EVERY YEAR, THE SURVEY ON THE “QUALITY OF LIFE” CARRIED OUT BY SOLE 24 ORE REPRESENTS A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE ITALIAN PROVINCES, IDENTIFYING THOSE THAT STAND OUT FOR WELL-BEING, EFFICIENCY OF SERVICES, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DYNAMISM. BERGAMO LEADING THE RANKING FOR 2024. FOLLOWING, CITIES SUCH AS TRENTO, BOLOGNA AND BOLZANO CONFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF A VIRTUOUS BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC GROWTH, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, SAFETY AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING
The “Quality of Life 2024”a map of Italian well-being
The annual Quality of Life ranking, published by Sun 24 Hoursrepresents a scientific and in-depth analysis of well-being in Italian provinces.
However, one should not consider this study just as a statistical exercise but as an act of democracy. In fact, it serves – analyzes the Confindustria newspaper – to express personal and collective priorities to address rapid economic, social and ecological changes. Quality of life studies provide awareness and help citizens actively participate in society.
Thanks to the adoption of 90 certified indicators, divided into six large macro-categories, this survey is not limited to photographing the economic situation of the country, but investigates fundamental aspects that make up the daily life of citizens: from services to the environment, from culture to safety.
2024 sees triumph Bergamo (in the cover photo the Piazza Vecchia), which wins first place in the general ranking, but alongside it, cities such as Trento, Bolzano e Bolognaeach with unique and virtuous characteristics.
Behind this record there is not only economic wealth, but the ability of cities to respond to citizens’ needs, improving infrastructure, promoting sustainability and enhancing the cultural and social dimension.
Evaluation criteria: how quality of life is measured
The survey, developed for the first time in 1990 and expanded in 2019 with an increase from 42 to 90 indicators, is based on data provided by official institutions such as Istat, Bank of Italy, ministries and accredited research institutes.
Each indicator is inserted into one of the six thematic macro-categories, which represent the fundamental dimensions of the social and economic life of a territory.
These categories are: wealth and consumption, which measures the economic capacity and standard of living of families; business and work, which evaluates economic dynamism, employment and entrepreneurship.
And again: environment and services, which analyzes the quality of the urban environment and the efficiency of public services; demography, society and health, which explores the well-being of the population through parameters such as birth rate, life expectancy and health efficiency; justice and security, which measures the level of security and responsiveness of the justice system.
Finally, the culture and leisure category enhances the cultural, tourist and recreational offer as an essential element for the quality of life and social growth. The section dedicated to wealth and consumption measures the economic capacity of the provinces, considering parameters such as per capita income, average household consumption and accessibility to goods and services.
This economic value, however, is not analyzed as an isolated element, but is contextualized within a complex system that reflects the balance between financial prosperity and collective well-being.
The business and work macro-area provides a picture of the economic and entrepreneurial vitality of the territories, evaluating the performance of the labor market, technological innovation and the efficiency of the productive fabric. Indicators such as the employment rate, business growth and average per capita income become tangible evidence of the economic health of the provinces.
Environment, services and beyond…
Of great importance, especially in the current context, is the environment and services category, which reflects the attention to sustainability and the quality of urban life. Aspects such as energy efficiency, the availability of green spaces, air quality and the ability of local administrations to provide functional and effective services are analysed, ranging from sustainable mobility to virtuous waste management.
The demographic, society and health dimension highlights central issues linked to the well-being of the population, investigating factors such as the birth rate, life expectancy and the efficiency of the healthcare system. This section, perhaps more than others, highlights the profound relationship between public services and the quality perceived by citizens, showing how collective well-being derives from a harmonious balance between personal care and the organization of social services.
Security, an essential element for the quality of life, is analyzed in the justice and security macro-area. Here, not only the number of crimes reported and their type are taken into consideration, but also the efficiency of the justice system and the level of perception of safety by the communities. The objective is to identify not only the effectiveness of institutional responses, but also the sense of tranquility that characterizes the territories.
Culture and free time
Finally, the section dedicated to culture and leisure highlights the provinces capable of offering significant cultural, tourist and recreational heritage. Museums, theatres, cultural events, sporting events and spaces dedicated to free time are not only expressions of territorial identity, but real engines of social and intellectual growth, contributing to building dynamic and culturally vibrant communities.
