House building has failed to keep pace with the rising population in some areas, according to researchers.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies says England has a poor record of building homes where they are most needed.
It says growth in the number of houses overall has kept pace with the increase in the adult population since the mid-1990s.
But the supply of homes has not properly responded to differences in local demand, especially in urban areas.
Between 1996 and 2021, the adult population in England grew by 20%, while total number of properties grew by 21%.
In London the adult population grew by 29% while the number of properties grew by only 23%.
The analysis comes as the Government announces new housing targets and an overhaul of the planning system.
Elaine Drayton of the IFS said: 'England appears particularly bad at building homes where they are needed compared to other countries such as France, Germany and the USA.
'Constraints, particularly restrictions on land-use, mean that in England local housing supply does not track changes in local housing demand, even over long periods. 'This makes it more difficult for workers to move to areas with growing economic opportunities.”
