Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An Overview of Quality of Urban Life

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Investigating Quality of Urban Life

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 45))

Abstract

There is a long history of quality of life (QOL) studies based on two distinctive analytical approaches. One covers objective indicators involving the analysis of spatially aggregated secondary data whereas the other approach focuses on the analysis of subjective measures of QOL domains derived from household surveys. Aided by the use of GIS technology, efforts have been made to integrate the subjective approach with spatial objective data, especially where there is a focus on the analysis and modeling of quality of urban life (QOUL). The chapter presents an overview of the evolution of these approaches in QOL/QOUL studies and sets the stage for subsequent chapters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Andelman, R., Board, R., Carman, L., Cummins, R., Ferriss, A., Friedman, P., et al. (1998). Quality of life definition and terminology: A discussion document from the International Society of Quality of Life Studies, (Monograph). Blacksburg: International Society of Quality of Life Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartik, T. J., & Smith, V. K. (1987). Urban amenities and public policy. In E. Mills (Ed.), Handbook of regional and urban economics: Vol. 2. Urban economics (pp. 1207–1254). Amsterdam: North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bastian, C., McLeod, D., Germino, M., Reiners, W., & Blasko, B. (2002). Environmental amenities and agricultural land values: A hedonic model using geographic information systems data. Ecological Economics, 40, 337–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, B. J. L., & Kasarda, J. D. (1977). Contemporary urban ecology. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakely, E. J. (1994). Planning local economic development: Theory and practice (2nd ed.). Sherman Oaks: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boarnet, M. G., Greenwald, M. and McMillan, T. E. (2003). Planning and health promotion: quantifying links between land use, walking, and physical activity. Unpublished Manuscript, pp. 39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradburn, N. M. (1969). The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradburn, N. M., & Caplowitz, D. (1965). Reports on happiness. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasington, D. M. (2002). Edge versus center: Finding common ground in the capitalization debate. Journal of Urban Economics, 52, 524–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brotchie, J., Newton, P., Hall, P., & Nijkamp, P. (1985). The future of urban form. London: Coom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., Converse, R., & Rodgers, W. (1976a). The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations and satisfactions. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., Converse, P., Rodgers, W., & Marans, R. W. (1976b). The residential environment. In A. Campbell, P. Converse, & W. Rodgers (Eds.), The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations and satisfactions (pp. 217–266). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheshire, P., Carbonaro, G., & Hay, D. (1986). Problems of urban decline and growth in EEC countries. Urban Studies, 23, 131–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choonyong, Y. (2008). Space and environment. KRIHS Gazette Korean Research Institute for Human Settlements, 32, 12–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connerly, C., & Marans, R. W. (1985). Comparing global measures of neighborhood quality. Social Indicators Research, 45, 29–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connerly, C., & Marans, R. W. (1988). Neighborhood quality: A description and analysis of indicators. In E. Huttman & W. Vleit (Eds.), The US handbook on housing and built environment (pp. 37–62). Westwood: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppock, J. T., & Wilson, C. B. (Eds.). (1974). Environmental quality: With emphasis on urban problems. New York: A Halsted Press Book, Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Eckersley, R., van Vugt, J., & Misajon, R. (2003). developing a national index of subjective wellbeing: The Australian wellbeing unity index. Social Indicators Research, 63, 159–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahmann, D. C. (1985). Assessments of neighborhood quality in metropolitan America. Urban Affairs Quarterly, 20(4), 511–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2008). Happiness: Unlocking the mysteries of psychological wealth. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Suh, E. M. (Eds.). (2000). Culture and subjective well-being. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dissart, J.-C., & Deller, S. C. (2000). Quality of life in the planning literature. Journal of Planning Literature, 1, 36–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, O. D. (1969). Towards social reporting: Next steps. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eid, M. (2007). The science of subjective wellbeing. New York: Guilford Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esparza, A., & Carruthers, J. (2000). Land use planning and exurbanization in the rural Mountain West: Evidence from Arizona. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 20, 26–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Florida, R. (2002). The rise of the creative class; and how it’s transforming work, leisure, and everyday life. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Florida, R. (2008). Who’s your city? How the creative economy is making where to live the most important decision of your life. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geoghegan, J., Wainger, L., & Bockstael, N. (1997). Spatial landscape indices in a hedonic framework: An ecological economics analysis using GIS. Ecological Economics, 23, 251–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, D. (2005). Stumbling on happiness. New York: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaeser, E. L. (1998). Are cities dying? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12, 139–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaeser, E., Kolko, J., & Saiz, A. (2000). Consumer city (Working Paper 7790). Cambridge: National Bureau of Economic Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golledge, R. G., & Stimson, R. J. (1987). Analytical behavioural geography. London: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grayson, L., & Young, K. (1994). Quality of life in cities. London: British Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyourko, J., & Tracy, J. (1991). The structure of local public-finance and the quality-of-life. Journal of Political Economy, 99(4), 774–806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gyourko, J., Kahn, M., & Tracy, J. (1999). Quality of life and environmental conditions. In P. Cheshire & E. S. Mills (Eds.), Handbook of regional and urban economics: Vol. 3. Applied urban economics (pp. 1413–1454). Amsterdam: North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadden, J. K., & Borgatta, E. F. (1965). American cities: Their social characteristics. Chicago: Rand McNally.

