Housing Market Segregation
What does it mean?
Housing segregation means that different population groups live separately from each other, often based on income, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background. In Sweden, segregation is clearly visible in major cities, where affluent inner-city areas with cooperative housing contrast with suburban areas of rental apartments where a large share of residents have foreign backgrounds and lower incomes.
Segregation has deep roots in housing policy. The million-programme's large-scale suburban construction, conversions of rental apartments to cooperatives in inner cities, and the lack of affordable housing in attractive locations have all contributed. The consequences are serious: lower school performance, higher unemployment, reduced trust, and increased crime in vulnerable areas. The police have identified a number of so-called vulnerable areas — a direct consequence of structural housing segregation.
Key Points
- Clear divide between inner-city (cooperatives) and suburbs (rentals)
- Linked to income, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background
- Million-programme suburbs often have high proportions of foreign-born and low-income residents
- Inner-city conversions have reduced the supply of affordable rentals
- Leads to unequal living conditions, poorer schools, and higher unemployment in vulnerable areas
Practical Tip
When searching for housing, investigate the area's conditions carefully — transport, schools, services. Be aware that rentals in mixed areas with good infrastructure often provide better quality of life than cheaper options in more segregated neighbourhoods.