About indices

Quality of life is measured by indices that have an impact on satisfied and happy human life.

Quality of life is measured by indices that have an impact on satisfied and happy human life. Based on many studies, research and focus groups, we divided these indices into three main areas:

Health and environment

Work, education and standard of living

Community and services

For happy and satisfied life, it is necessary to have these areas in balance with each other. An imbalance in one of them could have an impact on our overall satisfaction with life.

Even though the municipality where we live can not provide us a happy, carefree and rich life, it can try to set the conditions that will help us to meet all these needs.

When constructing an overall quality of life score, we carefully selected indicators that objectively capture the situation in the municipality and have a corresponding value.

Index of practitioners

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of practitioner's offices in the territory of the municipality related to population.
  • Number of practitioner's offices within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall.

The number of practitioner's offices is based on data recorded in the National Register of Health Service Providers.

Index weight: 2.9 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, shifted towards lower values. Only 20% of municipalities reached values above 5.1. This indicates big difference in availability of practitioners in the few municipalities with the highest values and in the rest of the republic.

Index of pediatricians

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of pediatrician's offices in the territory of the municipality related to population. 
  • Number of pediatrician's offices within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall. 

The number o pediatrician's offices is based on data recorded in the National Register of Health Service Providers.

Index weight: 2.9 %

The distribution of the results is relatively regular with the concentration at the center, because the 20% of municipalities with the lowest availability of pediatricians reached values in a similar range (0 - 3.3) to the 20% of municipalities with the highest values (values between 6.0 - 10). The availability of pediatricians varies from one municipality to another, but in most municipalities the differences are not so significant.

Index of driving time to a hospital

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The indicator represents the time required to drive to the nearest hospital from the municipality's town hall.

Information about hospitals is based on data recorded in the National Register of Health Service Providers. Calculation considers speed limits on roads. Actual traffic situations and closures are not considered in the calculation.

Index weight: 2.3 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular. The resulting index of almost half of municipalities is higher than 9. This is due to the fact that in most of the municipalities at least one hospital is located directly in their territory. So the driving time to the nearest hospital is very similar. Lower values are achieved by municipalities that do not have a hospital and whose residents have to go to the hospital in one of the adjacent municipalities.

Index of pharmacies

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of pharmacies in the territory of the municipality related to population. 
  • Number of pharmacies within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall. 

The number of pharmacies is based on data recorded in the State Institute for Drug Control.

Index weight: 3.5 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards lower values. Only 25% of municipalities reached values above 5.1. This indicates a big difference in the availability of pharmacies in the few municipalities with the highest results compared to the rest of the republic.

Index of life expectancy

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Life expectancy at birth for men in the administrative district of the municipality with extended jurisdiction. 
  • Life expectancy at birth for women in the administrative district of the municipality with extended jurisdiction. 

The data about life expectancy when born are based on statistics of Czech Statistical Office for the current year.

Index weight: 10.0 %

The distribution of the results is relatively regular with the concentration at the center. The achieved values of 60% of the municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 3.8 - 6.7, which means that the average life expectancy does not differ much. Big differences in life expectance are found only in a few municipalities on both ends of the spectrum. The difference between municipalities with the lowest and the highest average life expectancy for men is about 7 years and for women is about 6 years.

Index of air pollution

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Average concentration of particles PM 10 in the municipality’s territorial air. 
  • Average concentration of particles PM 2,5 in the municipality’s territorial airy. 

The information on the concentration of fugitive dust particles is based on the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute's records for the five-year averages.

Index weight: 5.8 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted towards higher values. The achieved values of 60% of the municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 4.2 - 6.8, which means that air quality does not differ much in most municipalities. At the same time, it is clear from the distribution that the municipalities with lowest values have significantly higher levels of pollution than the rest of the republic. These municipalities have been on the limit of the 2012 Air Protection Act air pollution limit values for a long time.

Index of presence of polluters

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The indicator represents the number of companies that have reported leaks of harmful substances (e.g., ammonia, methane, nitrogen oxides, etc.) into the environment within a 30-kilometer radius of the municipal hall. Leaks abroad are also included in the calculation.


The information is based on the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register administered by the European Environment Agency.

