NewsDeloitte: The highest quality of life in the town of Říčany again. Towns benefit from more jobs and young people moving in

The Central Bohemian town of Říčany has become a place with the highest quality of life in the Czech Republic for the third consecutive year. Holešov in the Zlín Region recorded the most significant improvement compared to last year – it jumped 64 places up to hold the 57th position. These are the conclusions of the third annual Quality of Life Index. It was prepared by Obce v datech (“Municipalities in Data”) with Deloitte as its primary consulting partner. 

The Quality of Life Index compares publicly available data of all 206 Czech municipalities with extended administrative powers. It comprises a total of 29 variables expressing the standard of health, the environment and the availability of health care, optimal material conditions (work, housing, education), sufficiency of services and relations within the community (for example through the existence of local associations, etc.). Analysts work with big data collected from the Internet and the public sector. They do not evaluate the municipalities subjectively but merely compare the availability in each of them based on the principles of the UN and OECD methodologies validated by Deloitte.

Prague has kept its second position in the Index this year. The third place was taken by Slavkov u Brna from the South Moravian region, which moved up twelve places. Primarily municipalities in the surroundings of Prague and Brno have recorded the highest positions in the Quality of Life Index. Municipalities in the South Bohemian and Pilsen Regions have also achieved very good results. Prague, Brno, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové and Pardubice are the top five regional capitals.

“The total rating of a number of municipalities has grown thanks to a better offer of jobs in the municipalities and their surroundings and an improved balance between the population growth and decrease. Our data should help people in making decisions on where to move and also the representatives of municipalities and regions in selecting areas to concentrate on in the regional development,” said Pavel Šiška, Managing Partner of Consulting, Deloitte.

I very much appreciate the findings of the project of Obce v datech which uses data to confirm the effect that the factors relating to the labour market have on the quality of life. An increased offer of quality jobs has a clear impact on the development of towns and cities and on a number of other areas,” added Josef Středula, Chairman of ČMKOS (Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions) and the project partner.

The best improvement in the Index value by 1.2 points was recorded by Odry in the Moravian-Silesian Region. It moved up 22 places. Orlová in the Moravian-Silesian Region once again took last place in the ranking of 206 municipalities with extended administrative powers.

“Unfortunately, municipalities from structurally affected regions have the lowest rating, i.e. from the Moravian-Silesian and Ústí nad Labem Regions. Nevertheless, the monitoring of time series indicates that these municipalities may influence the growth in the quality of life, namely by providing active support to the business community and by making their towns and cities more attractive,” commented Jan Havránek, statutory executive of Obce v datech.

More details on the project of Obce v datech and Deloitte including a link to this year’s and last year’s results are available here.