Comprehensive composite liveability measure

What is the composite liveability measure approach?

The composite liveability measure is an approach to systematically evaluate the relative merits of different places. We have used the approach to create the comprehensive composite liveability measure. The approach can be used to compare and contrast any set of places to another using a set of metrics.

Why did we create a composite liveability measure?

When we started this work in the 2012, an index to rank the relative merits of local authority areas did not exist, so we sought to create our own combining the best of existing measures.

Literature review

We undertook a literature review in 2012. These were some of the measures already in existence at that time:

• UK
  • Office for National Statistics: Personal Wellbeing (all local authorities)
  • Demos-pwc: Good Growth for Cities (selected cities)
  • Centre for Cities: Cities Outlook (selected cities)
• International
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Better Life Index (countries)
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Human Development Index (countries)
  • Economist Intelligence Unit: Global Liveability Index (selected world cities)
  • Global Cities Institute: Global Cities Indicators
  • World Council on City Data (WCCD): ISO 37120:2014 Sustainable Development of Communities

Since our work, a number of new measures now exist:

• UK
  • University of Birmingham City REDI City Index (local authorities)
  • Co-op Community Wellbeing Index (local neighbourhoods)
• International
  • WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Child Flourishing and Future Index (countries)

How does the composite liveability measure work?

1. Decide on the categories you wish to measure
   Measures carefully chosen to ensure they actually measure the desired outcome. Metrics must be directional. Metrics are combined, weighted and standardised using z-scores so that they’re comparable with one another.

2. Choose places to compare
   Subject to data availability, any place can be compared – for instance, Coventry vs other cities (statistical neighbours, or aspirational comparisons); lower / upper tier authorities; combined authority areas; regions; etc.

3. See how places compare with one another
   The composite liveability measure is a relative measure. Results can be displayed as relative scores; as quintiles; or as a ranking.  Rankings can be generated for each category or as an overall score.