    Google Scholar 

  • Handy, S., Boarnet, M. G., Ewing, R., & Killingsworth, R. E. (2002). How the built environment influences physical activity: Views from urban planning. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 23, 64–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardie, I., Narayan, T., & Gardner, B. (2001). The joint influence of agricultural and nonfarm factors on real estate values: An application to the Mid-Atlantic region. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 83, 120–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, C. (2003). Counting importance: The case of life satisfaction and relative domain importance. Social Indicators Research, 61, 227–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Innes de Neufville, J. (1975). Social indicators and public policy: Interactive processes of design and application. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffres, L. W., & Dobos, J. (1995). Separating peoples satisfaction with life and public perceptions of the quality-of-life in the environment. Social Indicators Research, 34(2), 181–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R., Opaluch, J., Grigalunas, T., & Mazzotta, M. (2001). Estimating amenity benefits of coastal farmland. Growth and Change, 32, 305–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, M. (1995). A revealed preference approach to ranking city quality of life. Journal of Urban Economics, 38, 221–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, M. (2002). Smog reduction’s impact on California county growth. Journal of Regional Science, 40, 565–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., Deiner, D., & Schwartz, N. (Eds.). (1999). Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeble, D. (1990). Small firms, new firms, and uneven regional development in the United Kingdom. Area, 22, 234–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kemp, D., Manicaros, M., Mullins, P., Simpson, R., Stimson, R., & Western, J. (1997). Urban metabolism: A framework for evaluating the viability, livability and sustainability of South East Queensland. Brisbane: The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knaap, G. (1985). The price effects of urban growth boundaries in metropolitan Portland, Oregon. Land Economics, 61, 26–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knaap, G. (1998). The determinants of residential property values: Implications for metropolitan planning. Journal of Planning Literature, 12, 267–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, H. F. (1994). Fiscal impacts of local population growth: A conceptual and empirical analysis. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 24, 661–686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambiri, D., Biagi, B., & Rpyuela, V. (2007). Quality of life in the economic and urban economic literature. Social Indicators Research, 84, 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landis, J. (1986). Land regulation and the price of new housing: Lessons from three California cities. Journal of the American Planning Association, 52, 9–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landis, J. (1992). Do growth controls work? A new assessment. Journal of the American Planning Association, 58, 489–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, T., & Marans, R. W. (1980). Subjective and objective indicators; scale discordance and interrelationships. Social Indicators Research, 6, 47–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ley, D. (1996). The new middle class and the remaking of the central city. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liaw, K. L., Frey, W. H., & Lin, J. P. (2002). Location of adult children as an attraction for black and white elderly primary migrants in the United States. Environment and Planning A, 34(2), 191–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, B. C. (1976). Quality of life indicators in U.S. metropolitan areas: A statistical analysis. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J., & Molotch, H. (1987). Urban fortunes: The political economy of place. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, M. (1999). Determinants of residential satisfaction: Ordered logit vs. regression models. Growth and Change, 30(spring), 264–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York: The Penguin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahan, B., Polasky, S., & Adams, R. (2000). Valuing urban wetlands: A property price approach. Land Economics, 76, 110–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malpezzi, S. (2002). Urban regulation, the “new economy”, and housing prices. Housing Policy Debate, 13, 323–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathur, V. (1999). Human capital-based strategy for regional economic development. Economic Development Quarterly, 13, 203–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R. W. (2002). Understanding environmental quality through quality of life studies: The 2001 DAS and its use of subjective and objective indicators. Landscape and Urban Planning, 991, 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R. W. (2005). Modeling residential quality using subjective and objective measures. In D. C. Verstbro, Y. Hurol, & N. Wilkinson (Eds.), Methods in housing research (pp. 314–328). Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Urban International Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R. W., & Mohai, P. (1991). Leisure resources, recreation activity, and the quality of life. In B. L. Driver, P. Brown, & G. L. Peterson (Eds.), The benefits of leisure (pp. 351–363). State College, PA.: Venture Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R. W., & Rodgers, W. (1975). Towards an understanding of community satisfaction. In A. Hawley & V. Rock (Eds.), Metropolitan America in contemporary perspective (pp. 299–352). New York: Halsted Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, C., & Somerville, T. (2000). Land use regulation and new construction. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 30, 639–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCrea, R. (2007) Urban quality of life: Linking objective dimensions and subjective evaluations of the urban environment. Unpublished PhD thesis, The University of Queensland, Brisbane.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCrea, R., Stimson, R. J., & Western, J. (2005). Testing a general model of satisfaction with urban living using data for South East Queensland. Australia, Social Indicators Research, 72, 121–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCrea, R., Shyy, T.-K., & Stimson, R. (2006). What is the strength of the link between objective and subjective indicator of urban quality of life? Applied Research in Quality of Life, 1, 79–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millimet, D. L., & Slottje, D. (2002). Environmental compliance costs and the distribution of emissions in the U.S. Journal of Regional Science, 42, 87–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulligan, G., Carruthers, J., & Cahill, M. (2004). Urban quality of life and public policy: A survey. In R. Capello & P. Nijkamp (Eds.), Advances in urban economics (pp. 729–802). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orford, S. (1999). Valuing the built environment: GIS and house price analysis. London: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pendall, R. (2000). Local land use regulation and the chain of exclusion. Journal of the American Planning Association, 66, 125–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perloff, H. S. (Ed.). (1969). The quality of the urban environment: Essays on “New Resources” in an urban age. Baltimore: Resources for the Future, The Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. (1993). The prosperous community: Social capital and public life (pp. 35–42). Spring: The American Prospect.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehdanz, K., & Maddison, D. (2008). Local environmental quality and life-satisfaction in Germany. Ecological Economics, 64, 787–797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roback, J. (1982). Wages, rents, and the quality of life. Journal of Political Economy, 90, 1257–1278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roback, J. (1988). Wages, rents, and amenities: Differences among workers and regions. Economic Inquiry, 26, 23–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, B., & Stimson, R. J. (1998). Multi-sectoral qualitative analysis: a tool for assessing the competitiveness of regions and formulating strategies for economic development. The Annals of Regional Science, 32, 469–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogerson, R. (1999). Quality of life and city competitiveness. Urban Studies, 36(5–6), 319–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, S. (1974). Hedonic prices and implicit markets: Product differentiation in pure competition. Journal of Political Economy, 82, 34–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, S. (1979). Wage-based indexes of urban quality of life. In P. Mieszkowski & M. Straszheim (Eds.), Current issues in urban economics (pp. 74–104). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, P. H. (1972). Community social indicators. In A. Campbell & P. E. Converse (Eds.), The human meaning of social change. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savageau, D., & D’Agostino, R. (2000). Places rated almanac. New York: Hungry Minds.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaffer, D., & Vollmer (Rapporteurs), D. (2010). Pathways to urban sustainability: Research and development on urban systems. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmandt, H. J., & Bloomberg, W. M. (Eds.). (1969). The quality of urban life. Beverley Hills.: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, N., & Strack, F. (1999). Reports of subjective well-being: Judgmental processes and their methodological implications. In D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schawrz (Eds.), Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwirian, K. P., Nelson, A. L., & Schwirian, P. M. (1995). Modeling urbanism: Economic, social and environmental-stress in cities. Social Indicators Research, 35(2), 201–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J., Rahtz, D. R., Cicic, M., & Underwood, R. (2000). A method for assessing residents’ satisfaction with community-based services: A quality-of-life perspective. Social Indicators Research, 49(3), 279–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. M. (1973). The geography of social well-being in the United States: An introduction to territorial social indicators. New York: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. M. (1977). Human geography: A welfare approach. London: Edward Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. M. (1979). Where the grass is greener: Living in an unequal world. London: Penguin Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. M. (1994). Geography and social justice. Cambridge: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, V. K., & Huang, J. C. (1995). Can hedonic models value air quality? A meta-analysis. Journal of Political Economy, 103, 209–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K., Poulos, C., & Kim, H. (2002). Treating open space as an urban amenity. Resource and Energy Economics, 24, 109–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorndike, E. L. (1939). Your city. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiebout, C. (1956). A pure theory of local expenditures. The Journal of Political Economy, 64(5), 416–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Praag, B. (2004). Happiness quantified: A satisfaction calculus approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr, P. B. (1987). Work, unemployment, and mental health. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr, P. B. (1999). Well-being and the workplace. In D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schawrz (Eds.), Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology (pp. 392–412). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, E. (2008). The geography of bliss. New York: Twelve (Hatchett Book Group).

