Housing conditions, survey on living conditions

Definition of main concepts

A household consists of all persons living in the same dwelling who also share a meal budget.

Dwelling: A dwelling is defined as one or more rooms that has been built or rebuilt for the purpose of being used as a round-the-year dwelling for one or more persons. It must be possible to have access to the room(s) without having to go through another dwelling. Both dwelling units and single rooms are counted as dwellings. A dwelling unit is a conventional dwelling with at least one room and kitchen. Single rooms are living quarters with a separate entrance and with access to water and toilet outside other living quarters.

Definition of indicators of housing costs

Does not have a mortgage

Proportion who does not have a mortgage or other loans with security in the home they live in. Stated as a proportion of the total population (both renters and owners), unless you look at the table where the figures are distributed by type of ownership. Tenants are placed in this category, even though they may own and have mortgages linked to homes other than the one they primarily live in. The information is based on self-reported information, but where this is missing from the interview, register information is used (total debt after debt reduction).

Has a remaining mortgage, percentage

The proportion who has mortgages or other loans with security in the home they live in, categorized by the size of the loan. Proportion of the total population (both renters and owners), unless you look at the table where the figures are distributed by type of ownership. Only loans linked to a primary home are counted, but people can own several homes and thus have loans linked to other properties which are not counted here. The information is based on self-reported information, but where this is missing from the interview, register information is used (total debt after debt reduction).

Average total housing expenses (NOK)

Annual total expenditure on housing. For owners, the total housing expenses includes interest and installments on mortgages, rent or joint expenses for part/shareholders or commonhold owners, home insurance, municipal taxes, property tax and electricity and heating.

For tenants, the amount includes rent, electricity, and heating.

See definitions of each of the expenditure items below for a description of these.

Average total housing costs (NOK)

Annual total costs for housing. For owners, total housing costs include interest on mortgages, rent or joint expenses for part/shareholders or commonhold owners, home insurance, municipal taxes, property tax and electricity and heating. Does not include installments on mortgages, as this can be considered savings and thus is not part of cost/consumption in the same sense as the other expenses.

For tenants, the amount includes rent, electricity and heating.

See definitions of each of the expenditure items below for a description of these.

Housing expenses’ percentage of income

The share of the household's disposable income that goes to total housing costs (total housing costs are defined above), grouped according to how much of the income goes to housing costs.

Income information is based on information from the income register in the year before the survey. This information is available somewhat later than at the time of publication of the statistics, so these indicators are published later than the other indicators.

Definition of indicators of rental conditions and housing expenses for tenants

Uncertain of being able to continue living in the housing

Reports that they are quite or very insecure that they will be able to continue to live in their rented dwelling because of a sudden increase in rent or other things about the tenancy.

Rent, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for rent, for tenants who pay rent. The information is based on an interview, where you are asked to provide monthly rent. The amount is then multiplied to an annual amount. If information is missing from the interview, this is imputed based on household size, centrality and whether they have answered that they pay market rent or reduced rent.

Electricity and heating, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for electricity and heating, for tenants who pay this separately.

Definition of expenses for electricity and heating, see description under ‘Definition of indicators of mortgage and housing expenses for house owners'.

Definition of indicators of mortgage and housing expenses for house owners

Remaining mortgage, average (NOK)

Average amount of remaining mortgage, for homeowners who have mortgages or other loans secured by the home they live in. Loans linked to other homes or properties are not included. The information is based on self-reported information, but where this is missing from the interview, register information is used (total debt after debt reduction).

Estimated sales price, average (NOK)

Average assumed selling price for the home, for homeowners. The information is based on self-reported information.

Has installment-free mortgage (per cent)

Proportion of owners with mortgages who do not pay installments. Calculated based on information on expenses for interest and installments (see below).

Interest and installments, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for interest and installments, for owners with mortgages. Annual expenses are calculated based on self-reported information on monthly expenses at the time of the interview. If information from the interview is missing, this is imputed by adding up the calculated interest (see below) and the imputed installment. Installments are imputed based on the size of the loan and the installments' average share of the interest amount.

The data collection takes place during the first six months of the year of the survey. Since respondents are asked about the costs of interest and installments at the time of the interview, and it is these costs that are used as the basis for the annual costs, the calculation of annual costs could deviate from actual annual costs for those who have had changed interest costs during the year.

Interest, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for interest, for those with mortgages. Interest is calculated based on the size of the loan and the interest rate stated in the interview. Where information from the interview is missing, the median value among those who have given an answer is used.

Installments, average (NOK)

Average annual expenditure on installments, for those who pay installments. Installments are calculated as interest and installments (defined above) minus interest (defined above).

