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Housing census

The Housing Census is part of the Register-based Census as well as the Population Census and the Census of Local Units of Employment. Every ten years, the Housing Census records the entire building and dwelling stock in Austria. The results are needed by politicians, administrators, scientists, the media and the population to plan, implement and evaluate projects.

Since 2011, the Housing Census has been carried out as a register-based census, instead of a survey using questionnaires. The base register for the Housing Census is the Buildings and Dwellings Register (BDR), which was established in 2004. The municipalities are responsible for data updates. The register itself is set up at Statistics Austria. Additional information about buildings and dwellings is also collected from the Central Residence Register (CRR).

Statistics Austria receives and processes fully pseudonymised datasets, according to section 6 (2) Register Census Act, from different register-keeping authorities. Thanks to the eGovernment Act, registers can be linked in absolute compliance with data protection. This is done using the branch-specific personal identification number for official statistics (bPIN OS), which is generated by the Data Protection Commission and does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about individual persons. Data linkage is therefore performed without names using the pseudonym bPIN OS.

A lot of attention is paid to data protection during data processing as well as for publication of the results. To prevent individuals from identification, the results are treated with the "record swapping" method.

The Register-based Census uses a large number of basic and comparison registers. Comparison registers are used for quality assurance of the base data.

Base registers for the Housing Census

All register and administrative data supplied for the census were linked via the branch-specific personal identification number for official statistics (bPIN OS).

The Housing Census takes place every 10 years. The reference date for the Register-based Census 2021 is 31 October 2021.

Building characteristics

  • type of building
  • useful floorspace
  • period of construction
  • type of ownership

Dwelling characteristics

  • useful floorspace per occupancy status
  • equipment
  • number of occupants
  • occupancy status
  • type of living quarters
  • housing arrangements
  • number of rooms

 

The Housing Census has been register-based since 2011.

For quality reasons, selected buildings were inspected during the period from April 2022 to August 2022 for the Housing Census 2021. Interviewers visited certain buildings and recorded their observations.

Team Registerzählung registerzaehlung@statistik.gv.at
General information service Phone: +43 1 711 28-7070
info@statistik.gv.at Available on weekdays from 9.00 am-4.00 pm
Last updated on 2024-02-09.
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