Inadequate dwelling (i55)
- 31/10/2025
- objective
- assessment assessment
In 2024, 14.7% of the population in Belgium lived in a dwelling with a leaking roof, damp walls, floors or foundations, or with rot in the window frames or the floor. To achieve the sustainable development goal by 2030, this figure must be reduced to zero percent. This objective will not be reached by continuing the trend since 2004 (assessment of November 2025). The population in Belgium living in an inadequate dwelling is therefore developing unfavourably.
Inadequate dwelling - Belgium - trend assessment
percentage of population
| 2000 | 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 | 2025 | 2030 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| observations | -- | 13.5 | 15.1 | 19.1 | 18.2 | 16.9 | -- | 14.4 | -- | -- |
| trend and extrapolation (November 2025) | -- | 14.2 | 14.8 | 17.6 | 18.3 | 16.9 | 16.4 | 14.9 | 14.0 | 12.6 |
| objective 2030 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025);
Inadequate dwelling - Belgium and international comparison
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 13.5 | 15.1 | 19.1 | 18.2 | 17.8 | 16.9 | 15.7 | 14.7 | -2.7 | 0.4 |
| EU27 | -- | -- | 16.3 | 15.3 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 14.8 | -- | -- | -- |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: BE 2009, 2019; EU27 2021-2022 not available, 2023 estimation. The 95% confidence interval for the share of people with an inadequate dwelling in 2024 is 13.4% to 16.0% for Belgium.
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025); Statbel (2025), direct communication 18/11/2025; Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Total population living in a dwelling with a leaking roof, damp walls, floors or foundation, or rot in window frames or floor, ilc_mdho01, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 10/10/2025 11:00 (consulted on 10/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by region - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels-Capital Region | 25.0 | 25.0 | 26.1 | 26.9 | 21.8 | -2.7 |
| Flemish Region | 13.5 | 12.2 | 11.6 | 10.2 | 12.1 | -2.2 |
| Walloon Region | 20.3 | 18.9 | 18.8 | 17.8 | 17.1 | -3.4 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||
Note: Break in series: 2009, 2019. The 95% confidence interval for the share of people with an inadequate dwelling in 2024 is 18.1% to 25.4% for Brussels, 10.2% to 14.0% for Flanders and 15.0% to 19.3% for Wallonia.
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025); Statbel (2025), direct communication 18/11/2025
Inadequate dwelling by sex - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| females | 13.7 | 15.5 | 19.4 | 18.2 | 18.2 | 17.5 | 16.1 | 14.8 | -3.3 | 0.4 |
| males | 13.3 | 14.7 | 18.8 | 18.2 | 17.5 | 16.2 | 15.3 | 14.6 | -2.1 | 0.5 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by age - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <18 | 15.7 | 18.2 | 23.0 | 22.0 | 21.1 | 18.9 | 18.2 | 17.8 | -1.2 | 0.6 |
| 18-24 | 16.1 | 17.1 | 20.9 | 20.1 | 21.4 | 20.7 | 17.1 | 14.1 | -7.4 | -0.7 |
| 25-49 | 14.3 | 15.4 | 20.6 | 19.2 | 19.2 | 17.9 | 17.2 | 17.3 | -0.7 | 1.0 |
| 50-64 | 11.3 | 12.3 | 16.0 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 16.1 | 14.0 | 12.2 | -5.4 | 0.4 |
| >64 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 9.8 | -3.6 | 0.1 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by education - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at most lower secondary | 14.5 | 14.6 | 20.5 | 19.7 | 18.8 | 17.6 | 16.3 | 15.5 | -2.5 | 0.3 |
| upper secondary | 12.9 | 13.3 | 17.2 | 17.5 | 16.9 | 16.7 | 15.5 | 13.3 | -4.4 | 0.2 |
| tertiary | 11.2 | 13.6 | 16.5 | 15.3 | 15.8 | 15.0 | 14.0 | 13.6 | -1.9 | 1.0 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by household type - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| single person | 16.3 | 16.4 | 19.8 | 18.4 | 18.3 | 17.7 | 16.0 | 15.0 | -3.3 | -0.4 |
| single person with dependent children | 24.1 | 28.6 | 32.4 | 29.1 | 28.6 | 26.4 | 23.4 | 19.2 | -6.2 | -1.1 |
| 2 adults <65 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 15.7 | 17.4 | 16.5 | 15.5 | 14.7 | 14.4 | -1.5 | 1.1 |
| 2 adults, at least 1 >64 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 9.9 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 8.9 | -2.7 | 0.5 |
| 2 adults, 1 or more children | 14.0 | 15.1 | 19.0 | 18.9 | 18.7 | 16.6 | 15.9 | 16.2 | -0.5 | 0.7 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by activity status - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| employed | 12.7 | 13.4 | 17.7 | 15.7 | 16.7 | 15.9 | 14.7 | 14.2 | -2.2 | 0.6 |
| unemployed | 19.3 | 19.0 | 25.0 | 30.5 | 28.4 | 25.4 | 23.4 | 19.3 | -5.3 | 0.0 |
| retired | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 12.2 | 12.1 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 9.8 | -4.6 | 0.0 |
| other inactive | 14.5 | 16.6 | 20.2 | 23.0 | 21.3 | 20.1 | 18.4 | 16.8 | -3.5 | 0.7 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2019; because of the widespread use of temporary unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ?unemployed? category in SILC 2021 includes not only the long-term unemployed, but also people who have been temporarily unemployed for more than 6 months and who generally live in less precarious conditions.