Index weight: 4.1 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted towards lower values with the concentration at the center. The achieved values of 60% of municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 2.6 - 5.9 and 20% of municipalities reached values above 6.0. Which means that in the several municipalities with the highest results, there is significantly less companies releasing pollutants than in the rest of the republic.

Index of protected natural areas

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The indicator represents the total area of small-scale and large-scale specially protected areas and contractually protected areas within a 30-kilometer radius of the municipal office. Protected sites abroad are also included in the calculation.

The information is based on records from the Czech Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection. For foreign countries, data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) - NatDA (Nationally designated areas data collection) is used.

Index weight: 1.8 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular. The resulting index of more than half of municipalities is not higher than 2. This is due to the large difference in the availability of protected areas in the few municipalities with the highest results and the rest of the republic. These are municipalities with national parks and large protected landscape areas in their surroundings.

Index of unemployment

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The indicator represents the average proportion of unemployed persons in a given municipality. The proportion of unemployed persons is calculated as the ratio of available job seekers aged 15–64 registered with the Labor Office to the total population of the same age.


The information is based on records from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic as the average of monthly values for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 3.3 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards higher values. This is due to the fact that in the most of the municipalities unemployment is at a similar low level, while in municipalities at the bottom of the ladder the unemployment rate is significantly higher than in the rest of the republic. In general, unemployment in all regions of the Czech Republic is relatively low, which makes the Czech Republic at the level of unemployment one of leading countries in the whole European Union.

Index of available job offers

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The indicator consists of four indicators with equal weighting:


  • Number of job offers within 30 kilometers of the municipal office offered on job portals.
  • Number of job offers offered on job portals in the municipality relative to the number of inhabitants.
  • Number of job offers within 30 kilometers of the municipal office offered at the Labor Office.
  • Number of job offers offered at the Labor Office in the municipality relative to the number of inhabitants.

The information is based on data from the largest job portals in the Czech Republic and from the records of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic. The values shown represent average monthly data for the current calendar year.

Index weight: 10.0 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, shifted towards lower values. Only 20% of the municipalities reached an index value above 4.0. This means that the citizens of municipalities with the highest results have a significantly higher offering of jobs on job portals than those of most other municipalities.

Index of affordable housing

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The indicator represents the average transaction price per square meter of apartments in the municipality relative to the average gross wage in the region of the municipality.

Information on the average transaction price is based on the database of the internet portal sreality.cz, which monitors actual sales prices of apartments in the Czech Republic. The data is for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 5.8 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, shifted towards lower values. Only 20% of municipalities reached values higher than 4.9, which means that in a few municipalities the average housing price is significantly lower than in most of the municipalities in the country. Generally speaking, housing prices in individual regions are quite distinct.

Index of material insufficiency

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Residents who receive welfare or financial contributions for living from public assistance programs in the municipality related to population. 
  • Residents who receive welfare or financial contributions for housing from public assistance programs in the municipality related to population 

The information is based on statistics from the Czech Labor Office for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 2.9 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards higher values. A total of 80% of municipalities reached values above 5.3. The distribution shows that in most municipalities the situation is similar to that of the municipality with the highest value. On the contrary, several municipalities at the bottom of the ladder are rated significantly lower compared to the rest of the republic.

Index of financial distress

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The indicator represents the number of inhabitants in the administrative district of the municipality with extended powers in enforcement relative to the number of inhabitants.

The data for calculating the index is based on the database of the Chamber of Bailiffs of the Czech Republic - Number of enforcement proceedings against natural persons registered in individual municipalities of the Czech Republic. The data is for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 2.9 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards higher values. A total of 80% of municipalities reached values above 4.6. The distribution shows that in the majority of municipalities, there is a similar share of the population in financial distress, which is slightly higher than in some of the few municipalities with the highest values. In contrast, in several municipalities at the bottom of the ladder, the share of people with financial distress is significantly higher than in the rest of the republic.

Index of kindergarten capacity

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The indicator represents the total sum of permitted target capacities of kindergartens in the administrative district of the municipality in relation to the total number of children aged 3 to 5.

Information on kindergarten capacity is based on statistics from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for the last completed school year.

Index weight: 3.3 %

The distribution of the results is relatively regular with the concentration at the center. Achieved values of 60% of municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 3.5 - 6.3, which means that the availability of kindergartens does not differ much among most administrative districts. Significantly higher or lower values occur only in several administrative districts of municipalities at both ends of the ranking. 

