Subject Improving the quality of life necessitates a system of indicators for its evaluation, which requires identifying the reasons for differentiation of constituent entities by living standards and developing the tools to neutralize threats in the socio-economic sphere. Objectives The aim is to investigate imbalances in the quality of life in different regions to define strategic directions of territory development. Methods Using the methods of applied statistics and cluster analysis, we investigate various aspects of satisfaction of needs and assessment of living standards in regions. Tabular and graphical methods enable to visualize statistical data. The method of principal components is used to group the data by designated blocks of indicators. We employ Excel and IBM SPSS Statistics application software products to perform calculations, process and evaluate the information we use. Results On the basis of the Rosstat data, we assess the quality of life of the population in Russian regions, using the indicators for satisfaction of needs at different levels. The paper presents a portrait of clusters for each block of indicators and a dendrogram showing the distribution of regions by the quality of life. Conclusions The characteristic features of clusters by the quality of life enable grouping the regions by deviation from average indicators across Russia. The findings may help take management decisions aimed at reducing the asymmetry in the living standards of the population and improving the socio-demographic situation in Russian regions.
Keywords: quality of life, living standards, regional cluster
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