By RK Shih/Staff
TAIPEI — The number of newly completed homes in Taiwan has surpassed the number of newborns, marking what analysts describe as a structural shift in the housing market.
A Liberty Times report cited data compiled by property analysts, which showed that the “crossover” first occurred in 2024, when the number of residential completion permits exceeded the total number of births nationwide. The gap widened in 2025, with approximately 142,000 housing units completed compared to 107,800 newborns.
According to the latest price index from a major real estate company, national housing prices declined 2.71% year-on-year in February 2026, reflecting weaker demand amid a continued decline in birth rates.
A breakdown across Taiwan’s six special municipalities shows that, except for Taipei, all recorded higher levels of new housing supply than newborn numbers. The imbalance was particularly pronounced in Taichung, where nearly 27,000 housing units were completed in 2025, compared to about 12,700 births, more than double the figure. Similar trends were observed in Taoyuan and Kaohsiung, where the gap is approaching a twofold difference.
In central and southern counties, such as Changhua, Yunlin, and Chiayi, there are still more births than new housing units. However, analysts caution that long-term population decline could weaken future housing demand.
Eastern counties, including Hualien and Taitung, face a different dynamic. While new housing supply remains limited, smaller population bases and continued outmigration mean even modest increases in supply could place pressure on local markets.
Analysts say Taiwan’s housing market is entering a period of adjustment. Future market performance is expected to depend more heavily on migration patterns and industrial development, with regional disparities likely to widen.
