<p>Living spaces per capita have been increasing in the Global North, highlighting the importance of sufficiency in mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions in the housing sector. Dense living has been proposed as a means to reduce global emissions due to smaller living spaces and reduced transport needs. However, affluence and associated consumption in urban areas can offset these carbon savings. This study examines how housing characteristics, including living space, housing type, urban degree, and access to private garden affect the consumption-based carbon footprints (CBCF) in the Nordic countries. It explores potential trade-offs between less private space and consumption. Using survey data from ~ 7500 households, regression analyses show how various housing characteristics affect the total CBCF and the CBCFs of eight consumption domains. Larger living spaces, detached housing, and private gardens are linked to higher emissions, especially in the Transport and Diet domains. Urban residents tend to have lower overall emissions, but higher emissions from leisure activities and goods consumption compared to those in less urbanized areas. Smaller living spaces tend to correlate with lower CBCFs, even after accounting for income. However, a trade-off was observed between living space, apartment living, and leisure travel, with reduced living space linked to increased participation in Leisure travel. This study highlights the interconnectedness of housing choices and other emissions-causing activities, underscoring how climate-sustainable housing solutions can inform effective climate policies. By demonstrating the potential of compact living to reduce emissions across consumption domains, this study emphasizes the importance of climate change mitigation strategies prioritizing sufficiency in housing.</p>