Aengevelt analyzes housing shortage for students in Düsseldorf.
As the state capital, Düsseldorf is an important university location with around 55,500 enrolled students. However, current analyses show that only about half of the students actually live in the city, while the rest commute. In addition, around half of the students living in Düsseldorf still live with their parents. On this basis, the potential demand for housing was determined by Aengevelt Research: it amounts to around 41,700 students. This demand is offset by a supply that is simply not sufficient for this.
The price level is particularly problematic: for furnished apartments (15 m² – 40 m²), the rents are mostly between EUR 900 and 1,200 per month. There are reports of extreme cases of up to EUR 69/m². And in shared flats, rents have risen by 79% since 2012. In the winter semester 2024/25 alone, the increase was 6.5%. The “Studierendenwerk” offers low-cost alternatives with rents between EUR 270 and 500 per month. However, it only has around 3,200 places with long waiting lists and only on presentation of a certificate of eligibility for housing.
The situation is clear: Düsseldorf has a massive housing problem and students are feeling it in particular. As a result, many students have to move to the surrounding area or accept overpriced offers. Anyone who wants to study in Düsseldorf increasingly needs more “capital” or a lot of luck.
The state capital of Düsseldorf is thus faced with a clear task: more subsidized housing for students as well, accompanied by faster approval procedures. At the same time, the construction industry is being called for innovative building concepts in order to ensure that education does not become just a question of the wallet.