Index of elementary school capacity

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represents the total sum of the permitted target capacities of primary schools in the administrative district of the municipality in relation to the total number of children aged 6 to 14.

Information on the capacity of kindergartens is based on statistics from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for the last completed school year.

Index weight: 1.7 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted towards higher values. A total of 80% of municipalities reached values higher than 4.0. Achieved values of 60% of the municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 4.0 - 6.7, which means that the availability of elementary school does not differ much among most administrative districts. Significantly higher or lower values occur only in several administrative districts of municipalities at both ends of ranking.

Index of quality high schools

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Share of high-quality high schools on overall number of high schools in the municipality's territory. 
  • Number of high-quality high schools within a driving range of 30 minutes from the municipality's town hall. 

The identification of high-quality high schools was based on students' results in state final exams in Czech and English. The information is based on statistics from the Center for the Assessment of Educational Results for the last completed school year.

Index weight: 3.3 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, shifted towards lower values. This means that in the few municipalities with the highest results there is a significantly higher availability of high-quality high schools than in most other municipalities. There are even a few municipalities where there are no schools with above-average student results on national final exams, neither in the municipality nor in the surrounding area.

Index of supermarkets

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of supermarkets in the municipality's territory related to population. 
  • Number of supermarkets within a driving range of 30 minutes from the municipality's town hall. 

The calculation included all stores designated as supermarkets and larger shopping centers in the Czech Republic and border areas in the current year. The data source is the Open Street Map database.

Index weight: 2.5 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted slightly to lower values. The achieved values of 60% of municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 3.0 - 5.3, which means that in most municipalities the availability of supermarkets does not differ significantly. A few municipalities at both ends of the ranking have significantly less or more of the largest retail chain stores.

Index of ATMs

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of ATMs in the municipality's territory related to population. 
  • Number of ATMs within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall. 

The calculation includes ATMs in the Czech Republic in the current year. The source of the data is the kurzy.cz database.

Index weight: 2.0 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted slightly towards lower values. the achieved values of 60% of the municipalities are in relatively narrow range of 3.3 - 5,4, which means that in most municipalities the availability of ATMs does not differ significantly. A few municipalities at both ends of the ranking have significantly less or more of the ATMs.

Index of restaurants

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of restaurants in the territory of the municipality related to population. 
  • Number of restaurants within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall. 

All restaurants, fast food outlets, and pubs in the Czech Republic and border regions were included in the calculation for the current year. The data source is the Open Street Map database.

Index weight: 2.5 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards lower values. Only 20% of municipalities reached an index value higher than 4.3, and 60% of municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 2.2 - 4.3. This signifies a similar level of restaurant availability in most of the municipalities and a large difference in the few municipalities with the highest results.

Index of cinemas

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The indicator is composed of two indices with the same weight:

  • Number of movie projections in cinemas in the municipality's territory related to population. 
  • Number movie projections in cinemas within a 30-minute driving range of the municipality's town hall. 

The calculation takes into account permanent cinemas registered in the Czech Republic. The number of films is the sum of all screenings in the reference week (7 consecutive days) in the current year. The number of film screenings is based on the public programs of the respective cinemas. The source of the data is the csfd.cz database.

Index weight: 1.5 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, with 80% of municipalities not achieving index values higher than 3.3. This means that municipalities with the highest values have significantly higher access to movie projections in cinemas than other municipalities. These are mainly municipalities that have at least one multiplex nearby.

Index of digitalization

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The index is composed of two indices with equal weighting:

  • Average download speed [Mb/s] of mobile services measured by NetTest for the current year for individual ORPs.
  • Average download speed [Mb/s] of fixed services measured by NetTest for the current year for individual ORPs.


The data was obtained from the CTU visualization portal, separately for mobile and fixed services.

Index weight: 3.5 %

Layout for the digitization index.

Index of road network

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The indicator represents the area that can be reached within 30 minutes by car from the town hall.


The calculation takes into account the maximum speed limits on roads. Current traffic conditions and road closures are not included in the calculation.

Index weight: 3.8 %

The distribution of the results is relatively regular with the concentration at the center because the 20% of municipalities at the bottom of the ladder reached values in a similar range (0 - 3.2) as the 20% of municipalities with the highest values (values in the range of 6.7 - 10). The level of the road network varies from one municipality to the next, but for most municipalities the differences are not very large.

