Housing Cost: One in Seven Municipalities in Europe Unaffordable for Nurses

The resource titled "Housing Cost: One in Seven Municipalities in Europe Unaffordable for Nurses" is published by Correctiv and authored by Lilith Grull and Frida Thurm. It presents an analysis of housing affordability for nurses across various municipalities in Europe, highlighting the increasing challenges essential workers face in securing affordable housing.

The analysis reveals that housing in Europe has surged in cost, with rental prices increasing by an average of 21.1% and property purchase prices rising by as much as 63.6% between 2015 and 2025. This trend shows significant disparities across different regions, particularly in major cities where rents have escalated by around 50% over the past decade.

For the first time, CORRECTIV.Europe has evaluated local housing prices for nearly 100,000 municipalities, using income data for nurses to determine affordability. The results indicate that in over 15% of localities across the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, the average salary of nurses is insufficient to afford a 45-square meter apartment. These areas are highlighted on a mapping tool.

The situation is particularly dire in large cities, such as Warsaw, where a nurse's mortgage payment could consume over 70% of their net salary. Holiday destinations are also notably expensive, with places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen showing property prices that would take up more than half of a nurse's salary.

The high cost of housing is not only a personal issue for nurses but has broader economic implications. Experts warn that the housing crisis hampers competitiveness and leads to talent shortages in key urban areas, adversely affecting business growth and innovation.

The report highlights challenges in recruiting nursing professionals due to unaffordable housing. Many nurses in regions where rents exceed 30% of their salary are unable to find stable housing, leading to significant recruitment difficulties for healthcare institutions.

Several factors contribute to rising housing prices, including expensive land, the financialization of real estate, urbanization, and insufficient housing construction. The demand for affordable housing is further exacerbated by short-term rentals and the increasing number of single-person households.

Various solutions have been proposed by experts to tackle the crisis, such as increased investment in housing construction, implementing land value taxes, and creating housing allowances. Local governments are urged to take action by regulating property use and mandating that a portion of new developments be set aside for social housing.

The report concludes that the lack of affordable housing is a pressing issue that could have long-lasting effects on society. It underscores the importance of securing housing for essential workers, as their inability to find affordable living conditions could lead to greater societal issues, including homelessness and a decline in the quality of life for many citizens across Europe.