Urban-Rural Differences in Quality of Life across the European Union

Shucksmith M., Cameron S., Merridew T. and Pichler F. Urban-rural differences in quality of life across the European Union, Regional Studies. This paper analyses the European Quality of Life Survey 2003 to explore urban-rural differences in income, deprivation, and other life domains. The main conclusion is that the richest countries in the European Union show little evidence of significant urban-rural differences, whereas in the poorer countries of the east and south, rural areas have a much lower level of perceived welfare and quality of life, particularly in the candidate countries. Despite this, subjective well-being is not significantly different, and this paradox is explored through multilevel modelling. The paper concludes by considering the policy implications for rural policy, urban policy, and cohesion policy.