Pays common expenses to a housing association (per cent)

Proportion of owners who pay joint expenses, to a housing association, condominium or similar. Based on self-reported information.

Common expenses, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for joint expenses, for those who pay joint expenses. Joint expenses are first calculated separately for owners based on whether they are freeholders or part-/shareholders, before they are collected in one indicator.

Owners who are part-/shareholders answer about joint expenses per month, which is then multiplied to annual expenses. If information is missing from the interview, this is imputed based on the size of the home.

Owners who are freeholders choose whether to answer common expenses per month, quarter or year, and are multiplied to annual expenses based on the period for which the answers are given. Where information from the interview is missing, this is imputed based on building type, and whether they pay separate municipal taxes or home insurance.

Municipal taxes and property tax, average (NOK)

Average annual expenditure on municipal taxes and property tax, for freehold owners who pay some of this. Missing information is imputed based on the size of the home.

Home insurance, average (NOK)

Average annual expenses for home insurance, for owners who pay this separately. Missing information is imputed based on the size of the home.

Electricity and heating, average (NOK)

Average annual amount for electricity and heating. The indicator is based on self-reported information on electricity expenditure and any other expenditure on firewood or heating, which is further calculated to correspond to annual expenditure, and where missing data is imputed. The information on electricity costs and other costs for heating is described in more detail below.

The survey only asks about electricity expenses in the last month. Annual expenses are therefore calculated, adjusted for the time of year people answered and variations in electricity prices. In addition, electricity costs are imputed for those who have not answered the question, based on building type and size.

Other expenses for firewood or heating are stated as expenses for the past 12 months, and are therefore not further calculated. The variable is imputed based on the size of the home for those who have not answered the question.

Have had maintenance expenses in the last 12 months (per cent)

Proportion of owners who answer that they have had expenses for maintenance or repairs in the past 12 months.

Maintenance expenses, average (NOK)

Annual expenses for maintenance or repair of the home, average for all owners (including those who have had no expenses). Based on self-reported information. Where people have answered that they have had expenses for maintenance but do not know the amount, this is imputed based on the size of the home. To exclude extreme values, the variable is truncated so that values above the 99.5th percentile is set to the value of the 99.5th percentile.

Definition of indicators on dwelling ownership

Freeholder

Owns their dwelling/home as a freeholder.

Part- / share holder

Owns their dwelling/home as a part-/shareholder in a housing cooperative or through a housing stock company (commonhold/condominium ownership).

Tenant

Rents their dwelling.

Owns cabin or holiday home

Owns cottage or holiday home alone or with others.

Owns two or more dwellings

Owner of two or more dwellings/homes, including the one they live in.

Definition of indicators on purchase of dwellings

Bought dwelling in the last 4 years (per cent)

The home you live in was purchased during the previous four calendar years or the first half of the year of the survey. For the 2023 survey, that means from the start of 2019 to the summer of 2023.

Help from parents in total (loan guarantors, private loan, inheritance or gift), per cent of buyers

Proportion who has received parental assistance in total, of those who have bought the home they live in in the last 4 years. Parental assistance includes that parents or parents-in-law have acted as guarantors, have given a private loan, or an advance on an inheritance or gift.

Definition of indicators on housing standard, living environment and accessibility

Square meters per person. Average

Average number of square meters per person in the household. The number of square meters is given for primary rooms, these are rooms such as living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom etc. To exclude extreme values, the variable is truncated so that values above 500 kvadratmeter får verdien 500 kvadratmeter.

Rooms per person. Average

Average number of rooms per person in the household. Rooms include living rooms, bedrooms, and similar, but exclude bathrooms, hallways, laundry rooms or rooms that are rented out. A kitchen is included if it is also used as a living room. People who state that they have 0 rooms get the value 1.

Problems with damp or rot in the dwelling

Live in a home where there are problems with rot in windows or floors, leaking from roofs, moisture in walls or floors.

Access to a safe area for play and recreation

Proportion that has a park or green area the size of a football field or larger, which is less than 200 meters from the home, and it is perceived as safe for all members of the household to come to the area.

Access to a nearby area for recreational walk

There are hiking trails within 500 meters walking distance from the home.

Problems with crime, violence or vandalism in the neighbourhood

Reports having problems with crime, violence or vandalism in the neighborhood.

Bothered by noise in dwelling (coming from outside)

Are somewhat or very bothered by noise from neighbors or other noise from outside when they are inside the dwelling/home.

Bothered by noise when just outside the dwelling

Are somewhat or very bothered by noise when they stay directly outside the home.

