Hungary’s peri-urban middle-class – How households without real estate wealth realize social and personal aspirations

Abstract

The research presented in this paper takes an in-depth look into a specific group within present day Hungarian society: middleincome persons who live in peri-urban, not residentially zoned neighbourhoods. These areas, usually former allotment gardens or recreational zones for second homes, lack the residential infrastructure and amenities – paved roads, street lights, access to shops and services etc. – that make formal, residentially zoned areas convenient for permanent habitation. While this comes with a host of inconveniences for people who decide to permanently move to one of these areas, their obvious appeal is their relative affordability compared to formal residential zones.