Key points: housing tenure in 2025

Estimates of housing stock by tenure

• As of 31 March 2025, Scotland had an estimated 2.75 million homes. Most homes (60%) were owner-occupied. Around 23% were social rented, 13% were private rented or occupied rent-free and the remaining 4% were vacant properties or second homes.
• Housing tenure estimates are currently available up to March 2025. Estimates for March 2026 cannot be produced until National Records of Scotland dwelling statistics are published. However, between April 2025 and March 2026, a further 18,028 new homes were added to Scotland's housing stock, 8% fewer than the previous year and the lowest since 2014-15 (excluding the COVID-19 period).

Characteristics of people living in homes by housing tenure (Scottish Household Survey (SHS))

• Owner-occupied households tend to have older residents. Almost half (47%) of owner-occupied households had a highest income householder¹ aged 60 or over, compared with 12% in the private rented sector and 37% in the social rented sector.
• Private rented households were more ethnically diverse. Around 11% of adults in private rented households were from a minority ethnic group, compared with 2% of adults in owner-occupied households, and 5% in social housing.
• Long-term health conditions were more common in social rented households. Over half (61%) of social rented households reported that at least one household member had a long-term physical or mental health condition or illness, compared with 26% of private rented households, and 34% in owner-occupied households.

Children in households (SHS)

• Single-parent households are more common in the social rented sector than among owner-occupied households. Although the proportion of households containing children is broadly similar across tenures (23% of social rented and private rented households, compared with 20% of owner-occupied households), differences emerge when household types are considered in more detail. For example, single-parent households accounted for 10% of social rented households, compared with 2% of owner-occupied households, and 6% in the private rented sector.

Managing financially by housing tenure (SHS)

• More households may face moves because of housing costs in the private rented sector. Around 12% of private rented households say they may have to move because of housing costs, compared to 3% in the owner-occupied sector and 5% of social rented households.
• More households face difficulties in paying for housing in the rented sector than among owner-occupied households. Around 8% of social rented households and 7% of private rented households had difficulties in paying the mortgage or rent, compared to 1% of owner-occupied households.