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When looking at the cities in more detail, we can detect varying changes in the number of inhabitants in Leipzig, Brno and Łódź. The time span, the extent, and the reasons are different. Liverpool and Leipzig have been shrinking for decades; Brno saw a decline in population particularly in the 1990s; and Łódź has faced population decline since the late 1980s, but to a much higher extent than Brno. At present, Leipzig is experiencing population stabilisation caused by in-migration. In contrast, Brno is seeing an increasing birth rate and decreasing out-migration. In the case of Łódź, the emigration to other countries in Western Europe is important, but reliable data is not available. Regarding the average age of the population, all cities show a significant increase. The cities are therefore in line with the overall European trend. But in all five cities, the trend towards an older age profile is modified by a growing number of students, since all are important university towns. This rejuvenation is especially visible in selected areas which are favoured residential districts for students. In some cities this trend is strengthened by the in-migration of young families, couples and other types of household, for example, in Bologna and Leipzig. Inner-city residential areas, offering appropriate housing in reasonable condition, combined with urban amenities, are particularly characterised by the trend towards reurbanisation. All these different demographic trends, as well as the broader socio-economic processes, have contributed to a significant increase in the number of households: in all five cities this was mainly due to the growing number (and growing share) of oneperson households. In quantitative and qualitative terms, this transformation of household numbers, sizes and structures brings about important consequences for the local housing markets. In terms of international immigration, even though the main migration flows are into the capital cities and their metropolitan areas, for four out of our five case study cities, the impact of immigration is noticeable. In Leipzig, Bologna and Brno the picture varies. Leipzig faces a fast growth of ethnic communities but the absolute share of foreign nationals is still relatively low. In Bologna, legal and illegal immigrants arrive from across the Mediterranean Sea. In Brno, east European immigrants have enlarged and diversified the existing ethnic minorities. For Liverpool, ethnic diversity has always been an important issue, whereas in Łódź, it is not a topic. In all cities but Leipzig, housing shortage is a serious problem. In Brno the problem seems to have decreased in the past few years. In both Liverpool and Łódź, many residential buildings have had to be demolished, because they were in such a poor state of repair. But after demolition, new housing construction has started immediately. The Leipzig housing market is dominated by a surplus of supply that is likely to continue, even though in some sectors in the near future, supply may only just meet demand: housing in Leipzig is being demolished but is not being replaced; and because of the long-term negative population projections, the present plans for demolition will increase further. Thus, the phenomenon of ‘life-limited neighbourhoods’ will become a typical feature of the urban landscape, at least in some parts of Leipzig.