Housing Tenure, Housing Satisfaction, and Fertility Intentions in the Nordic Context of the Early 2020s

Objective: The study aims to shed new light on current fertility behavior by examining the relationship between housing tenure, perceived housing satisfaction, and fertility intentions in the Nordic countries.Background: The declining fertility rate in the Nordic countries since the 2010s has challenged previous fertility theories. Among the many factors that may influence fertility behavior, housing has gained increased attention. Yet the link between housing and fertility intentions in the Nordic context remains insufficiently investigated.Method: We use microdata from the Generations and Gender Survey - Round 2 Wave 1 for Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark (N = 13,420) collected in 2020–2022. Logistic regression is used to assess variation in the housing-fertility relation by country, age, and parity.Results: Homeownership is positively linked to fertility intentions in Norway and Sweden, unrelated in Finland, and negatively associated in Denmark, likely reflecting Denmark’s tenure-neutral housing system and extensive rental sector. Housing satisfaction shows no overall association, but negative associations emerge among the youngest (18–24) and oldest (40–44) age groups.Conclusion: Combining objective measures of tenure with subjective housing satisfaction provides a more nuanced understanding of how housing conditions intersect with fertility intentions in the Nordic countries. The results underscore the importance of institutional context and life-course stage in shaping the housing-fertility relationship.