The article is devoted to theoretical aspects of substantiation of efficiency of economic decisions in the field of high-rise housing construction. It presents stratification of population according to various parameters and on this basis a target audience of solvent consumers is identified, at which government and developers should aim during design and implementation of high-rise housing construction projects. The currently growing interest of investors and developers in high-rise housing construction in the large cities of Russia is substantiated. Mixed feelings of solvent citizens, that are willing to improve their housing conditions, to living and working in tall buildings is figured out. When substantiating the efficiency of economic decisions aimed at the development of high-rise housing construction, it is suggested to take into account qualimetricly not only local economic and natural climatic conditions, but also the specifics of constructional and space-planning decisions of the project. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2018.