Each province obtains a score between 0 and one thousand points for each of the 90 indicators: the province with the best result receives the maximum score of one thousand points, while the one with the worst result obtains 0. The overall score is determined by the arithmetic mean of the six categories, so as to offer a balanced and representative assessment of the quality of life. This rigorous and structured method allows not only to draw up an annual ranking, but to offer a useful reflection tool for understanding territorial dynamics and the challenges to be faced to improve collective well-being. But let’s move on to the provinces “virtuoso”.
The hidden gems of Italy. Bergamo: the best province of 2024
Bergamo’s first place in the 2024 ranking is the result of a perfect balance between economic, social and cultural parameters. The Lombard city, which in 2023 was proclaimed together with Brescia Italian Capital of Culturerepresents a virtuous model of resilience and innovation. After being hit hard by the pandemic, it was able to be reborn through strategic investments in culture, services and the urban environment.
The city excels in business and work, recording one of the highest employment rates in Italy, thanks to a lively economic fabric made up of small and medium-sized businesses, many of which are oriented towards exports and technological innovation. Not least, Bergamo stands out for its environment and services, with significant interventions on sustainable mobility and the enhancement of urban greenery.
The choice to make it Capital of Culture in 2023 has also consolidated its role as a reference cultural centre. Events, exhibitions and shows have animated the city, enhancing the artistic heritage of the Upper Town, its Venetian Walls, recognized byUNESCO and museums like the Accademia Carrara. Culture, here, becomes a driver of economic and social development.
The other protagonist cities: Trento, Bolzano and Bologna
If Bergamo takes first place, other Italian provinces shine with equally significant indicators. Trento, which consistently figures among the best Italian provinces, represents a virtuous model in the field of environmental sustainability and public services. The Trentino capital excels in its educational offering, with a cutting-edge school system, and in the quality of healthcare, guaranteeing its inhabitants a high level of social well-being. The attention to urban greenery, ecological mobility and the liveability of public spaces make Trento one of the most human-scale Italian cities.
Bolzano, another pillar of Northern Italy, stands out for a high quality of life linked to economic well-being and respect for the environment. The South Tyrolean province is an emblematic example of balance between modernity and tradition, where industry, tourism and agriculture coexist harmoniously. The city is synonymous with efficient services, safety and virtuous management of natural resources, thanks also to the constant commitment to innovative environmental policies.
Finally, Bologna, the Emilian capital, is a city that shines for its ability to offer top-level economic and cultural opportunities. The dynamism of the city is visible in the sector of work and technological innovation, while the ancient university tradition continues to make it one of the liveliest cultural centers in Italy.
A multi-speed Italy: North, South and the challenges of the future
While the northern provinces remain at the top of the rankings, some areas of the Centre-South continue to struggle, recording less positive results especially in parameters linked to the economy, safety and quality of services. Territorial disparity remains one of the great challenges of our country, which requires targeted policies to bridge the gap between north and south. However, there is no shortage of signs of improvement: cities like BariCagliari and Naples are launching growth paths based on tourism, innovation and urban regeneration, demonstrating that change is possible. But let’s move on to the list “nera”.
Big cities in difficulty: social gaps and economic stagnation
The provinces of Southern Italy are concentrated, as has been the case for years, in the last positions of the ranking, with Reggio Calabria bringing up the rear in the black jersey. Starting from position 83, the ranking becomes almost exclusive to the South.
Metropolitan cities such as Catania (83rd), Messina (91st), Palermo (100th) and Naples (106th) alternate with less urbanized territories such as Southern Sardinia (93rd), Enna (97th) and Cosenza (102nd). Even in the North there are negative notes: among the Ligurian provinces, Imperia and Savona are placed in 79th and 69th place respectively, showing signs of difficulty compared to the more dynamic areas. The 2024 Sole 24 Ore survey also highlights the slowdown in large cities and metropolitan areas, which slip in the ranking due to a combination of factors: the slowdown in GDP per capita, the increase in the cost of living and the weight rising rents, which weigh on average incomes.
Obviously, the Sole 24 Ore ranking reminds us that quality of life is not a static goal, but a constantly evolving objective, which requires vision, investments and the ability to adapt.
Source
Il Sole 24 Ore – Quality of life 2024: the ranking of the Italian provinces where people live better.