The “Great Municipalities to Live” project: Measuring and ranking quality of life in Portuguese municipalities

Abstract

The “Great Municipalities to Live” project, developed by INTEC since 2008, aims to measure and rank the quality of life in Portuguese municipalities. While international comparisons of quality of life do exist, this initiative focuses on the local level, where public policies impact citizens’ lives more directly. The project combines both subjective and objective indicators, addressing aspects such as health services, education, housing, and employment. The framework includes 10 domains of quality of life, such as environment, economy, health, culture, and security, among others. Objective data is sourced from public databases such as INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística), while subjective data is collected through large-scale national surveys, with over 4,000 participants in the 2022 edition. The 2022 results identified key predictors of well-being: satisfaction with professional life, purchasing power relative to the cost of living, and housing quality. These findings are particularly relevant in the context of Portugal’s current economic challenges, including high inflation and a significant rise in housing prices. Job satisfaction emerged as the most predictive factor, highlighting the need for public policies that address employment conditions and economic stability. This study emphasizes the importance of material and financial factors in shaping citizens’ perceptions of well-being, suggesting targeted actions to improve living conditions and support sustainable local development.