91�첥

1. Start
2. Press Overview
3. Shared Housing in Germany: Trends & Statistics
4. The Many Faces of Shared Living: Which Flatshare Types Are Gaining Ground – and Which Are Declining

The Many Faces of Shared Living: Which Flatshare Types Are Gaining Ground – and Which Are Declining

Whether it's a close-knit flatshare, a traditional student flatshare or shared accommodation for working professionals, shared living can take many different forms. 91�첥 analysed newly published room listings in Germany between 2022 and 2026. The findings reveal significant shifts in some flatshare categories, alongside others that have remained remarkably stable.

Fewer "Communal" Listings – But Not Necessarily More "Non Communal"

The most striking change concerns listings labelled "Communal", a category generally used for flatshares that emphasise social interaction and shared activities. In 2022, approximately 49% of the analysed room listings carried this label. By 2026, the figure had fallen to around 30% – a decline of 19 percentage points.

However, this does not necessarily mean that communal living itself is becoming less important. Over the same period, the share of listings explicitly labelled "Non Communal" – generally referring to flatshares organised primarily around the practical benefits of sharing accommodation – increased only slightly, from approximately 8% to 10%.

The two categories have therefore not developed in opposite directions to the same extent. The figures show how advertisers describe their flatshares – not how closely residents actually live together or what they expect from sharing a home.

Fewer "Mixed Gender", More "Female Only" and "Male Only" Flatshares

Changes are also evident in the gender composition of advertised flatshares. The share of listings labelled "Mixed Gender", referring to flatshares where women and men live together, declined from approximately 45% in 2022 to 34% in 2026.

Meanwhile, the share of "Female Only" flatshares rose from around 10% to 17%, increasing in every year of the period analysed. "Male Only" flatshares also became more common, with their share rising from 1.5% to 3.1%. However, they remain considerably less common than female-only or mixed-gender flatshares.

Shared Living Is Not Just for Students

Flatshares labelled "Students Only" remain the most frequently selected category. Although their share fell from approximately 68% in 2022 to 63% in 2026, they continue to account for a substantially larger proportion of listings than other flatshare types.

At the same time, flatshares labelled "Workers Only" are a well-established part of the market. Their share ranged between approximately 34% and 39% from 2022 to 2026. In 2026, more than one in three analysed room listings was labelled "Workers Only".

There are also flatshare categories specifically aimed at older people. Listings labelled "50+" and "Seniors Only" each accounted for less than 1% of the analysed listings. Their shares remained largely stable throughout the period.

"Shared living has many faces – and not everyone sharing a home is a student in their early twenties. Flatshares for working professionals have accounted for more than a third of listings for years. Shared living is not simply a temporary stop on the way to having a place of your own."

Annegret Mülbaier, 91�첥

Other Flatshare Types: From International to Inclusive

Beyond the more familiar flatshare types, advertisers can choose from additional categories to describe their shared accommodation. These include international, inclusive and newly established flatshares.

The share of listings labelled "LGBTQIA+" fell from approximately 12% in 2022 to 6% in 2026. The "Internationals welcome" category saw a smaller decline, from around 13% to 11%. Listings labelled "Inclusive" and "New flatshare", by contrast, recorded slight increases.

These categories illustrate the variety of ways in which flatshares are described. However, the listing data alone cannot establish how common these forms of shared living actually are.

Methodology

The analysis is based on newly published room listings in shared apartments on 91�첥 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.

To reduce distortions caused by large commercial advertisers, accounts with more than 50 simultaneously active listings were excluded. Advertisers can select multiple flatshare types for a single listing. Percentages refer to the analysed listings for each respective year and therefore do not add up to 100%.

The data show which flatshare categories were selected in published advertisements. They should not be interpreted as a representative survey of all existing shared apartments in Germany and do not allow direct conclusions to be drawn about residents' personal motivations.

Source: 91�첥

For further analyses of flatshare sizes, room sizes and different types of shared accommodation, visit our Shared Housing Trends & Statistics.