Households with single seniors over the age of 65 and single-parent families (one adult with children) had the greatest difficulty in meeting the housing costs. Covering the housing costs was a heavy burden for 34.5 % of single elderly people (aged 65 and over) and 30.0 % of single-parent families. Among large families (a couple with three or more children), 19.6 % were those whose housing costs were a heavy burden, which is significantly higher than among couples with one child (10.4 %) and couples with two children (8.1 %).
The largest amount of utility arrears is registered for single-parent families, the lowest - for couples without children and single seniors
Since 2019, the share of households that have had arrears for utility payments at least once in the last 12 months due to lack of money has slightly decreased (from 8.6 % in 2019 to 8.0 % in 2020). In 2020, the highest number of debtors for utility payments was among households with one adult with children (20.3 %), couples with three or more children (15.8 %) and households with one person aged 16-64 (10.9 %). In turn, the lowest number of debtors for utility bills was among couples without children (4.1 %) and among households with one person aged 65 and over (4.6 %).
Housing cost burden in different types of households in 2020
See the Official Statistics Portal: MAI030 and calculations by CSB
In 2020, housing costs in Latvia averaged EUR 156 per month
In 2020, housing costs in Latvia averaged EUR 156 per month per household, which is EUR 5 more than a year earlier. The share of expenditures spent on housing maintenance continues to decrease - last year households spent on average 11.8 % of their income on housing maintenance (in 2019 - 12.2 %).
Monthly housing costs and share thereof in household disposable income in 2013–2020
Housing costs |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
on average per household, EUR |
134 |
136 |
142 |
140 |
138 |
150 |
151 |
156 |
on average per household member, EUR |
55 |
57 |
59 |
58 |
59 |
65 |
67 |
68 |
ratio to household disposable income*, % |
17.3 |
16.1 |
15.2 |
14.0 |
13.5 |
13.4 |
12.2 |
11.8 |
*Housing costs of the reference period is compared with the disposable income data of households of the previous period.
Single seniors spend one-fifth of their income on housing
On average, one household spends 11.8 % of its income on housing. Single seniors (aged 65 and over) were most affected by the cost of housing - they spent 22.1 % of their income on housing. For households with one adult and children, housing costs accounted for 16.4 % of income, and a person aged 16 to 64 spent 16.2 % of income on housing.
In households with a couple living with children, housing costs accounted for 10.0 - 10.8 % of income, while couples without children spent slightly more on housing costs - 11.1 % of their income.
Average housing costs by household type and size in 2020
Household type |
Monthly housing costs, EUR |
% of housing costs against disposable income |
Average number of persons in the household |
ALL HOUSEHOLDS |
156 |
11.8 |
2.3 |
One person, 16 -64 years old |
128 |
16.2 |
1.0 |
One person, 65+ |
100 |
22.1 |
1.0 |
One adult with children |
189 |
16.4 |
2.4 |
Couple without children |
148 |
11.1 |
2.0 |
Couple with one child |
200 |
10.1 |
3.0 |
Couple with two children |
251 |
10.8 |
4.0 |
Couple with three or more children |
236 |
10.0 |
5.2 |