The housing cost overburden rate for rental households (25%) is significantly higher than for those with a mortgage (13%) or who own their home outright (1.8%).
However, the overburden rate for households renting at market price in Catalonia decreased by 23.3% in 2024. Although it remains above the EU average (19.2%), the gap has narrowed considerably.
Despite this improvement, nearly half of the young working population (45.1%) still cannot access the rental market in Catalonia due to excessive financial effort.
On the other hand, in the homeownership market, 38.5% of young working people who could afford a mortgage payment for a second-hand home in Catalonia cannot access it due to a lack of savings.
The housing cost overburden rate for rental households (25%) is significantly higher than for those with a mortgage (13%) and those who own their home outright (1.8%).
The overburden rate for households renting at market price in Catalonia stands at 25% in 2024. In other words, 25% of the population living in rental households spend more than 40% of their income on housing costs. Meanwhile, the overburden rate for households with a mortgage is 13%, and for those who own their home outright, it is 1.8%. Tenure type is therefore one of the key factors explaining inequalities in housing affordability in Catalonia.
The overburden rate has decreased by 23.3% for rental households in Catalonia
In 2024, 25% of market-price rental households in Catalonia are overburdened, compared to the EU average of 19.2%. However, over the past year, the rate has dropped by 7.6 points (23.3%), from 32.6% in 2023 to 25% in 2024. This decline is linked to several dynamics. On the income side, an increase in the minimum wage (+5%), a decrease in the unemployment rate (-14.1%), and a rise in average disposable household income (+7.8%). On the price side, a moderation in the Rental Price Index (+1.1%).
Nearly half (45.1%) of young working people cannot access the rental market due to financial overburden
Despite the improvement, nearly half of young people remain excluded from the rental market. In 2024, 45.1% of active, non-emancipated young people would be excluded from accessing a rental home at average market price in Catalonia (even considering a scenario of shared housing with a partner). In the case of purchasing a home, around half of young people would also be excluded: 45.2% for second-hand homes and 53.6% for new builds.
38.5% of young working people who could afford a mortgage payment cannot access homeownership due to lack of savings
When it comes to buying a home, the savings required further exclude young workers from the market.
For second-hand homes, the exclusion rate rises from 45.2% to 66.3%, and for new builds from 53.6% to 77.5% (assuming shared housing with a partner).
Looking at it from the other side, the share of young working people who could access a second-hand home at average market price drops from 54.8% to 33.7%, depending on whether only the mortgage payment or both the payment and savings are considered. For new builds, it drops from 46.4% to 22.5%. That is, 38.5% of young working people who could afford the mortgage payment for a second-hand home cannot access it due to lack of savings. For new builds, this figure rises to 51.5%.
The Metropolitan Housing Observatory of Barcelona (O-HB) was created in 2017 as a joint initiative of the Barcelona City Council, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, the Barcelona Provincial Council, and the Government of Catalonia, with support from the Association of Social Housing Managers (GHS). Since 2018, it has been integrated into the structure of the Institut Metròpoli. Its purpose is to serve as a supramunicipal tool for the analysis and consultation of housing-related data and to support the design and evaluation of public policies in the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
