Information on data
City statistics provide information on many aspects of life in cities and their commuting zones, the so-called functional urban areas (FUAs), on the following topics:
- demography
- economy
- education
- environment
- health
- living conditions
- labour market
- transport
- tourism (only for cities, no FUAs)
Data availability varies as the statistics are provided on a voluntary basis by the EU members. The only exception are tourism statistics.
Perception survey
Since 2007, a series of surveys was conducted by the Directorate-General for EU regional and urban policy to measure the local perceptions of quality of life in selected cities.
The surveys gather the experiences and opinions of city dwellers across Europe. The results, available in the perception survey dataset, provide a unique insight into city life.
Further reading
- European Commission: Quality of life in European cities
Policy context
City statistics are used to support the monitoring and evaluation of urban development policies, both at national and European level, for example on:
- social inclusion
- housing
- jobs and skills in the local economy
- sustainable land use
- urban mobility
- culture and cultural heritage