Urban, suburban or rural? Understanding preferences for the residential environment

Figures & data

Table 1. Underlying motivations for the preference for the residential environment.

	Number of times mentioned	Mentioned by % of respondents
Because …
Precoded categories
Of peace and quiet	290	45%
Of easy access to amenities	148	23%
Of social contact	113	17%
Of the ambiance outside	106	16%
Of easy access to the dwelling	68	11%
Of a sense of freedom	47	7%
Of feeling safe/secure	32	5%
Of enjoying life	26	4%
Of performing activities	25	4%
Of well-being	21	3%
Of feeling comfortable	19	3%
Of an exciting life	8	1%
Post-coded categories
Of another reason	33	5%
Of green/water/space	16	2%
Of being raised in this type of nbh	12	2%
Of currently living in this type of neighbourhood	11	2%
The environment is good for raising (grand) children	8	1%
It not too quiet and not too lively	4	1%
There is few traffic/good opportunities for parking	4	1%
Of work-related reasons	3	0%
Of keeping pets and other animals	3	0%
Of being familiar with the nbh	3	0%
Of privacy	2	0%
Of pleasantness/cosiness	2	0%
Of easy access to exit roads	2	0%
Of financial reasons	2	0%
It is close to the city centre	2	0%
Of the possibilities for doing sports	2	0%
Of easy access to public transport	1	0%
Of easy access to cultural facilities	1	0%
Total	1014

Table 2. Predictors of the preferred residential environment.

	Preference for city centre (n = 79) versus other groups (n = 566)		Preference for city edge (n = 218) versus other groups (n = 418)		Preference for smaller municipality (n = 251) versus other groups (n = 385)		Preference for rural area (n = 91) versus other groups (n = 555)
	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI
Personal characteristics
Education
Primary/lower vocational					ref.
Secondary					2.15**	1.22–3.80
Higher vocational/university					1.23	0.69–2.17
Other					1.69	0.55–5.17
Housing preferences
Preference for terraced dwelling
Yes, definitely			Ref.					Ref.
Maybe			0.69	0.39–1.21			1.99	0.73–5.44
Definitely not			0.53**	0.35–0.80			2.83**	1.35–5.97
Preference for apartment
Yes, definitely							Ref.
Maybe							0.92	0.22–3.80
Definitely not							5.13**	2.08–12.64
Preferred number of rooms					1.18*	1.01–1.38
Proximity of shops for daily goods	2.80*	1.14–6.86
Proximity of schools	0.35**	0.19–0.66					0.41**	0.22–0.77
Proximity of railway station							0.49^a	0.23–1.03
Preferred liveliness neighbourhood
Very quiet			Ref.		Ref.		Ref.
Quiet			2.14*	1.20–3.82	1.23	0.73–2.08	0.20**	0.10–0.41
(Very) lively			2.72**	1.45–5.09	0.67	0.38–1.18	0.21**	0.09–0.49
Mix of housing and other activities
Mainly housing	Ref.
Housing mixed with other activities	3.75**	2.03–6.93
No preference	1.27	0.50–3.23
Mix of residents with regard to behaviour, income and age
Similar residents			Ref.				Ref.
Mix of residents			0.49**	0.31–0.76			2.80*	1.24–6.34
No preference			0.46*	0.26–0.83			3.86**	1.46–10.19
Motivations
Peace and quiet	0.02**	0.00–0.15	1.57*	1.08–2.31			3.01**	1.55–5.86
Easy access to amenities	3.23**	1.80–5.77					0.04**	0.01–0.32
Social contact			0.15**	0.07–0.30	9.52**	5.65–16.04	0.02**	0.00–0.18
Ambiance outside	2.66**	1.38–5.12	0.43**	0.24–0.75
Easy access to the dwelling			2.17**	1.23–3.82			0.13	0.02–1.08
A sense of freedom					0.36*	0.16–0.81	4.19**	1.88–9.34
Feeling safe/secure					2.34*	1.01–5.43
Performing activities	4.33**	1.54–12.2
Wellbeing					6.44**	2.16–19.25
Nagelkerke R^2	0.43		0.21		0.25		0.48

a = p = 0.06; * = p < 0.05; ** = p < 0.01.

