A recent policy brief from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) outlines how housing affordability has deteriorated for younger generations across most EU Member States. The analysis shows that rising prices, limited supply, and changing household structures have contributed to growing precarity, particularly among low‑income youth. The brief also notes that the quality and condition of existing buildings influence exposure to housing issues, including energy poverty and the ability to maintain adequate living standards.

Across the EU, young adults are now significantly less likely to become homeowners than previous generations at the same age. The brief highlights that most youth households experience either housing worries or concrete issues such as overcrowding, high costs, or poor dwelling quality. In several Member States, more than half of low‑income youth households face persistent housing difficulties, including situations linked to the condition of residential buildings and the affordability of necessary renovations.

Patterns across Member States show that income decisively shapes levels of comfort, exposure to housing problems, and the risk of precarity. Differences are also influenced by the degree of urbanisation, with stronger cost pressures in cities and more quality‑related issues in the rural housing stock.