Index of railway transportation

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The indicator represents the average number of unique train connections of public transportation, that stop in the municipality in one month. Each train connection was assigned a value according to category of the train.

The information is based on data recorded by Správa železnic (Railway Infrastructure Administration) for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 3.0 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, 80% of the municipalities have not reached an index value higher than 2.9. This means that the municipalities with the highest results have a significantly higher availability of train transport than other municipalities. These are mainly the municipalities that are passed through by the main railway corridors with a high number of international and national connections.

Index of citizen engagement

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The indicator represents number of interest-based associations in the municipality related to population.

The information is based on data from Public Register managed by Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic in the current year.

Index weight: 1.7 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular, shifted slightly to lower values. The achieved values of 60% of the municipalities are in relatively narrow range of 2.7 - 5.7, which means that in most municipalities the number of clubs and associations does not differ significantly. A few municipalities at both ends of the ranking have significantly less or more of the numbers of clubs and associations.

Index of participation in regional and municipal elections

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The indicator is calculated as the average of the results of the last two elections in a given municipality. The following types of elections are included in the assessment:

  • municipal council elections,
  • elections to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic,
  • regional council elections.

The information is based on data from the Czech Statistical Office.

Index weight: 1.7 %

The distribution of the results is relatively regular with the concentration at the center. The 20% of municipalities at the low end of the ranking reached values in a similar range (0 - 3.1) to the 20% of municipalities with the highest results (values in the range of 6.2 - 10). In most municipalities, electoral participation is at a similar level. However, the difference between municipalities with the highest result and the lowest result is 26%.

Index of traffic accidents

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The indicator consists of two indices with equal weighting:

  • Number of crimes in the municipality per capita.
  • Number of offenses in the municipality per capita.
The information is based on statistics from the Czech Police for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 3.5 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted towards higher values. This indicates that in most municipalities the number of traffic accidents was similar when related to population, but the number of traffic accidents in the municipalities at the low end of the ladder was significantly higher.

Index of gambling

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The indicator represents the number of licensed gambling facilities in the municipality related to population.

The information is based on data recorded by the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic in the current year.

Index weight: 1.5 %

The distribution of the results is very irregular, shifted towards higher values. More than 20% of the municipalities have achieved the same highest result 10. This is due to the fact that in several municipalities gambling is outlawed. On the contrary, 20% of the municipalities with the lowest values range from 0 - 6.6, which means there are large differences in access to gambling in these few municipalities compared to most municipalities in the Czech Republic.

Index of migrating young people

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The indicator represents difference between new residents and ousted former residents with permanent or long-term residents in the age range of 20 - 34 years old in the municipality.

The information is based on statistics from Czech Statistical Office for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 3.3 %

The distribution of the results is irregular, shifted slightly to lower values. Only 20% of the municipalities reached an index value higher than 5.0 and 60% of the municipalities are in a relatively narrow range of 1.9 - 5.0. In the municipalities with an index value higher than 3.5, there is an increase in the population of young people. On the contrary, in the municipalities with a value lower than 3.5, there is a decrease in the population of young people. 

Index of population increase

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The indicator represents the number of new residents and born inhabitants minus the number of ousted former residents and deceased inhabitants in the municipality.

The information is based on statistics from the Czech Statistical Office for the last completed calendar year.

Index weight: 3.3 %

The distribution of the results is slightly irregular with the 20% municipalities with the lowest results reaching values ranging from 0 - 2.6 and the 20% of the municipalities with the highest results ranging between 5.9 - 10. In the municipalities with an index value higher than 5.4, there is an increase in the population. On the contrary, in the municipalities with a value lower than 5.4, there is a decrease in the population.

Basic terminology

What is driving range?

The area that can be reached by car in a certain time from town hall of the municipality. Area calculation considers speeds limits on roads, but the traffic and current closures are not included.

What is a 30 km radius from town hall?

The area that is defined by a circle with a 30 km radius and the center at town hall.

What is population?

The number of inhabitants according to the Czech Statistical Office, valid to the date indicated on the data source for the index.

What is the territory of a municipality?

The territory of all cadastral areas that are part of the municipality.

Download methodology

Do you want to know how we work with indices? Download our basic methodology in PDF.

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We have published data year 2025. Have a look at municipalities and their results.