Environmental worries as drivers of housing preferences : views of Finnish citizens

Abstract

Citizens' housing preferences have been researched extensively for decades, but there is relatively little knowledge about how citizens' environmental worries, along with sociodemographic factors, relate to their housing preferences. This study fills the void in the existing literature concerning the connections between citizens' housing preferences, sociodemographics, and environmental worries (i.e. climate change and biodiversity loss) by employing Finland as a case region. The data of our study were collected from Finnish citizens through a nationally representative survey in 2022 and analysed with exploratory factor analysis and the independent samples t-test. Our findings show that citizens' housing preference factors include aesthetics and views from home, peaceful location near nature, availability of services, short distance to schools and work, and living costs and home resale value. Furthermore, household income, rural/urban place of residence and environmental worries are related to how citizens evaluate different factors when choosing a home. For example, concerned urban respondents with a below average income considered the availability of services as the most significant factor, while concerned rural respondents with a below average income valued a peaceful location near nature most. Perceived quality of housing contributes to wellbeing of citizens, and different sociodemographic aspects affect their potential to choose homes they wish for. Thus, information on how people with different backgrounds and environmental worries is important for social equitability. Our results support decision-making among different actors (e.g. politicians, civil servants, businesses) involved in the supply of homes to better meet citizens' diverse possibilities and preferences in demanding sustainable housing.