The research was conducted between August 2023 and June 2024. The WoON is a large, long-term national study involving tens of thousands of respondents that is carried out every three years by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning. For decades, it has been an important source of information about the living situation, satisfaction, moving wishes, and housing costs of Dutch households.
Especially due to rising energy prices, housing costs increased between 2021 and 2024. The net housing quote, the ratio between total housing costs and net disposable income, rose from 33.3% to 34.3%. The net rent quote, on the other hand, slightly decreased from 25.4% to 24.7%. This means that the income of renters increased on average more than their rent, resulting in renters spending a relatively smaller portion of their income on rent. There are also fewer renters paying too high a rent for their income, partly due to rent reductions in 2021 and 2023.
Living Climate
Rising energy prices may also play a role in the increase of moisture and mold in homes. Over 20% of households are affected, compared to 15% three years earlier. One of the causes could be that residents have reduced heating and ventilation due to rising energy prices. Additionally, the increasingly better insulation of homes, the record-wet 2023 with much rain, and the increased attention to the problem may also contribute to the rise in reports of moisture and mold.
On the other hand, cooling the home is also becoming a bigger problem, both in well and poorly insulated houses. A quarter of buyers and nearly half of renters cannot keep their homes at a comfortable temperature on hot days. When asked about reasons for making their own homes more sustainable, people indicate that they primarily do this for lower energy bills and more comfort.
First-time Buyers
First-time buyers purchased a home more often (+13%), possibly partly because they are buying homes later and therefore bring a higher income and more savings. Also, over a third of buyers receive a gift from parents or in-laws for this. The turnover within the purchase market decreased by 24%. Particularly families with children (14%) and the elderly (10%) moved less. The number of households moving from rent to purchase did increase slightly, by 7%.
Most Dutch people are (very) satisfied with their current home, although satisfaction has decreased slightly in recent years. Noise and traffic are most often cited as sources of nuisance. Reasons for moving are primarily money and comfort. Among young people living at home, the pressure to move has increased.
More Information
More information about the WoON research can be found on the website of Woononderzoek Nederland. Researchers can request the microdata file of the WoON via DANS.