At a time when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing rapid shifts in lifestyle and housing, the results of the 2024 Housing Survey issued by the General Authority for Statistics have revealed insights into the distribution of housing types among different regions, revealing that Riyadh leads the list of regions where households live in villas, while Mecca is the top region where residents live in apartments.

As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia undergoes rapid changes in housing patterns, the results of the 2024 Housing Survey issued by the General Authority for Statistics have revealed that the distribution of housing types among regions is quite diverse, revealing that Riyadh is the top region for households living in villas. This diversity in distribution, coupled with the homeownership rates shown in the 2022 census data, paints a complete picture of a rapidly changing housing landscape, revealing regional differences in residents" preferences, lifestyles and purchasing power.

Riyadh tops villas, Mecca tops apartments

The survey results showed that Riyadh ranked first in the percentage of households living in villas, reaching 35.9% of the total households in the region, followed by the Eastern Province with 19.5%, and Mecca with 12.5%.

The survey results showed that the Riyadh region ranked first in the percentage of households living in villas. <Qassim recorded 7.9% and Asir 6.8%, while Hail, Jizan, Madinah, and Al Jawf did not exceed 4%. The lowest regions in this category included the Northern Borders and Najran with 1.4% each, Tabuk with 1.3%, and finally Al-Baha with only 0.9%.

In contrast, Makkah topped the list with 7.9% and Asir with 6.8%. <On the other hand, Makkah topped the Kingdom's regions in terms of the percentage of residents living in apartments, recording 34.2%, followed by Riyadh with 18.2%, Sharqiya with 16.3%, and Medina with 10.3%.3%, while the ratios in the rest of the regions ranged between 5% and approximately 1%, reflecting an urbanization trend in some regions and differences in population density and urban development pattern.

Apartments are the destination for single families.

Villas are the choice of multiple occupants The data was not limited to geographical distribution, but also addressed housing patterns according to family composition, where the figures showed a clear tendency for single households to live in apartments, with 55.8%, compared to only 16.2% preferring villas.

Multiple households are more likely to live in apartments. Multiperson households had a more balanced housing pattern, with 43.4% living in apartments and 33.3% in villas, reflecting a diverse social reality influenced by space, cost, number of family members, and income level.

Half of Saudi households own their homes. And Hail is in the lead

In terms of home ownership, the results of the 2022 Population and Housing Census showed that 60.6% of Saudi households own their homes, a positive indicator in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 to raise the percentage of residential ownership to 70%.

Hail region recorded the highest number of home ownership in 2022. Hail region recorded the highest ownership rate among administrative regions with 74.9%, followed by Qassim with 72.1%, Jazan with 70.4%, Asir with 69.1%, Al-Baha with 68.0%, and Najran with 65.7%.

Riyadh, with 68.0%, and Najran with 65.7%. Riyadh, with an ownership rate of 60.7%, was close to the national average, while Mecca and Sharqiya recorded similar rates at 56%, and Medina had the lowest ownership rate among the regions with 54.5%.

Urban and societal transformations

These figures reveal the urban and social transformations taking place in the Kingdom, driven by population growth, increasing rates of urbanization, and government initiatives that seek to enable citizens to own property and provide various housing options that suit different segments.

The variation in housing preferences between regions also reflects an interaction with the daily life in each region, whether in terms of economic opportunities, building and urban planning patterns, or available services and infrastructure.

Housing preferences are expected to continue to evolve. These changes are expected to continue in the coming years, in conjunction with new housing plans and the evolution of lifestyle in Saudi cities, which requires flexible strategies from the concerned authorities to keep pace with the needs of citizens and achieve housing sustainability.

These changes are expected to continue in the coming years, in conjunction with new housing plans and the evolution of lifestyle in Saudi cities.