Attractive places to live? Location decisions in medium-sized cities affected by shrinkage

This article examines how a balance can be achieved between growing, congested large cities and shrinking smaller cities with rising vacancies. It argues, from the perspective of sustainable spatial development, that reusing existing vacant buildings and resources in shrinking cities is preferable to new construction and further land consumption. The contribution analyses location factors that encourage people to move to a peripheral, medium-sized city affected by shrinkage and demonstrates that such cities can serve as attractive alternatives to large cities due to available housing, spatial and social proximity, and a high quality of life.