Press Release: Living Conditions Survey (LCS). Module on housing conditions and energy efficiency. Year 2023.

Main results

83.5% of all households in 2023 claimed to be generally satisfied with the home where they were living.
14.3% of households with the lowest income resided in homes whose surface area did not exceed 60 m2, as opposed to 7.0% for higher earners. These percentages were slightly lower than those reflected in the 2012 survey.
In 36.2% of households, their total home-related expenses represented a heavy burden. This percentage stood at 48.5% in households with the lowest income. These percentages were lower than those reflected in the 2012 survey.
27.5% of households admitted that they were unable to sufficiently heat their home during the winter months. On the other hand, 33.6% stated that they could not keep their home sufficiently cool during the summer.

More information

Satisfaction with housing

Generally-speaking, 83.5% of all households claimed to be satisfied or very satisfied with the home where they were living in the year 2023. This percentage was 4.6 points lower than that recorded in 2012, worsening across all income brackets.

In terms of income, the population is divided into a total of five quintiles. The first includes 20% of the population with the lowest income. The fifth, the 20% with the highest earnings.

In households with the highest income, 86.3% claimed to be satisfied or very satisfied with their home in 2023 (as opposed to 88.0% in 2012). As for households with the lowest income, this percentage stood at 80.8% (under the 83.3% of 2012).

Households satisfied and very satisfied with the dwelling and income level

Percentages

Home surface area

The percentage of households with the lowest income who were living in a home whose surface area did not exceed 60 m2 was 14.3% in 2023.

This percentage decreases as the household income rises. Thus, 7.0% of the highest income households live in small homes. Both percentages were slightly lower than those reflected in the 2012 survey.

Households size in square meters by income level

Percentages

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        "From 61 to 90 m2",
        "From 91 to 120 m2",
        "More than 120 m2",
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            "11"
        ],
        [
            "12"
        ]
    ],
    "data": [
        "11,6",
        "10,9",
        "47,5",
        "42,1",
        "24,0",
        "22,8",
        "16,6",
        "17,8",
        "15,0",
        "14,3",
        "52,1",
        "41,3",
        "20,5",
        "19,9",
        "12,0",
        "12,7",
        "12,9",
        "12,2",
        "47,9",
        "44,2",
        "25,4",
        "21,7",
        "13,1",
        "13,6",
        "12,8",
        "11,1",
        "48,4",
        "43,7",
        "23,9",
        "22,4",
        "14,5",
        "16,4",
        "10,0",
        "9,9",
        "50,3",
        "43,7",
        "23,0",
        "23,7",
        "16,5",
        "19,0",
        "7,5",
        "7,0",
        "39,1",
        "37,6",
        "26,6",
        "26,0",
        "26,7",
        "26,9"
    ],
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Certain housing problems

The most notable problem in 2023 across all income levels was noise coming from outside or their neighbours, with percentages above those recorded in the 2012 survey.

Pollution affected 11.6% of households in the lowest income bracket and 9.5% of the highest earners. These percentages were also above those obtained in 2012.

Crime also rose across all income brackets if we compare the 2023 numbers against 2012. Households with the lowest earnings were the ones most affected by this problem, reaching 16.4% as opposed to 11.3% of those with the most earnings. This percentile differences is greater than that of 2012.

Households with some dwelling problems by income

Percentages

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        "Noise from neighbours or from the street",
        "Pollution, grime or other environmental problems",
        "Crime, violence or vandalism in the area",
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        ],
        [
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    ],
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        "4,4",
        "8,6",
        "14,6",
        "24,0",
        "7,8",
        "10,7",
        "10,0",
        "13,8",
        "74,8",
        "62,1",
        "5,8",
        "11,3",
        "16,7",
        "25,6",
        "8,5",
        "11,6",
        "11,5",
        "16,4",
        "72,1",
        "58,6",
        "4,8",
        "10,2",
        "13,6",
        "25,2",
        "6,4",
        "10,4",
        "9,9",
        "13,7",
        "77,0",
        "59,6",
        "4,7",
        "8,6",
        "14,2",
        "24,0",
        "7,7",
        "11,1",
        "9,6",
        "14,6",
        "74,7",
        "62,0",
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        "7,5",
        "15,1",
        "24,6",
        "7,2",
        "10,7",
        "9,4",
        "13,0",
        "75,2",
        "62,2",
        "4,0",
        "5,7",
        "13,5",
        "20,7",
        "9,3",
        "9,5",
        "9,7",
        "11,3",
        "74,8",
        "67,7"
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Burden represented by home-related expenses for the household

In 36.2% of households, the total home-related expenses incurred a heavy burden for them in 2023. This percentage stood at 48.5% in households which had the lowest income.

The percentage of households whose housing expenses incurred a heavy burden falls as the average household income rises, with the figures from all income brackets far below those of 2012.

Households which housing costs are a heavy financial burden by income level

Percentages

Suitable temperature of the home in the winter or summer months

27.5% of households admitted that they were unable to sufficiently heat their home during the winter months in 2023. On the other hand, 33.6% stated that they could not sufficiently cool their home during the summer. Both percentages were above those from 2012.

