For the seventh time in a row, Říčany in Central Bohemia (Středočeský kraj), not far from Prague, has been recognised as the town with the highest quality of life in the Czech Republic. New to the top 20 are Beroun and Tišnov. Kostelec nad Orlicí recorded the biggest leap forward of all the towns. This is according to the seventh annual quality of life index of the Obce v Datech project.
The top positions in the ranking remained unchanged compared to the previous year. Říčany once again took first place, followed by Prague. Third place was taken by Hustopeče, which swapped positions with Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, which occupies fourth place this year.
Beroun climbed to ninth place, returning to the top ten after three years. Tišnov in the South Moravia region also made a significant leap forward. “The reasons are similar for both cities: young people have moved there, and the overall population has increased. In the case of Tišnov, the good connection to Brno played an important role,” explained Jan Havránek, Managing Director of Obce v Datech.
Kostelec nad Orlicí achieved the biggest leap forward in the annual ranking, improving by 76 places. It was followed by Česká Třebová (+68 places) and Vimperk (+55 places). Kostelec benefited from the improved availability of nursery places and, like the frontrunners, from an increase in young residents. Vodňany (-98 places) and Humpolec (-79 places), on the other hand, moved in the opposite direction. Karlovy Vary and Bystřice nad Pernštejnem fell by 73 and 62 places, respectively.
The main reason for the lower rankings of these cities is the migration of young people, which negatively impacts the overall population. Cities in the Moravian-Silesian and Ústí regions are particularly affected, including Karviná, Český Těšín, Rýmařov, and Bruntál. In the Ústí region, Litvínov, Děčín, and Varnsdorf are especially impacted.
“A comparison of all indices shows that one of the biggest changes is the increase in property prices. While the average price in the previous period was CZK 41,184 per square metre, it is now CZK 48,186 per square metre,” says Havránek. Prices have only fallen in about a tenth of towns, such as Vrchlabí, Přelouč, and Hlinsko. In most other towns, however, they have risen significantly, especially in Lysá nad Labem, Pohořelice, and Bystřice nad Pernštejnem.
You can find the full results on the website www.obcevdatech.cz.
