Up to 30 percent of large families in Germany 'live in overcrowded housing'
In Germany, more than one in ten residents lived in overcrowded housing last year, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office released on Thursday. But the figures were much higher for families with children.
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Around 8.6 million people - or 10.5 percent of the population - were living in cramped quarters in 2021.
Households with children were the most likely in overcrowded housing, which is defined as too few rooms in relation to the number of people. This is based on the European Community statistics on income and living conditions, the so-called EU-SILC.
A home is considered overcrowded if, for example, there is no common room or no separate room per adult.
READ ALSO: Single people and large families 'pay more for rent' in Germany
Among families, the overcrowding rate was 15.9 percent. In households with two adults and at least three children, the figure hovered as high as 30.7 percent. For single parents, it was 28.4 percent.
At 17.8 percent, the overcrowding rate for minors was around six times higher than for older people aged 65 and over, where the figure stood at only three percent.
Households without children
In households without children, the overcrowding rate was 6.5 percent, lower than across all other types of living situations. Proportionally, two adults without children were least likely to live in overcrowded housing, with a figure of just 2.7 percent.
According to the statistics office, there was a marked difference between urban and rural areas. The proportion of people living in overcrowded apartments in larger cities was around three times higher at 15.5 percent than in rural areas at 4.9 percent.
READ ALSO: Half of big city households in Germany 'spend over 30 percent of income on rent'
Across the EU, however, Germany fares better than average. According to Eurostat, the overcrowding rate in the EU in 2021 was 17.1 percent.
Vocabulary
overcrowded - überbelegt
single parents - (die) Alleinerziehende
living conditions - (die) Lebensbedingungen
proportionally - anteilig
We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.
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Around 8.6 million people - or 10.5 percent of the population - were living in cramped quarters in 2021.
Households with children were the most likely in overcrowded housing, which is defined as too few rooms in relation to the number of people. This is based on the European Community statistics on income and living conditions, the so-called EU-SILC.
A home is considered overcrowded if, for example, there is no common room or no separate room per adult.
READ ALSO: Single people and large families 'pay more for rent' in Germany
Among families, the overcrowding rate was 15.9 percent. In households with two adults and at least three children, the figure hovered as high as 30.7 percent. For single parents, it was 28.4 percent.
At 17.8 percent, the overcrowding rate for minors was around six times higher than for older people aged 65 and over, where the figure stood at only three percent.
Households without children
In households without children, the overcrowding rate was 6.5 percent, lower than across all other types of living situations. Proportionally, two adults without children were least likely to live in overcrowded housing, with a figure of just 2.7 percent.
According to the statistics office, there was a marked difference between urban and rural areas. The proportion of people living in overcrowded apartments in larger cities was around three times higher at 15.5 percent than in rural areas at 4.9 percent.
READ ALSO: Half of big city households in Germany 'spend over 30 percent of income on rent'
Across the EU, however, Germany fares better than average. According to Eurostat, the overcrowding rate in the EU in 2021 was 17.1 percent.
Vocabulary
overcrowded - überbelegt
single parents - (die) Alleinerziehende
living conditions - (die) Lebensbedingungen
proportionally - anteilig
We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.
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