Determinants of Residential Satisfaction: A Study of Housing Quality, Neighbourhood Features, and Socioeconomic Factors

This literature review draws particular insights from Sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, to highlight context-specific determinants and critically examines the determinants of residential satisfaction, with a particular focus on housing quality, neighbourhood features, and socioeconomic factors. Drawing upon fifteen peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2025, the paper identifies key patterns in user satisfaction across diverse geographic and socio-economic contexts. The findings highlight that residential satisfaction is multidimensional, shaped not only by physical dwelling attributes such as structural integrity and spatial comfort but also by broader neighbourhood characteristics including access to amenities, environmental quality, and safety. Socioeconomic variables such as income, educational level, and tenure status emerged as influential in mediating satisfaction, often amplifying inequalities in housing outcomes. The study applies relevant theoretical models Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), and the Actual–Aspiration Gap Theory to interpret the empirical evidence and synthesise cross-regional insights. The review contributes to the housing discourse by offering an integrated thematic and methodological analysis, while also providing practical and policy-oriented recommendations for more inclusive and responsive housing development strategies.