229,700 buildings in Kuwait by end of June 2026, up 2.3%
The weekly Al-Shal economic report revealed that the total number of buildings in Kuwait reached approximately 229.7 thousand at the end of June 2026, compared to around 224.6 thousand at the end of June 2025, representing a growth of about 2.3% over 12 months. This rate matches the growth recorded at the end of June 2025 compared to the end of June 2024, according to the latest edition of the General Authority for Civil Information’s guide on buildings and real estate units.
Al-Shal noted in its report that buildings are divided into various units, with the total number reaching approximately 808.6 thousand units at the end of June 2026, up from 796.6 thousand units at the end of June 2025, an increase of 1.5%.
The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the number of units during the period from the end of June 2016 to June 2026 was approximately 1.9%, while the CAGR for the number of buildings over the same period was 1.6%. This confirms the continued trend of reducing unit sizes within each building, indicating that changes in demand patterns have remained consistent.
Most buildings in Kuwait are used for residential purposes, accounting for approximately 63.9% of the total number of buildings. These are followed by buildings designated for both residential and commercial use, and then those dedicated solely to commercial activities.
Al-Shal added that the percentage of vacant buildings decreased during the comparable period, reaching approximately 7.6%, or about 17.5 thousand buildings out of a total of 229.7 thousand, compared to 17.8 thousand vacant buildings out of 224.6 thousand at the end of June 2025, which represented 7.9%. The vacancy rate for units also declined in June 2026 to approximately 17.2%, down from 18.0% at the end of June 2025.
Apartments constitute the largest share of units, accounting for 44.4% of the total, followed by houses at 22.4%, and shops at 20.5%. The CAGR (June 2016 – June 2026) for shops, houses, and apartments was 3.6%, 1.9%, and 1.4%, respectively, while the CAGR for annexes declined by approximately -2.1%.
