Affordability Analysis: What Share of the Population in European Countries Cannot Afford to Keep Their Homes Adequately Warm?
Jure Taraš
12/22/2025
According to Eurostat data for 2024, 9.2% of the population of the European Union, or more than 41 million people, will spend the holiday season in inadequately heated or cold homes. Energy poverty refers to the inability of an individual or household to afford the costs necessary to secure basic energy services, such as heating during the winter months, cooling during the summer months, lighting, and the use of electrical appliances. The European Commission states that energy poverty occurs when a household is forced to reduce its energy consumption to a level that adversely affects the health and well-being of its occupants. In Europe, the share of the population unable to afford adequate home heating had been declining until the COVID-19 crisis and the war in Ukraine, which led to an increase in the proportion of European Union residents unable to cover the costs of adequate heating. Nevertheless, in 2024 this share declined, partly due to a reduction in retail prices of gas and electricity and the implementation of energy efficiency measures across EU Member States.
From a regional perspective, the share of the population unable to afford adequate home heating was highest in countries of Southern and Southeastern Europe, while the lowest shares were recorded in Central and Northern European countries. Albania and North Macedonia rank at the top, with proportions exceeding 30 %, whereas the lowest shares are observed in Switzerland (0.7 %), Norway (2.2 %), and Finland (2.7 %).
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I hold a Master’s degree in Geography, having graduated this autumn from the Faculty of Science at the University of Zagreb. You can learn more about me through my LinkedIn profile. I am open to new ideas and opportunities.
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This analysis is based on Eurostat data for 2024 on population figures (DOI: 10.2908/demo_pjan) and on the proportion of the population unable to afford adequate home heating (DOI: 10.2908/sdg_07_60). For North Macedonia and Albania, the most recent available data on this indicator refer to 2023, while for Montenegro the corresponding data pertain to 2022.
