Approximately one-third of residents from third countries in the European Union (EU) are living in overcrowded conditions, a situation mirrored by a significant number of Bulgarians in their own country, according to Eurostat data. In 2023, 34.2% of third-country nationals in the EU were classified as living in overcrowded homes, where the number of rooms was inadequate for the household size. This figure represents an increase from 32.9% in 2022.

In contrast, only 13.7% of EU citizens lived in overcrowded homes last year, a slight decrease from 13.9% in 2022, and down from 15.9% a decade ago. Conversely, the percentage of foreigners in overcrowded housing has risen from 32.6% to 34.2%. The European Statistical Office also indicated that 20.8% of EU residents living in other EU countries are in overcrowded households, a minor increase from 20.5% in the previous year.

Data specific to Bulgaria is limited, with no reliable information available on the living conditions of EU nationals residing in the country. However, it is noted that 30.4% of Bulgarians live in overcrowded homes. Despite this, 83% of individuals over 18 in Bulgaria own their residence, ranking the country seventh in the EU for homeownership, where the average stands at nearly 70%.

The highest rates of overcrowded living conditions are found in Poland (53.3%), Italy (50.7%), Sweden (48.3%), and Greece (47.5%), while the lowest are in Cyprus (4%), Ireland (9.1%), and Malta (10.8%). Among EU citizens living in other member states, overcrowding is most prevalent in Italy (39.9%), Greece (33.1%), and Germany (24.9%), whereas Malta (0.3%), the Netherlands (4.8%), and Cyprus (5.4%) report the lowest percentages.

Additionally, 21% of third-country nationals in the EU experienced a significant financial burden related to housing costs in the past year, spending over 40% of their income on accommodation. This compares to 16.2% of Europeans living in other EU countries and just 8.3% of native residents facing similar financial strain.