Happy Cities and Culture
(2007 09 03 14:47)
The Budapest Observatory (BO) analysed in August the findings of Eurobarometer, the Public Opinion Analysis sector of the European Commission, which has surveyed perceptions of quality of life in 75 European cities.
91% of the people they questioned were satisfied to live in their city. However, only 60% said that it will be more pleasant to live in that city in the next five years.
There was little difference in the level of happiness between the inhabitants of the East and West of Europe, although people in eastern cities seem much more optimistic about the five year prospects than in the west: 70% against 60%.
The happiest cities concerning the present and the future were Leipzig 98-78 and Newcastle 97-75 in the west, and Piatra Neamţ 97- 86 and Burgas 96-81 in the east. (in other words: 96% feel happy living in Burgas now, and 81% hopes for the same in 2012.)
Besides overall satisfaction, Eurobarometer asked about specific contentment with cultural facilities, e.g. concert halls, theatres, museums and libraries. Sadly, no eastern city was voted into the top 20 by its inhabitants.
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Top 20 |
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|
|
95% |
|
90% |
|
|
85% |
|
76% |
|
|
94% |
|
90% |
|
|
83% |
|
75% |
|
|
94% |
|
90% |
|
|
81% |
|
72% |
|
|
93% |
|
89% |
|
|
80% |
|
71% |
|
|
93% |
|
89% |
|
|
79% |
|
69% |
|
|
93% |
|
89% |
|
|
78% |
Piatra Neamţ |
69% |
|
|
92% |
|
88% |
|
|
77% |
|
62% |
|
|
91% |
|
87% |
|
|
77% |
|
57% |
|
|
91% |
|
87% |
|
Kraków |
77% |
|
46% |
|
|
91% |
|
86% |
|
|
76% |
Burgas |
45% |