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Inadequate dwelling by income - Belgium
percentage of population
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| quintile 1 | 19.6 | 23.0 | 28.9 | 29.3 | 26.1 | 23.1 | 21.8 | 20.3 | -2.6 | 0.2 |
| quintile 2 | 13.7 | 15.8 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 18.7 | 18.4 | 16.8 | 15.5 | -3.4 | 0.6 |
| quintile 3 | 13.9 | 16.7 | 19.0 | 16.1 | 17.6 | 16.1 | 16.5 | 14.4 | -2.2 | 0.2 |
| quintile 4 | 11.5 | 10.9 | 14.8 | 12.8 | 13.8 | 14.7 | 12.0 | 13.0 | -2.4 | 0.6 |
| quintile 5 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 12.7 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 12.0 | 11.3 | 10.1 | -3.4 | 0.6 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in series: 2009, 2019
Source: Statbel (2025), SILC-SDG-indicators 2004-2024, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion (consulted on 06/10/2025)
Definition: the share of the population living in a dwelling with a leaking roof, damp walls, floors or foundations, or rot in the window frames or the floor.
The data are based on the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey. Statbel organises this EU-harmonised survey in Belgium and makes the results available, in particular to Eurostat. 2004 is the first year for which European harmonised data have been collected to calculate the indicator. The data used here come from Eurostat, which publishes detailed and comparable results between EU Member States. Since these data are based on a survey, a margin of uncertainty must be taken into account. The confidence intervals are available on request from Statbel.
From 2019 onwards, the survey methodology has been thoroughly reviewed for better accuracy. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic impacted data collection. This makes it difficult to compare the results of SILC 2020 with those of previous years. (Statbel, 2021). Therefore, they are not used to calculate and evaluate the long-term trend.
The following breakdowns are available for this indicator: region, sex, income, age, education, household type and activity status.
Goal: the share of the population living in inadequate dwellings must be reduced to zero per cent by 2030.
The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 include target 11.1: “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”. The share of the population living in inadequate dwellings should tend to zero.
The Federal Long-Term Strategic Vision for Sustainable Development includes the following objective: “The preconditions for the well-being of citizens will be met, i.e. (...) decent housing” (introduction of the challenge A society promoting social cohesion; Belgian Official Gazette, 08/10/2013).
UN indicator: the selected indicator corresponds to indicator 11.1.1 - Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing.
Sources
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Belgian Official Gazette: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/welcome.pl; research on http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/doc/rech_f.htm.
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Statbel (2021), Risk of poverty or social exclusion, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/households/poverty-and-living-conditions/risk-poverty-or-social-exclusion#documents (consulted on 19/12/2025).
- Statbel (2021), SILC FAQ, https://statbel.fgov.be/fr/themes/menages/pauvrete-et-conditions-de-vie/faq, see in particular "Y a-t-il des ruptures de séries dans la chronologie de l'enquête SILC?" (consulted on 19/12/2025).
At www.indicators.be the Federal Planning Bureau presents sustainable development indicators.
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