INCOME INEQUALITY AS A BARRIER TO HOMEOWNERSHIP: A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF ACCESS CHALLENGES IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

Abstrak

This paper examines the multifaceted relationship between income inequality and homeownership rates across global contexts, with a particular focus on European countries from 2003 to 2019. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of 35 European nations, the study investigates how income inequality, as measured by the GINI index, influences access to housing. The study employs the robust standard errors method proposed by Driscoll and Kraay. The findings reveal a significant negative correlation between income inequality and homeownership rates, indicating that heightened inequality exacerbates disparities, particularly for economically disadvantaged individuals. Furthermore, macroeconomic factors such as GDP growth and urbanization dynamics are shown to impact homeownership patterns. The analysis underscores the intricate interplay between income inequality, economic dynamics, demographic trends, and homeownership outcomes.