While housing has become one of Europe’s most pressing social and economic challenges, the story in Cyprus is markedly different. Eurostat’s “Housing in Europe – 2025” edition reveals that the island consistently ranks at, or near, the extremes of several key housing indicators, often outperforming the EU average and even many comparable Mediterranean countries.
Cyprus has the lowest overcrowding rate in the European Union, with just 2% of the population living in overcrowded homes. This is a stark contrast to countries such as Romania (41%) and Latvia (39%), where overcrowding affects more than a third of residents. The EU average stands at 17%.
Yet Cyprus also sits at the opposite extreme when it comes to under-occupied housing. Seven in 10 people (70%) live in homes considered too large for their household size, the highest share in the EU. Ireland (67%) and Malta (64%) follow closely, while Romania (7%) and Latvia (10%) again sit at the bottom of the scale.
This unusual combination reflects a defining feature of Cyprus’ housing stock: large homes occupied by relatively small households, often older couples whose children have moved out.