Non-locals own one in five detached homes in popular Danish coastal areas

In 28 coastal postal codes across Denmark, at least one in five detached homes are now owned by people who live in a different municipality, according to an analysis by public broadcaster DR.

Popular holiday destinations such as Skagen, Blåvand, Marstal, Allinge, and Thyborøn are among the areas where many detached houses are purchased and used as summer homes. Experts and the Danish Rural Districts Council have raised concerns that tourism-driven demand may push out local residents, driving up prices and making it harder for families to settle in these areas.

DR’s interactive map allows users to zoom in on specific towns and see the share of detached homes owned by non-locals in 500×500-meter grid sections.

Kasper Friis Bavnbæk, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Rural Research at the University of Southern Denmark, notes that the trend has both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, some homes are renovated instead of falling into disrepair, and tourists can help sustain local businesses. However, the downside is that locals may struggle to buy homes if detached houses are sold as summer properties, potentially weakening the community. In the worst cases, this could lead to school closures, a lack of childcare facilities, and businesses facing labor shortages, according to the Rural Districts Council.

The analysis does not address whether residency requirements are being circumvented, as rules vary widely between municipalities. Some areas have no residency obligations, while others allow owners to apply for “flex housing” status, permitting use as a summer home. Even in municipalities with residency requirements, the rule does not apply if the home is for sale.

DR’s analysis combined multiple datasets from the Danish Data Distribution Service, including the BBR registry (which records building use), the property ownership register, and the Danish Address Register. The data shows where individuals who own homes are registered as residents. Businesses own some detached homes, but these were excluded from the analysis, as DR focused on personal residency addresses. A home was classified as non-locally owned if none of the owners had a registered address in the same municipality as the property.

The analysis cannot determine whether non-locally owned homes are used as summer homes or rented to locals, though this trend is most common in popular coastal holiday areas.