Two sets of surveys find the inhabitants of Finland’s cities to feel happy and safe in their surrounding environment.

THE MOST recent Urban Audit Eurobarometer survey, carried out on behalf of the EU Commission, has found that Finnish cities are good places to live in terms of security, outdoor recreational areas and the opportunities they provide for exercising. A parallel survey, conducted at the behest of a working group involving the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, confirmed these findings.

The surveying was undertaken in nine Finnish cities, all of which came out looking good in relation to other European cities. Comparisons were made with results of surveys carried out in 75 European cities. Residents of these cities were asked about a range of topics including the integration of immigrants, air pollution and public transport in addition to those mentioned earlier.

Safety in numbers

All Finnish cities included in the surveys, other than Helsinki and Vantaa, won places in the top ten European cities for nurturing a feeling of safety among their residents. Only three per cent of respondents in all nine cities rarely or never felt secure.

Unsurprisingly, Finnish cities claimed the top nine spots in the list of best European cities for outdoor recreational areas.

Satisfaction with public spaces – such as squares, marketplaces and pedestrianised zones – divided these nine cities into two clear groups. Whereas 80 per cent of the inhabitants of Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, Tampere and Turku were happy with the public spaces in their cities, 32-39 per cent in Espoo, Lahti, Seinäjoki and Vantaa expressed dissatisfaction.

The cost of living in Finnish cities was found to be more of a sticking point in the surveys. Only residents of certain cities thought of the cost of living in their part of the country in positive terms.

Pori emerged as the Finnish city that compared most favourably with other European cities in terms of cost of living.

ALLAN BAIN - HT