According to data released by the Basque Housing Observatory of the Basque Government, housing demand grew by 5.3% in the first quarter of 2026. Of the total applications, 85,286 are registered for rental housing and 24,497 for purchase, highlighting the strong preference for renting.
By territory, Bizkaia concentrates the majority of applicants with 58,131, representing 53% of the total in Euskadi. This is followed by Gipuzkoa with 32,211 (29.3%) and Araba with 19,441 (17.7%). The largest quarterly increase in demand was observed in Gipuzkoa, at 12.8%, while Bizkaia and Araba saw increases of 2.3% and 2.5% respectively.
“"The need for affordable housing is primarily concentrated in rentals, has a strong urban character, and is particularly intense in the capitals and larger municipalities."
The three Basque capitals alone account for a significant portion of the total registered demand: Bilbao has 32,093 applicants, Vitoria-Gasteiz 18,604, and Donostia-San Sebastián 15,955. Vitoria-Gasteiz shows the most intensive rental profile among the three capitals, with 87.4% of its registrations in this category. In Gipuzkoa, purchase demand increased by 24.4% and rental by 8.6%.
The profile of applicants indicates that single-person households are the most numerous, with 69,042 registrations. The group of people under 36 years old is also significant, with 25,241 registrations, as is the quota for special housing needs, with 17,431. The average weighted income for all demand in Euskadi is 16,272.29 euros.
