5.9% felt discrimination when looking for housing

In 2024, 5.9% of people aged 16 and over in the EU reported feeling discriminated against when looking for housing. At the same time, 5.2% of people felt discriminated against when in contact with public services or administrative offices, 3.4 % in public spaces (cafes, shops, sports facilities, etc.) and 2.6% in education.

Rates of self-perceived discrimination were higher among people at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE), compared with those not at risk across all surveyed life situations. The gap in self-perceived discrimination was largest when looking for housing (10.1% among people at risk vs 4.7% among those not at risk) and when dealing with public services (9.2% vs 4.2%). Self-perceived discrimination in public spaces was also more prevalent among people at risk of poverty or social exclusion (5.7% vs 2.8%) as was discrimination in education (4.4% vs 2.1%).

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Source dataset: ilc_atsd01

For more information

• Statistics Explained article on living conditions in Europe - self-perceived discrimination
• Thematic section equality and non-discrimination
• Database on equality and non-discrimination
• Thematic section on income and living conditions
• Database on income and living conditions

Methodological note

Discrimination is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on the protected characteristics in the EU law: sex, age, disability, religion or belief, ethnic or racial origin and sexual orientation. Self-perceived discrimination refers to the self-reported experience of discrimination. It is measured by asking individuals if they have felt, in the last 12 months (last 5 years for housing), personally discriminated against in a certain number of situations. Subjective perceptions of discrimination, as measured through surveys, can be influenced by various factors, including individuals’ awareness, expectations, the legal context and the degree of societal acceptance. As a result, these factors can significantly impact the reporting of discrimination and affect the comparability of data across different population groups, countries, or cultural settings.

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