Strong villages and towns in the EU

Lewis Dijkstra, Mert Kompil, Paola Proietti, Chiara Dorati () and Chris Jacobs-crisioni
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Chiara Dorati: European Commission - JRC, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/index_en

No JRC147421, JRC Research Reports from Joint Research Centre

Abstract: This study examines examines the key characteristics of EU settlements with growing populations, focusing on villages and towns and analysing the influence of local characteristics and broader area-based factors on population trends. Comparing the 2021 and 2011 censuses, the study identifies patterns of population change related to key settlement dimensions, including: I) spatial characteristics and functional ranking, II) demographic characteristics, III) quality of infrastructure, spatial and digital accessibility, IV) public and private service provision and tourism capacity, and V) geographical and climate-related characteristics. Results indicate that villages, towns and cities with or near to a beach, school, hospital or train station tend to grow faster. Having good road transport performance and fast download speeds also helps. Settlements with a higher employment rate, a higher share of working-age population and a higher share of people born outside the country or the EU are more likely to grow. Regional centres, i.e. the largest settlement in a wider area, and settlements close to cities tend to exhibit higher growth rates, as do those that are part of a functional urban area (FUA), and especially the capital city FUA.

Date: 2026-08
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc147421

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