Two new articles exploring aspects of housing preferences and relocation patterns in Sweden

The first article, “Stated neighbourhood preferences: Examining the impact of individual background and neighbourhood characteristics” by Karen Haandrikman and Eva K. Andersson, published in Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, investigates how people’s stated neighbourhood preferences are influenced by their personal background and the characteristics of their current neighbourhood. Using data from the Swedish Neighbourhood Survey 2020, combined with extensive register data and a detailed typology of neighbourhoods, the study finds that most people prefer living in mixed neighbourhoods if given the choice. Furthermore, preferences tend to reflect a desire for similarity (homophily), mirroring individual backgrounds. The characteristics of respondents’ current neighbourhoods also significantly shape their preferences, with those living in diverse, urban academic areas more open to ethnic diversity, while residents of less affluent areas tend to prefer neighbours with lower incomes. These findings underline how current residential contexts may amplify latent segregation tendencies.

The second article, by Ida Borg, Jennie Gustafsson (Malmö University), and Eva K. Andersson published in the International Journal of Housing Policy, examines the effects of renovations in the rental housing sector on tenants’ relocation patterns in Sweden from 1995 to 2019. The study uses register data to explore whether low-income households or private rental tenants are more likely to move during renovation periods. Contrary to assumptions that low-income households would be more prone to relocate, the study finds that these tenants generally remain in place, suggesting a “displacement lock-in” due to housing shortages and limited relocation options. However, tenants in the private rental sector are more likely to move than those in the public sector, possibly reflecting differences in renovation practices. The article contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on renovation-induced displacement (“renoviction”) within the Swedish context.

Read the full articles:

Haandrikman, Karen & Andersson, Eva K. (2026). Stated neighbourhood preferences: Examining the impact of individual background and neighbourhood characteristics, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie.
Borg, Ida, Gustafsson, Gustafsson Jennie & Andersson, Eva K. (2026). The impact of renovations in the rental sector on tenants’ relocation patterns in Sweden, International Journal of Housing Policy.