9 out of 10 parents consider Bucharest a family-friendly city, while 8 out of 10 parents have considered changing their home to accommodate the needs of a family consisting of parents and children, says the „Bucharest, City of Parents” study conducted by HILS Development together with Reveal Marketing Research.
The survey also shows that the biggest problems in Bucharest, according to parents, are traffic congestion (37%), air quality (31%) and street safety (15%).
The report is part of the Life@HILS CSR platform, through which HILS Development takes an active role in shaping a better life for the communities of Bucharest.
The study „Bucharest, City of Parents” was launched today, May 27, during a debate organized together with UrbanizeHub, attended by experts in education, urbanism, private sector and public administration: Iulia Iana, Marketing Director HILS Development, Paul Moldovan, Deputy Mayor of Sector 6 Bucharest, Claudia Oprescu, psychotherapist and coordinator of the Online Safety Program Salvati Copiii, and Grațian Mihăilescu, founder of UrbanizeHub, member of the European Mission Board for 100 Green and Smart Cities.
The study aims to uncover the urban living needs of parents in Bucharest, regarding the main aspects of everyday life of a family with children up to 18 years of age: urban connectivity, leisure, health, education and safety. The results show to what extent Bucharest, the most important growth center in the country, offers a friendly and healthy development environment for parents and children, adapted to each stage of life, as well as an overview of how parenthood can influence the dynamics of the real estate market.
“At HILS Development we are committed to building responsibly and providing quality urban living for as many Bucharest residents as possible. In doing so, we transform our residential projects into communities in which every generation can live and develop in a healthy and harmonious way. Through this approach, we aim to find out how Bucharest’s parents perceive the city and how we can better respond to their needs within our own communities. As a leader in large-scale mixed-use real estate projects, we are constantly connected to the dynamics of urban life and the future plans of the residents in our developments, now and in the future.” sais Iulia Iana, Marketing Director HILS Development.
“Parents in Bucharest are increasingly concerned about housing needs and city challenges such as congestion, neighbourhood safety or air quality. The survey highlights their clear trend to look for homes that offer increased comfort and access to amenities that support a balanced family life,” said Marius Luican, General Manager Reveal Marketing Research.
“At UrbanizeHub, we encourage partnerships and urban governance, which means that the development of a city should involve all important stakeholders: academia, business and government. The more effectively this collaborative mechanism works, the friendlier the city becomes to its residents. We need to understand that the role of the administration is strategic, envisioning, developing and planning, but development is done with all the important actors in the city. Collaboration is the key to sustainable urban development. In the future, investment funds and private partners will be actively involved in the sustainable development of cities so that they become much more friendly to their inhabitants, whether they are parents or children. Cities, in our vision, must be spaces dedicated to communities”, said Grațian Mihăilescu, founder of UrbanizeHub and Mission Board Member 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities European Commission.
Parents’ views on the most important issues in Bucharest
Parents identified 3 main problems in the city, far ahead of the other issues analyzed: traffic congestion (37%), air quality (31%) and street safety (15%). Next to these, parents also mentioned insufficient parks and green spaces, public transport unsuitable for a parent with a child/children, lack of non-formal education clubs, low number of day-care centers and kindergartens, insufficient playgrounds and others. Parents who do not drive frequently identify the same three problems in Bucharest but prioritize them differently and put air quality at the top.
Both very young parents and older parents, over 55 years of age, are the most likely to rate street safety as one of the problems in Bucharest.
Child-friendly Bucharest through the eyes of parents
87% of parents think Bucharest is a parent and child friendly city. Among those with a low level of satisfaction, most are young parents aged 18-24 (20%) and among the most satisfied are parents aged 35-44 (31%). Most parents over 55 (69%) consider Bucharest to be somewhat friendly.
Nearly half of older parents consider Bucharest not at all beneficial for their health, yet 7 out of 10 are satisfied with access to health services close to home.
Parents with more than 3 children show the highest levels of satisfaction with accommodating the needs of families with young children in public spaces (50%), access to playgrounds (60%) and city health benefits (40%). At the same time, they are most dissatisfied with being able to transport their children to education centers using bicycles/cargo bikes (80%), access to parks and spaces that improve their quality of life (50%), and the ability for their little one to play alone near home or in the neighborhood (70%).
The age group of children where parents seem to experience the lowest levels of satisfaction is between 11 and 15. They are dissatisfied with nearby parks and green spaces that enhance quality of life (45%), access to non-formal education clubs (69%) and air quality (83%), age-appropriate playgrounds (34%), the possibility to play sports with their children in an organized environment (45%).
How does the housing market affect the needs of families with children
8 out of 10 respondents say they are willing to buy a new home that meets their family’s needs once their children are born.
Housing choice is significantly influenced by parental status. 83% of parents plan to change their home after their children are born. The majority of those who want to buy a new home want more space (58%). 15% want an area that offers the necessary facilities for a family with children and 10% consider that Bucharest does not provide the necessary framework to raise a child in harmony. Of those who plan to move to better accommodate the needs of a family with children, 38% prefer to sell their current home and 41% are willing to buy a new home and rent their old one.
The need for more space is particularly felt by young parents (65% of those aged 25-34) and parents with two children (65%). When it comes to selling their current home for a new one, the majority are parents aged 55 and over, with 70% of them choosing this option. On the other hand, 54% of parents aged 45 to 55 prefer to rent their old home while buying a new one. Also, 46% of parents over 55 are not willing to move, as they are satisfied with the area they already live in.
The most important criteria for choosing a home from a parent’s perspective
At the top of the list of criteria is the number of bedrooms, an important consideration for 8 out of 10 parents planning to move to a new home. Price is also a determining factor for three quarters of buyers, followed by the building’s structural strength and the size of the living space, which influence the decision of 7 out of 10. Furthermore, the subdivision of the home is a relevant aspect for two thirds of those buying an apartment, with half preferring new, recently constructed buildings.
In terms of neighborhood choice, the factors that play a significant role are access to public transport, which provides a good connection to the city, an important criterion for 67% of respondents, just behind the neighborhood’s reputation (66%), and access to parks and green spaces in the neighborhood influencing 65% of the decisions. The safety of the area and available shopping facilities are also significant factors, having an impact on 63% and 61% of buyers respectively.
Top most friendly neighborhoods in Bucharest, as perceived by parents
Pallady, an area in Bucharest that has been growing and transforming in recent years, ranks 5th among the friendliest neighborhoods in Bucharest, mentioned by 23% of parents. HILS Development’s inhabited developments, in the eastern part of the capital, now total a community of over 8,000 people, with the potential to reach 24,000 people upon completion of all projects under development. HILS Development has contributed to the development of this area through the six large scale residential projects it manages in this part of Bucharest. On the same place, parents mentioned Titan, Baba Novac, Camil Ressu, neighborhoods in close proximity.
The top places are occupied by the Aviatorilor, Dorobanți, Primăverii, Kiseleff neighborhoods in 1st place (42%), Băneasa, Pipera, Expoziției, Herăstrău (36%) in 2nd place, Griviței, Ion Mihalache, Domenii, 1 Mai, Turda (27%) in 3rd place, Drumul Taberei, Viilor, Drumul Sării (25%) in 4th place.
Methodology
The survey was conducted in February 2025 on a sample of 1007 interviews, representative of the selected category, using CAWI methodology. The target group consisted of men and women, parents aged 18 years and over, living in Bucharest and Ilfov and planning to purchase in the next 2 years a duplex/ triplex or apartment/ studio flat in Bucharest or Ilfov, internet users. The maximum sampling error is +/-3.1% at 95% confidence level.