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In the last two decades, Tirana has experienced rapid growth in the construction sector, with construction sites dominating the city's landscape. This surge in new buildings gives the impression that most residents live in recently built structures. However, recent data from INSTAT, part of the Census on inhabited dwellings by the year of construction, reveals some interesting trends.
The data shows that the majority of Albanians actually live in buildings constructed between 1981 and 2000. Over 270,000 inhabited dwellings belong to this period, making it the decade with the highest number of residential buildings.
In second place, with approximately 200,000 dwellings, is the period from 2001 to 2010. This indicates a significant increase in housing construction after 2000, a period linked to rapid urbanization and economic growth following the country's post-transition years.
For more recent periods, from 2011 to 2015 and 2016 onwards, there is a noticeable decrease, with only around 60,000 inhabited dwellings in total. This suggests either a slowdown in construction or high levels of migration.
On the other hand, older dwellings, built before 1980, make up a smaller portion of the inhabited housing stock. Only around 40,000 homes date back to before 1960, showing that the oldest buildings now occupy a small part of the current residential landscape in Albania.