Taichung's Beitun most popular emerging residential area in Taiwan: Real estate analyst

房地產分析師：台中北屯區是台灣最受歡迎新興住宅區

Beitun District saw nation’s highest net increase of residents in first six months of 2021, coinciding with new Taichung metro line


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Beitun District in Taichung has recorded the highest net growth in residents in the first half of 2021, followed by Linkou and Tamsui districts in New Taipei, where housing prices are relatively low once again, according to a new report.

Beitun saw a net growth of 2,131 registered residents in the first six months of the year, a rise that is believed to be associated with the newly launched Taichung metro line that connects the district to Taiwan High Speed Rail Taichung Station. In addition, Beitun has relatively cheap housing, averaging NT$213,000 (US$7,591) per ping (3.3 square meters), according to a list compiled by a real estate agency.

New Taipei's Linkou had the second-most newcomers in the first half of the year, welcoming 1,510 people, followed by Tamsui with 1,027.

Taoyuan's Guishan, Taoyuan, and Yangmei districts; Kaohsiung's Renwu District; Taichung's Nantun District; Tainan's Annan District; and New Taipei's Wugu District were also among the top 10 districts people were moving to this year.

The real estate agency explained that housing costs play a critical role in population growth, and the places on the list tend to be half the price of other districts in the same city or region, with the average price per ping in these popular districts sitting between NT$105,000 and NT$269,000.

In addition to affordable housing, other primary strengths attracting people to these districts include good job opportunities, well-developed public transportation systems, and more age-friendly facilities within residential and public areas.

Justine Chen (陳金萍), head of research at Yung Ching Realty, said Beitun has become a popular residential area in recent years thanks to its relatively affordable housing, newly developed rail and metro lines, and the Costco and shopping malls nearby.

"New Taipei's Linkou and Taoyuan's Yangmei are the two rising residential areas in northern Taiwan which offer greater job opportunities as more Taiwanese manufacturers return home amid the trade tensions between the United States and China," she added.