Housing shortage in the canton of Zurich: a current inventory
The housing market in the canton of Zurich presents a picture of scarcity. Despite continuous construction activity, the proportion of vacant flats remains at a historically low level, with noticeable regional differences.
The vacancy rate for flats in the canton of Zurich has reached a new low. With a vacancy rate of just 0.53 per cent, availability has fallen further below the previous year’s already low figure of 0.61 per cent. Flats with up to three rooms are particularly scarce, while larger units tend to remain unoccupied. The greatest challenges exist in the urban centres of Zurich and Winterthur as well as in the Zurich Oberland.
In the city of Zurich, almost no flats are unoccupied – the rate is a marginal 0.06 per cent. Even among new builds, of which 2,900 units were completed, only seven flats were not immediately occupied. Winterthur also recorded an all-time low vacancy rate of 0.19 per cent, despite the completion of around 400 flats in new development projects.
The decline in the vacancy rate signals a discrepancy between the expansion of housing supply and rising demand. Although construction activity is continuing, it is not keeping pace with demand. Net housing production remains below the long-term average.
The challenge of providing sufficient living space to meet demand remains in the canton of Zurich. The current figures emphasise the need to further intensify construction activity and find innovative solutions to create more living space.
The situation on the housing market in the canton of Zurich requires continued and intensified efforts on the part of all stakeholders. Striking a balance between supply and demand remains a key task for the coming years in order to effectively tackle the housing shortage.