Spain's overcrowding rate has surged by 73% over the last decade, reaching 9.5% in 2026 compared to 5.5% in 2015. A CGT report published on Monday 9 November, using INE and Eurostat data, defines this as lacking sufficient rooms for couples, adults or children.
Regional disparities are stark, with the Canary Islands recording a 16.3% rate, followed by Catalonia at 13.1% and the Balearic Islands at 11.4%. Conversely, Cantabria, La Rioja and the Basque Country maintain the lowest rates, all remaining below 5% in 2026.
The crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, with 20.5% of tenants and 17.9% of those below the poverty line living in overcrowded conditions. Furthermore, 19.3% of foreign nationals and 16% of young people aged 16 to 29 are impacted by the trend.
