Rural areas in the Netherlands are changing from an agricultural production space to a multifunctional consumption space. Consumption activities such as recreation, tourism, nature conservation and landscape protection have been introduced and consequently expanded. Housing can also be considered a new function of the countryside. In the highly urbanised Netherlands, however, spatial planning policy aims to protect the countryside from further urbanisation. The supply of rural housing therefore seems to lag behind the demand. In this context of housing and spatial planning, it is important to gain insight into rural residential preferences. To what extent do urban households prefer a rural residential environment? And what exactly are they looking for? In the Netherlands, little research has been undertaken on the importance of specific characteristics of the rural residential environment. This study is an investigation of the demand for rural living and the desired attributes of rural residential environments. Another aspect which had received little attention from researchers so far is whether these desired attributes should be regarded as preferences or prerequisites. In other words: how are the attributes valued? The preferences for rural living will be linked with images and representations of the countryside. It is assumed that individual images of the countryside (whether idyllic or not) affect residential preferences and these preferences have, in turn, their effect on migration behaviour. Empirical evidence suggests that countryside images and preferences for moving to rural residential environments are indeed inter-related. The Dutch countryside commands a very positive image and the demand for residential environments with rural characteristics is considerable. Gaining an insight into the demand of urban residents for rural living and into the role of images of the countryside constitute the main aims of this study. In addition, it seeks to find out how and to what extent suppliers in the housing ...