Property: Housing Loan Pressure Is Also High Outside the Six Major Cities – Delaying Purchase by One Year in These Two Counties/Cities Adds Over NT$1 Million to Mortgage Burden

While housing prices remain high across Taiwan’s six major metropolitan areas, homebuyers outside these regions also face significant financial pressure. According to data from the Joint Credit Information Center on newly issued mortgages in the first quarter of 2026, five out of 15 non-metropolitan counties and cities—Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Changhua County, Chiayi County, and Chiayi City—recorded all-time highs in average mortgage amounts. Hsinchu County saw the highest mortgage burden, with an average loan amount reaching a historic high of NT$13.47 million in Q1, marking the largest year-on-year increase.

Chang Hsu-Yen, Executive Director of the Trends Center at Taiwan House Group, noted that housing prices in urban areas have risen significantly in recent years, leading buyer demand to gradually spill over into surrounding counties. Areas benefiting from industrial investment, population inflow, and employment opportunities have become focal points in the property market. Hsinchu County and City, driven by the Hsinchu Science Park, have attracted a large number of tech professionals for employment and relocation. Zhubei has evolved into a primary residential hub for tech workers, sustaining steady housing demand and further boosting local real estate performance.

Miaoli County has similarly benefited from the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli Greater Silicon Valley initiative and spillover effects from Hsinchu, with the Zhunan Science Park and Toufen area forming a technology corridor that has pushed up regional home prices. Chiayi County and City have gained momentum from the Chiayi Science Park, TSMC’s factory construction, and the high-speed rail lifestyle zone, attracting both owner-occupiers and investors. This has led to clear catch-up price growth and a concurrent rise in mortgage sizes.

Chang stated that the overall housing market continues to be affected by credit controls, causing investor buyers to adopt a more conservative stance. Market capital is gradually returning to self-use demand. Non-metropolitan housing markets have traditionally been dominated by local owner-occupiers, resulting in relatively stable price and volume fluctuations. The continuation of the Youth安居 3.0 (Youth Anju 3.0) program supports first-time homebuyers, enabling married or family-forming households to borrow up to NT$15 million. Most current loan amounts in these counties fall below the NT$10 million threshold, with total property values meeting eligibility criteria. Combined with strong industrial development themes, this makes it easier for first-time buyers to balance employment and homeownership planning.

Analyzing first-quarter 2026 mortgage statistics across non-metropolitan counties, while Nantou, Keelung, and the Hualien-Taitung regions see main homebuyers aged 40–50, most other counties are primarily driven by the 30–40 age group. Some areas are even seeing a growing share of younger buyers.

Additionally, around 60% of counties show a preference for newly built homes within the past three years. While single-family houses remain popular, more than half of homebuyers in Hsinchu County/City, Miaoli County, and Chiayi City prefer apartment buildings.

Li Chia-Ni, Manager at Taiwan House Group’s Trends Center, explained that outside the six major cities, youth outmigration has generally led to older homebuyer demographics in some counties. However, cities like Chiayi and Miaoli, which offer industrial investment and job opportunities, have recently seen buyer demand return due to science parks and major infrastructure projects, gradually increasing the proportion of young homebuyers. Compared to the high prices in metropolitan areas, many first-time buyers must compromise on building age, floor area, or location due to budget constraints. In contrast, housing prices in most non-metropolitan counties are more affordable, allowing buyers to secure newer, larger units—and even single-family homes—within the same budget.

For example, in Toufen City, Miaoli’s key mortgage hotspot, new apartment units with three bedrooms and parking spaces are still available under a total price of NT$15 million. In Chiayi City, similar homes can be purchased for around NT$10 million, attracting many local young families seeking their first home and aiming to meet family formation and long-term residency needs. With support from the Youth Anju favorable loan program, first-time buyers are increasingly willing to enter the market early to secure properties.