    Google Scholar 

  • Westaway, M. S. (2009). Aspects of environmental quality of life that affect neighbourhood satisfaction in disadvantaged and advantaged Johannesburg communities. Development Southern Africa, 26, 447–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, N. P. (Ed.). (2006). A brief history of happiness. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witten, K., Exeter, D., & Field, A. (2003). The quality of urban environments: Mapping variation in access to community resources. Urban Studies, 40, 161–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, C. (2006). What is local development? A conceptual overview (Occasional Paper 49). Manchester: Department of Planning and Landscape, University of Manchester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zehner, R. (1977). Indicators of quality of life in new communities. Cambridge: Ballinger Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 1248, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, USA

    Robert W. Marans

  2. Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Melbourne, Australia

    Robert Stimson

Authors
  1. Robert W. Marans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert Stimson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert W. Marans .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. Social Research, University of Michigan, Thompson St. 426, Ann Arbor, 48106-1248, Michigan, USA

    Robert W. Marans

  2. Network (AURIN), University of Melbourne, Architecture Building and Planning, Australian Urban Research Infrastructure, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    Robert J. Stimson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Marans, R.W., Stimson, R. (2011). An Overview of Quality of Urban Life. In: Marans, R., Stimson, R. (eds) Investigating Quality of Urban Life. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 45. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1742-8_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation