Analysis of housing in depopulated rural areas: a transnational comparison

Depopulation consists of the decrease in the number of inhabitants of a region, and in Europe, is concentrated in rural areas. The state-of-the-art reveals that there has been extensive research across multiple disciplines, but that studies on housing are scarce. However, having a home, although not sufficient, is necessary to inhabit a place. This study analyses housing in depopulated rural communities. A municipality in Spain and another in Italy were selected, applying the comparative method. A top-down approach was used, creating systematic data collection sheets. This was complemented by a bottom-up perspective, which is particularly relevant in these areas, where macro data can obscure local data. Through visual inspection of the dwellings and semi-structured interviews, detailed and up-to date data and GIS maps are provided, offering new synthetic and visual information. The transnational analysis reveals similarities in the poor state of conservation of underutilised housing, which requires large investments, and little real estate activity. There are regional differences that affect the type of housing and demand. Finally, the importance of public administrations treating rural areas as a complement to urban areas in order to maintain territorial balance and equity is highlighted.