Households spend on average 20% of their income on housing, but this proportion can vary up to 50% between the least and the most expensive regions in a country.
The availability and affordability of housing are essential for households to meet their basic need in terms of shelter, personal space, and a sense of security, including financial security. The number of rooms per person is a standard measure of whether people are living in crowded conditions; across OECD regions this number varies widely, from around half a room in Northeastern Anatolia - East (Turkey) to three in Vermont (United States), a difference almost twice as large as that observed across OECD countries.
In 2016, regional differences in the number of rooms per person were largest in Canada, the United States, Spain and Turkey ( 2.8). Using the number of rooms per person has, however, some limitations, which may hamper regional and international comparisons. First, it does not take into account the possible trade-off between the number of rooms in the dwelling and its location: some households may choose to live in smaller dwellings located in better serviced areas than in larger homes in less desirable locations. Second, it does not take into account the overall size of accommodation, which is generally smaller in urban areas than in rural areas.
