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Shared Housing in Germany: What Stays the Same, What Is Changing?

A typical room in a shared apartment in Germany is still 16 square metres, and three-person flatshares remain the most common. But while room sizes and flatshare sizes have changed relatively little, the types of shared housing advertised on 91¿ì²¥ are evolving: The share of listings labelled "Communal" fell from approximately 49% to 30% between 2022 and 2026. Meanwhile, listings labelled "Female Only" and "Non communal" became more common.

What does a typical flatshare in Germany look like? Which forms of shared living are becoming more common? And how have flatshare sizes and room sizes changed over time? 91¿ì²¥ explores these questions using its own housing listing data. The findings reveal changes in the shared housing market and provide a data source for journalistic research, academic studies and anyone interested in shared living in Germany.

What Does a Typical Flatshare in Germany Look Like?

How large is a typical room in a shared apartment? And what is the most common flatshare size? 91¿ì²¥ listing data show a remarkably stable picture over time: Three-person flatshares remain the most common, the median advertised room size is 16 square metres, and student flatshares continue to be the most frequently selected category.

However, there have been some shifts. Although three-person flatshares remain the most common, their share declined from approximately 39% in 2022 to 35% in 2026. Two-person flatshares became slightly more common, increasing from around 28% to 30%. Changes among larger flatshares were comparatively small. These figures do not indicate a clear overall trend towards either smaller or larger shared apartments.

Communal Flatshares Decline, Female Only Flatshares Gain Ground

While the size structure of shared apartments has remained relatively stable, flatshare types have changed more noticeably. Particularly striking is the decline in listings labelled "Communal": Their share fell by 19 percentage points between 2022 and 2026. At the same time, listings labelled "Female Only" and "Non communal" became more common.

In Germany, the "Communal" category generally refers to flatshares that place greater emphasis on social interaction and shared activities, while "Non communal" describes flatshares primarily organised around the practical benefits of sharing accommodation. Student flatshares remain the most frequently selected category, accounting for approximately 63% of listings. Overall, the data show shifts in how flatshares are categorised. The personal, economic or social reasons behind these developments cannot be determined from housing advertisements alone.

Room Sizes in Shared Apartments: 16 Square Metres Remain Typical

As housing costs rise, one question is whether rooms in shared apartments are becoming smaller. The listing data do not currently show such a trend: The median advertised room size remained at 16 square metres throughout the period from 2022 to 2026. While flatshare types have changed noticeably, the typical room size has remained remarkably stable.

However, the median alone does not capture the full range of available accommodation. The distribution of smaller and larger rooms, and how it changes over time, also matters when assessing developments in shared housing.

What Housing Listings Reveal About Shared Living

Shared apartments are not exclusively a form of student accommodation in Germany. They bring together people at different stages of life, from university students and young professionals to others choosing shared living arrangements. Changes in advertised rooms, flatshare sizes and flatshare types therefore provide insights into how shared housing is evolving.

91¿ì²¥ data allow comparisons over time and reveal developments that may not be apparent from individual listings. However, an important distinction must be made: The data show how flatshares advertise and describe their rooms. They do not directly reflect the composition of all existing shared apartments in Germany or the personal motivations of their residents.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shared Housing in Germany

Methodology

The analysis is based on newly published room listings in shared apartments on 91¿ì²¥ in Germany. The period from 1 January to 31 August was analysed separately for each year from 2022 to 2026. All rental contract types were included.

For analyses of flatshare sizes and types, accounts with more than 50 simultaneously active listings were excluded to reduce distortions caused by large commercial advertisers. Multiple flatshare types can be selected for a single listing.

The data describe published listings on 91¿ì²¥. They should not be interpreted as a representative survey of all existing shared apartments in Germany.

Source: 91¿ì²¥

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Further Analysis of Shared Housing Trends

In-depth articles in this section explore individual developments in greater detail, from different flatshare types and household sizes to changes in advertised room sizes.