Difficulty sleeping because of noise

Are somewhat or very bothered by noise in or outside the home, and answer that they have sleep problems due to noise.

Bothered by dust, smell or other kind of pollution in the area

Are somewhat or very bothered by dust, odors or other pollution in the area around the home, due to traffic, industry or businesses.

No steps or stairs to access the dwelling

There is no need to climb any stairs or steps to get from outside and all the way into the home.

Definition of background variables

Age

Persons are grouped by age at the beginning of the year for the completion of the main part of the interview.

Mobility difficulties

Households that state that one or more persons in the household have permanent mobility difficulties.

Home mortgage size

Households are grouped according to whether they have a mortgage or other loans secured by the home they live in, and the size of the loan. Groups the population as a whole (both renters and owners), but renters are grouped in the group without a mortgage. Only loans linked to a primary home are counted, but people can own several homes and thus have loans linked to other properties which are not counted here. The information is based on self-reported information, but where this is missing from the interview, information from the register is used (total debt after debt reduction).

Type of dwelling

Households are grouped according to the type of dwelling/housing they live in.

• Detached house
• Semi-detached houses (terraced houses, two-, three- or four-person dwellings)
• Apartment blocks (apartment in a block, block of flats or other building with many dwellings)

Tenure status

Households are grouped according to whether they rent or own the dwelling/home they live in. Owners are further divided into whether they are a freeholder/sole proprietor or part-/shareholder/cooperative owners. The variable only says something about whether they rent or own the primary home, and not whether they own or rent other dwellings/homes.

Family cycle phase

Persons are grouped by which phase of the family cycle they belong to, and this is based on the person’s age, marital status (single/in couple) and whether the person has children, and the youngest child’s age. The concept single persons do not necessarily refer to persons living alone in the household, but rather persons not living in a relationship (they can still live with others, e.g. their parents or their children). Couples includes both married and unmarried couples. The groups with children consist of persons living with their own child(ren) (including stepchildren and adopted children) aged 0-19 years in the household.

County

Persons and households are grouped by county. Follows the standard for county classification, see 'Standard classifications'.

Household type

Households are grouped by the number of adults and children in the household, by age. A household includes all persons who are permanent residents of the same home and who have a joint food budget.

Country background

Persons in immigration category B are grouped as immigrants from either immigrants from the EU/EEA etc. or immigrants from Africa, Asia etc. based on their country background. Immigration category B consists of persons born abroad with two foreign born parents and four foreign born grandparents.

• Immigrants from EU/EEA etc. (includes EU/EEA, Switzerland, UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).
• Immigrants from Africa, Asia etc. (includes Asia, Africa, Latin-America, Oceania outside of Australia and New Zealand and Europe outside of EU/EEA).

Income groups

Low income, EU: Belong to a household where after-tax income per consumption unit is below 60 per cent of the median income in the population.

After-tax income per consumption unit (equivalent income) is the household after-tax income "corrected" for differences in household size and household composition. When comparing the level of income and living standards for households of varying size, income is often adjusted with the help of equivalence scales or consumption units. An equivalence scale, for instance, provides an indication of how much income a household of four must have in order to achieve the same standard of living as a single person.

EU-equivalence scale: This is the ‘OECD-modified equivalence scale’ which assigns a value of 1 to the household head, of 0.5 to each additional adult member and of 0.3 to each child under the age of 17.

Median income is the exact income amount that splits a distribution in two equally sized groups, when income is sorted ascending (or descending). The number of persons with income over the median income will be the same as the number of persons with income under the median income.

Income quartiles: Population after-tax income per consumption unit sorted by income quartile.

Recipients of disability benefit: Receives disability pension from the social security system.

Recipient of social assistance: Receivers of social assistance from the social security system.

Recipients of work assessment allowance: Receivers of work assessment allowance from the social security system.

Low income households with children: Households with children aged 0-19 years where the equivalent after-tax income (EU-scale) is in the lowest quartile.

Elderly people with low incomes living alone: Persons aged 67 years and older living alone where the equivalent after-tax income (EU-scale) is in the lowest quartile.

Sex

People are grouped by gender. The information is taken from the population register. Follows the standard for gender, see 'Standard classifications'.

Centrality

Centrality is a measure of how far a municipality is from service functions and major employers, see 'Standard classifications'.

Economic status

This variable covers the person's own perception of the main activity on the date of the interview. Before 2021 the group "Other" included people on work assessment allowance.

• Working
• Unemployed
• In retirement
• Disabled or unable to work
• Student or pupil (including compulsory military service)
• Other (including fulfilling domestic task and care responsibilities)

Standard for county

Standard for sex

Standard for centrality