Assessing housing inequality trends in Switzerland: where do we stand in comparison to Europe?

Rising housing costs and a shortage of affordable housing are growing concerns all over Europe. This paper examines the housing crisis through the broader concept of housing inequality, focusing on disparities in housing costs, overcrowding, and housing quality in Switzerland. We situate the development of housing inequalities in Switzerland within the broader landscape of housing in Europe. Drawing on EU-SILC data, we disentangle differences between tenure types and income quintiles in housing outcomes. While average housing costs have remained stable over the past two decades and housing quality remains high by European standards, significant inequalities persist. Despite the apparent stability in national indicators, public concerns about a housing crisis have intensified. We argue that this discrepancy can be explained by the local nature of the housing crisis, which is not reflected in aggregate data, and the fact that people entering the housing market or those in need of a change in their housing situation are most affected due to the only moderate tenant protection.