| Tenure Distribution * | Owner occupancy | Private rental | Social rental | |
| Netherlands | 57% | 14% | 29% | |
| Amsterdam | 30% | 30% | 40% | |
| Affordability | House price to income ratio * * | Household rent to income ratio * | Social rent to private rent ratio * * | |
| Netherlands | 11.8 | 33% | 48% | |
| Amsterdam | 16.8 | 29% | 40% | |
| Housing Stock | Avg dwelling size * | Avg household size * | % of housing built before 1985 * | |
| Netherlands | 120m² | 2.1 | 62% | |
| Amsterdam | 77m² | - | 65% | |
| Housing Delivery | Target (2024) * | Total supply (2023) * | Affordable supply (2023) * | |
| Netherlands | ~100000 | 74,560 | 7,200 |
The Netherlands has the largest social housing sector in Europe, with social rent comprising 29% of the national housing stock and 37% of Amsterdam’s.
Affordable housing in the Netherlands includes social-rented housing provided by housing corporations and privately rented housing with regulated rents. In Amsterdam, 30% of housing is social rent managed by housing corporations, and 6% is private rentals with regulated rents. Social housing is defined by a rent regulation cap, minimising the distinction between social and regulated private rental housing.
For privately rented units, a national scoring system regulates the maximum rent based on factors like property value, location, room sizes, kitchen and bathroom quality, energy efficiency, amenities, and outdoor spaces. Any unit below the rent cap of €879.66 per month follows the same regulations as social housing, including indefinite tenancy periods and controlled rent caps.
Rents in the social sector are on average only 52% of private-sector rents nationally, and 63% in Amsterdam, where demand and location drive higher rents. Eligibility for social housing is primarily based on national income limits (€47,699 for single households). Municipalities or housing corporations may set additional criteria or prioritise specific groups. Despite the extensive social housing stock, the average registration (and waiting) time for a unit was 13 years in 2021.
In addition to social rent, other affordable options include middle-segment rentals and government-guaranteed mortgages.
The Netherlands aims to build 900,000 new housing units from 2022 to 2030, with two-thirds designated as affordable: 28% for social rent by housing corporations, 6% for middle-segment rent, and 33% for middle-segment private rent and housing eligible for government-guaranteed mortgages.
Housing subsidies are provided to social housing tenants through housing benefits, with supply-side subsidies uncommon. Housing corporations maintain their stock primarily through rental income, supported by demand-side subsidies, and can access low-interest government-backed loans and tax reductions. As private entities, they generate additional income by developing market-rate housing and investing in other sectors.
In the Netherlands, single-family houses represent 64% of the total housing stock. This trend is consistent in new builds, with single-family homes comprising around 60% since 2015. However, flats are more common in urban centres such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and The Hague, with Amsterdam’s housing stock consisting of 87% flats. The housing stock is relatively old, with 62% of dwellings built before 1985.
Housing design is generally controlled through national and municipal plans and regulations that apply to all development. All housing must also follow regulations on safety, health, usability, energy efficiency, and the environment described in the national Building Decree (Bouwbesluit; 2012). But the design of affordable housing is specifically affected by the way rent control thresholds are applied. The government uses a hypothetical rent level based on the national scoring system. For a housing unit to remain in the regulated sector, either its calculated rent needs to be below a fixed threshold, or be designated as social housing by housing corporations. In expensive areas such as Amsterdam, this results in the construction of smaller units (i.e. studios and one-bedroom flats).