Définition
A dwelling is overcrowded if it has fewer rooms than the number of rooms theoretically required by the household (standard), or if it has as many rooms but there is less than 18 m² per person.
For a single person in a studio of more than 25 m², the dwelling is not deemed overcrowded but in a normal situation.
Overcrowding can be moderate (one room less than the standard ) or severe (two rooms or more).
The number of rooms theoretically required is computed as follows:
- one living room for the household;
- one room for each couple;
- one room for each person aged 19 and older not living as a couple in the household;
- for people under 19 years old, one room for two people if they are of the same sex or under 7 years old; otherwise, one room per person.
The kitchen is included in the number of rooms of a dweeling only if it measures more than 12 m².
Remarque
- The concept of overcrowded dwelling is used only for dwellings that are primary residences;
- The concept of overoccupation only takes into account the number of rooms, and therefore does not include a criterion of surface area per person (data only available in certain sources);
- Eurostat does not take into account the criterion of surface area per person, so there is no distinction between over-occupation and overcrowding in European statistics. In addition, the age criteria used to determine the standard are different.