Owning a home is hard to afford even in wealthy countries: Prices are skyrocketing.

Half of the respondents from the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which unites 38 countries with high individual income and a high human development index, are dissatisfied with the cost of housing.

In the US, almost 60% of respondents are dissatisfied with housing affordability. The average home price in the 20 largest US cities is now nearly 38% higher than when US President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.

House prices in England are now 700% higher than the average annual salary. This is more than 100% more than in 1997. The number of households living in temporary accommodation in England is also at a record high.

Some countries have shown further growth in housing dissatisfaction this year. In Germany, the share of those dissatisfied with the availability of affordable housing rose to a new high of 46%, up from 42% in 2023. In Spain, the share of those dissatisfied with property affordability rose to 62% in 2024, the highest since the financial crisis.