00a0\u201cThat&#8217;s not just about how hard it is to get a deposit together, it&#8217;s about even with good deposits, people not being able to borrow enough to purchase homes in the area in which they live (or nearby),\u201d he added.\u00a0J. Antonio M\u00f3denes from the Autonomous University of Barcelona pointed to the collapse of credit expansion following the 2008 financial crash, lower job stability, stricter mortgage lending criteria and declining housing construction in Spain.\u00a0Denmark (13 pp), Austria (11 pp) and Luxembourg (10 pp) also saw double-digit declines. Germany and Switzerland (both at 9 pp) were close to this level.Impact of post-socialist transitionBy contrast, three European countries recorded strong increases. The share of people in their 30s who own their main residence rose from 38% to 88% in Slovakia. Czechia also saw an increase from 36% to 76%.\u00a0J\u00e1n V\u00fdbo\u0161\u0165ok, senior researcher at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, explained that the market was highly centralised during the socialist era before 1989 in Slovakia, and the state was the almost exclusive owner of the entire housing stock. As in other countries that have undergone a post-socialist transition, residents purchased flats for a nominal sum, leading to the privatisation of almost the entire housing stock.Poland recorded a 20-point increase from 57% to 77%. The Netherlands followed with a 9-point rise.Dutch expert challenges OECD figures\u00a0However, Cody Hochstenbach from the University of Amsterdam challenged the OECD figures. Referring to the Housing Survey (WoON), he noted that homeownership rates among young adults in the Netherlands have fallen since the global financial crisis. For example, the homeownership rate among people aged 25-34 declined from 50% in 2002 to 44% in 2024.He added, however, that the 1990s and 2000s were a period of rapidly expanding homeownership in the Netherlands across different age groups, helped by policies that stimulated and subsidised homeownership, and the growth of mortgage markets.Among the five largest economies, France was the only country where the homeownership rate rose by 4 points.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/23\/locked-out-why-young-europeans-cant-afford-to-buy-homes&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/89\/12\/1200x675_cmsv2_77c5bb94-4cc1-537a-a9fc-6a0e28b7cb95-9918912.jpg&#8221;] The Ring Who can afford to live in Greece? 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