The percentage of households which could maintain a suitable temperature falls as the average household income rises.

Households without a comfortably temperature during the winter or the summer by income level

Percentages

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    "category": [
        "Does not keep the dwelling comfortably warm during the winter",
        "Does not keep the dwelling comfortably cool during the summer",
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    ],
    "data": [
        "17,9",
        "27,5",
        "24,8",
        "33,6",
        "29,8",
        "38,9",
        "34,7",
        "41,3",
        "23,8",
        "34,2",
        "29,0",
        "37,8",
        "16,7",
        "28,1",
        "24,6",
        "33,8",
        "10,6",
        "21,8",
        "20,6",
        "30,9",
        "9,2",
        "15,0",
        "15,9",
        "24,8"
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Results by autonomous communities

The autonomous communities with the highest percentage of households stating they were satisfied or very satisfied with their home in the year 2023 were Castilla-La Mancha (86.9%), Castilla y León (86.3%) and La Rioja (85.6%). Those communities with the lowest percentages of homes were Comunidad de Madrid (80.3%), Catalonia (81.2%) and Baleares (81.7%).

The communities with the highest percentage of households which were unable to keep their home sufficiently heated during the winter months were Región de Murcia (40.1%), Andalusia (34.9%) and Extremadura (34.4%). Those with the lowest percentages were Comunidad Foral de Navarra (16.8%), Castilla y León (18.5%) and Basque Country (20.2%).

If we examine those households unable to keep sufficiently cool, communities with the highest percentage were Región de Murcia (46.6%), Comunidad de Madrid (37.7%) and Andalusia (37.1%). In turn, those with the lowest percentages were Principado de Asturias (16.7%), Cantabria (19.6%) and Galicia (19.7%).

Households without a comfortably temperature during the winter or the summer by Autonomous Communities

Percentages

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        "Does not keep the dwelling comfortably warm during the winter",
        "Does not keep the dwelling comfortably cool during the summer",
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        "Asturias, Principado de",
        "Balears, Illes",
        "Canarias",
        "Cantabria",
        "Castilla y León",
        "Castilla-La Mancha",
        "Cataluña",
        "Comunitat Valenciana",
        "Extremadura",
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        "Madrid, Comunidad de",
        "Murcia, Región de",
        "Navarra, Comunidad Foral de",
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            "6"
        ],
        [
            "7"
        ],
        [
            "8"
        ],
        [
            "9"
        ],
        [
            "10"
        ],
        [
            "11"
        ],
        [
            "12"
        ],
        [
            "13"
        ],
        [
            "14"
        ],
        [
            "15"
        ],
        [
            "16"
        ],
        [
            "17"
        ],
        [
            "18"
        ],
        [
            "19"
        ],
        [
            "20"
        ],
        [
            "21"
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    ],
    "data": [
        "27,5",
        "33,6",
        "34,9",
        "37,1",
        "21,4",
        "36,3",
        "22,5",
        "16,7",
        "28,6",
        "28,6",
        "24,5",
        "24,8",
        "24,3",
        "19,6",
        "18,5",
        "31,8",
        "25,4",
        "35,6",
        "26,7",
        "36,5",
        "31,3",
        "35,7",
        "34,4",
        "36,0",
        "29,4",
        "19,7",
        "22,5",
        "37,7",
        "40,1",
        "46,6",
        "16,8",
        "32,9",
        "20,2",
        "24,7",
        "21,1",
        "35,9",
        "36,6",
        "37,0",
        "22,4",
        "32,9"
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Reviews and data updates

The data published today are final. All the results are available on INEBase.

Methodological note

The Living Conditions Survey (LCS) is an annual statistical operation aimed at households which is conducted in all European Union countries. It¿s a harmonised statistic supported by Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 October 2019 which establishes a common framework for European statistics related to people and households, based on individual data collected from samples.

The Living Conditions Survey (LCS) includes various modules each year, harmonised at European level, to study in depth different aspects of the life of households. The 2023 edition included a module about the intergenerational transmission of poverty.

The 2023 LCS was carried out by the National Statistics Institute (INE) in collaboration with the Statistical Institute of Cataluña (IDESCAT) within the scope of the autonomous community.

Type of survey:: Annual.
Collection period:: February to May 2023.
Sample size:: The effective sample is made up of about 67,000 people.
Type of sample:: Panel survey in which the persons interviewed collaborate for four consecutive years. It¿s a stratified two-stage sampling process. The first stage units are the census tracts and the second stage units are the inhabited family dwellings.
Collection method:: Multichannel, offering the household the possibility of responding online (CAWI), telephone interview or face-to-face.

More information on the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.

Living Conditions Survey (LCS)Module on housing conditions and energy efficiency

Main results

More information

Satisfaction with housing

Home surface area

Certain housing problems

Burden represented by home-related expenses for the household

Suitable temperature of the home in the winter or summer months

Results by autonomous communities

Reviews and data updates

Methodological note

Living Conditions Survey (LCS)
Module on housing conditions and energy efficiency