Strong villages and towns in the EU

This study examines examines the key characteristics of EU settlements with growing populations, focusing on villages and towns and analysing the influence of local characteristics and broader area-based factors on population trends. Comparing the 2021 and 2011 censuses, the study identifies patterns of population change related to key settlement dimensions, including: I) spatial characteristics and functional ranking, II) demographic characteristics, III) quality of infrastructure, spatial and digital accessibility, IV) public and private service provision and tourism capacity, and V) geographical and climate-related characteristics. Results indicate that villages, towns and cities with or near to a beach, school, hospital or train station tend to grow faster. Having good road transport performance and fast download speeds also helps. Settlements with a higher employment rate, a higher share of working-age population and a higher share of people born outside the country or the EU are more likely to grow. Regional centres, i.e. the largest settlement in a wider area, and settlements close to cities tend to exhibit higher growth rates, as do those that are part of a functional urban area (FUA), and especially the capital city FUA.