According to the census, there are over 1.1 million residential buildings in the country. Of these, only about one-fifth are located in urban areas, while the vast majority are in rural areas.
Almost all housing in the country is individual houses. Multifamily buildings account for less than 1% of the housing stock, but they are mainly concentrated in urban areas, especially in Chisinau.
A significant part of the housing stock was built in the second half of the 20th century – before 1990. Newer buildings occupy a smaller share, although in the capital the share of construction of recent decades is noticeably higher than the national average.
As for building materials, traditional solutions prevail: clay and stone remain the main ones for external walls. At the same time, there is a marked difference in the different regions: in the central regions and the capital, stone houses are more common, while in the south and in Gagauzia, clay buildings are more common.
The census recorded that the vast majority of apartment buildings are of medium height, primarily five- and two-storey buildings. High-rise buildings (10 floors and higher) constitute a smaller share of the housing stock.
The level of accessibility of infrastructure is also low: less than a quarter of apartment buildings are equipped with ramps, although in Chisinau this indicator is higher than the national average.
