Los jóvenes de Baleares no pueden irse de casa: solo el 15,3 % logra emanciparse

The article, published by the Balearic daily Ultima Hora and authored by journalist Itziar F. Landero, examines the severe difficulty young people in the Balearic Islands face in leaving their parental homes. According to the Observatorio de Emancipación Juvenil, only 15.3 % of youths managed to achieve emancipation during the first half of 2024, highlighting a deepening housing affordability problem in the region.

• Overall emancipation rate: 15.3 % of young people (16‑29 years).
• Among those who succeed, only 8.4 % were born in the islands, indicating a strong reliance on migration for the local labour market.
• Emancipation rises with age: 33.2 % for 25‑29‑year‑olds and 72.6 % for 30‑34‑year‑olds.
• Gender disparity: 17.4 % of women versus 13.4 % of men achieve independence, with women averaging 2.4 household members compared with 2.1 for men.

The rental sector remains the dominant housing option for Balearic youth. Only 22.9 % own or mortgage a property. In the first half of 2024, the average rent equated to 135.9 % of the typical young person’s monthly salary (approximately €1,172), meaning a realistic budget of €810 is far below market rates. This makes the Balearic Islands the region with the highest rental cost relative to income in Spain.

Purchasing a home is largely unattainable. The median price of a dwelling stands at €310,870, representing 22.1 times the annual salary of a young worker or 9.6 times a young household’s total income. Mortgage financing would consume 60.4 % of a young household’s earnings, or 139.3 % of an individual’s salary. Consequently, the maximum feasible living space is only 32.6 m².

While 53.4 % of young people are employed, a significant 15.7 % are at risk of poverty. Of those employed, 80.2 % are aged 25‑29 and 36.1 % are 16‑24. Most hold permanent contracts (81.5 %), yet 39.3 % of these are “fixed‑term discontinuous,” a form that often masks job instability. Additionally, 25.2 % of graduates are overqualified for their positions, underscoring a mismatch between education and the labour market.

The Consell de la Joventut de Baleares (CJIB) calls for urgent measures to ensure affordable, sustainable housing for young residents. Proposed actions include:

• Reducing taxes on first‑time home purchases intended as primary residences.
• Repurposing obsolete buildings, such as former hotels, into public or social housing.
• Expanding aid programmes that cover living expenses for newly emancipated youths.
• Creating a public housing reserve with at least 15 % earmarked for young people.
• Implementing rent caps in areas with acute housing tension. These proposals aim to align housing policy with broader sustainability goals by promoting efficient use of existing structures, limiting speculative rent increases, and supporting young households to achieve stable, long‑term residence.