October 14, 2026
Bofællesskab: how cohousing in Denmark works and how to join
A bofællesskab is Danish cohousing: each household has its own home but shares a common house, grounds and part of daily life with the neighbours, usually including shared dinners and work days. There are bofællesskaber for families, seniors and young people, and they can be rented, cooperative or owner-occupied. Waitly gives you an overview of lists from housing associations, including cohousing communities, so you can sign up digitally.
Last updated: 13 October 2026.
In short
A bofællesskab combines your own home with shared facilities and a committed neighbourhood. The main types are family, senior and youth cohousing. The ownership form decides the money side: in a cooperative you buy a share, in an owner-occupied community you buy the home, and in a rental community you pay rent. Almost every bofællesskab has a waiting list and an admission process, so sign up early and on several lists.
What is a bofællesskab?
A bofællesskab is a group of homes with a common house and shared grounds, where residents run part of the place themselves and join shared activities. According to Bolius, it works like a small village where communal dinners once or several times a week are common.
Typically each household has its own home with a private kitchen and bathroom. The common house often has a large kitchen and dining hall, and perhaps a laundry, workshop and playground.
How much community you sign up for varies. Some bofællesskaber expect you to cook, sit on committees and join work days, while others keep things more voluntary. Ask about the obligations before you join a list.
What types of cohousing are there in Denmark?
Danish cohousing is usually grouped by who it is for. The type shapes daily life more than the ownership form: family cohousing revolves around children and logistics, senior cohousing around network and security.
Family cohousing
Family cohousing is the classic form, with families, couples and single people of all ages side by side. Children have playmates outside the door, and shared dinners ease busy weeks. In return, you need time for meetings and maintenance.
Senior cohousing (seniorbofællesskab)
A seniorbofællesskab is a cohousing community where residents are 50 or older when they move in. That is the definition used in the Danish government's cross-ministry report from 2019, which counted around 7,000 homes in senior cohousing in 2016 and estimated that about 8,400 people were on waiting lists for them.
Senior cohousing exists as cooperative, owner-occupied and rental housing. One example on Waitly is Seniorbofællesskabet Lumbylung near Årslev on Funen, with about 15 homes, founded in 2002. Before you join any list, it helps to know what your waitlist position means.
If you are 55 or older and live in shared-kitchen cohousing, you may get housing benefit even without a kitchen of your own, under Housing Benefit Act section 24 a; conditions apply, including the number of residents.
Youth cohousing
Youth cohousing is for students and young people who want to share daily life and often costs. It resembles a dormitory, but residents usually have more say over who moves in. If you mainly need affordable housing while you study, read about student housing in Denmark as well.
Renting, cooperative or owning: which ownership forms exist?
A bofællesskab can be rental housing, a housing cooperative (andelsboligforening), owner-occupied homes or joint ownership. The form decides what you pay upfront, what you pay monthly and which rules apply when you leave. Bolius describes the models, and the main points are these:
Renting: You pay rent, a deposit and possibly prepaid rent, and the Danish Rent Act applies. You own no share, but have a say through residents' meetings.
Cooperative: You buy a share in the association and pay a monthly housing charge (boligafgift). The share price is capped by the Cooperative Housing Act, and the association's bylaws govern the waiting list. See how Copenhagen housing cooperatives look on Waitly.
Owning: You buy your own home plus part of the common house and shared grounds. The sale price is free, but the community may have rules about who can buy.
Joint ownership: Several buyers purchase the property together and set out rights and duties in a written agreement.
Renting needs the least capital and is easiest to leave, while cooperative and owner-occupied cohousing need a down payment or loan but give you more say over the finances.
Cohousing in Copenhagen: how to approach the search
Cohousing in Copenhagen is in short supply and waiting lists can be long, because each community has few homes. Search widely and stay open to more than one ownership form.
To have somewhere to live while you wait, look at rental homes too, for example rentals with a balcony in Copenhagen.
Also consider the suburbs and other large cities, ideally with a good train link.
How to find a bofællesskab and get on a waiting list
Most bofællesskaber fill vacant homes through a waiting list and an admission process in which the current residents have a say. Follow these steps:
Decide on type and ownership form: family, senior or youth, and whether you want to rent, buy a cooperative share or own.
Find specific communities. On Waitly you will find, for example, Bofællesskabet Blangstedgård in Odense SØ, with about 22 homes, founded in 1988.
Read the list's terms. Check the fee and whether it is a waitlist or an interest list, where the community chooses among the people who signed up.
Take part in the introduction: many communities hold open days or interviews before accepting a household.
Keep your signup active: update your contact details and pay any annual fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost to live in a bofællesskab?
It depends on ownership form and location. On top of rent, housing charge or owner costs, you usually pay towards the common house and shared dinners. Ask for the budget and latest accounts first.
How long is the wait for a bofællesskab?
There is no common waiting time. It depends on the number of homes, how often people move out and the list's rules, as explained in how long a waitlist takes. Ask the community how many people are ahead of you and how many homes usually become vacant each year.
Do the current residents have to approve me?
Often, yes. Many have an admission meeting or interview, and some require association membership before you move in. The rules are in the bylaws.
Can I be on the waiting list for several communities?
Yes. Each bofællesskab has its own list, rules and possibly fee. Several lists improve your chances, especially if you are flexible about area and ownership form.
Sign up for a bofællesskab
Find cohousing communities and housing associations on Waitly, read the terms for each list, and sign up where the type and ownership form suit you. If you have questions about how signing up works, the Waitly FAQ answers the most common ones. A signup improves your chances, but it does not guarantee a home.
