Survey: homes in Western Romania have largest living surface

Romanians living in the country’s Western region enjoy the widest average surface for living, of 50.6 sqm in 2016, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). The average surface for living in the Bucharest – Ilfov region stood at 50.2 sqm, while the South -West Oltenia region had the smallest surface, of 44.7 sqm. The most spacious rooms can be found in the Center and Bucharest–Ilfov regions, at an average size for living of 19.3 sqm, and in the North–West and West regions at 19 sqm. By contrast, the smallest average living surfaces per room were in the North–East region, at 16.8 sqm, in the South-East region, at 16.2 sqm, and in the South Muntenia region and the South–West Oltenia region at 15.5 sqm each. The Romanian counties with the highest average number of rooms per home were Caraş–Severin, with 4.7 rooms; Giurgiu, with 4.5 rooms; Teleorman and Mehedinţi, with 4.2 rooms, Prahova, Olt and Satu-Mare, with 4.1 rooms; and Gorj, Hunedoara, Alba, Covasna, and Harghita, with 4 rooms each. The average living surface of a home built in 2016 stood at 66.4 sqm, smaller than in 2015. Of the homes delivered in 2016, 99.7% had an electricity installation, but 9% lacked running water, and 22% did not have sewage. In rural areas, utilities such as running water and sewage are lacking more in homes compared to the urban areas. While 90% of new homes in urban areas have sewage, only 66% of those in rural areas have this. There were 8.9 million homes in Romania at the end of 2016, 47,000 more than at the end of 2015, according to INS. The increase follows the growth trend of the past years and came as more than 52,000 new homes were built and other spaces were transformed into homes. Romanians build over 52,200 homes in 2016 editor@romania-insider.com