Table A1. The relationship between the preference for the residential environment and personal characteristics.

	City centre		City edge		Smaller municipality		Rural area		Total
	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Effect
Age (n = 705)	54.0	12.3	48.1	12.3	48.3	13.8	47.8	10.2	48.6	12.7	F(3, 650) = 5.04, p < 0.01
Nr of persons in household (n = 706)	2.7	1.3	3.2	1.3	3.0	1.2	3.2	1.5	3.1	1.3	F(3, 651) = 2.76, p = 0.04
	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%
Education											χ^2(9) = 22.06, p < 0.01
Primary/lower vocational	13	16%	43	19%	33	13%	14	15%	103	16%
Secondary	27	33%	76	34%	116	45%	28	30%	247	38%
Higher vocational/univ.	34	42%	101	45%	99	39%	49	53%	283	43%
Other	7	9%	5	2%	9	4%	1	1%	22	3%
Gender											χ^2(3) = 6.60, p = 0.09
Male	34	44%	78	35%	114	45%	44	48%	270	42%
Female	43	56%	143	65%	140	55%	47	52%	373	58%
Household type											χ^2(9) = 12.69, p = 0.18
Single	12	15%	16	7%	20	8%	9	10%	57	9%
Couple, no kids <18 at home	30	37%	67	30%	79	31%	25	27%	201	31%
Couple, kids <18 at home	26	32%	117	52%	129	50%	46	50%	318	48%
Other composition	13	16%	25	11%	29	11%	12	13%	79	12%
Having paid work											χ^2(3) = 5.52, p = 0.13
Yes	55	68%	172	76%	185	72%	75	81%	487	74%
No	26	32%	53	24%	72	28%	17	18%	168	26%
Monthly net income											χ^2(9) = 17.04, p < 0.05
Average (€1950) or lower	12	15%	15	7%	39	15%	5	5%	71	11%
1–2 times average	44	56%	112	50%	117	46%	48	53%	321	50%
> 2 times average	7	9%	34	15%	40	16%	15	16%	96	15%
Unknown	16	20%	61	27%	59	23%	23	25%	159	25%
Current tenure											χ^2(3) = 1.65, p = 0.65
Owner-occupied	63	78%	179	80%	204	79%	78	85%	524	80%
Rental	18	22%	46	20%	53	21%	14	15%	131	20%
Current res. environment											χ^2(9) = 399.90, p < 0.01
City centre	36	44%	19	8%	8	3%	3	3%	66	10%
City edge	25	31%	160	71%	39	15%	21	23%	245	37%
Smaller municipality	17	21%	38	17%	200	78%	42	46%	297	45%
Rural area	3	4%	7	3%	10	4%	26	28%	46	7%

Table A2. The relationship between the preference for the residential environment and preferences for the dwelling (environment).

	Preference for city centre		Preference for city edge		Preference for smaller municipality		Preference for rural area		Total
	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%	Count	%	Effect
Attributes of the dwelling
Preferred tenure											χ^2(6) = 16.76, p = 0.01
Owner-occupied	39	48%	149	66%	163	63%	69	75%	420	64%
Rental	21	26%	39	17%	48	19%	7	8%	115	18%
No preference	21	26%	37	16%	46	18%	16	17%	120	18%
An appartment?											χ^2(6) = 36.82, p < 0.01
Yes	34	42%	47	21%	52	20%	9	10%	142	22%
Maybe	10	12%	27	12%	23	9%	4	4%	64	10%
No	37	46%	151	67%	182	71%	79	86%	449	68%
A terraced dwelling?											χ^2(6) = 23.36, p < 0.01
Yes	23	28%	87	39%	78	30%	13	14%	201	31%
Maybe	12	15%	32	14%	44	17%	11	12%	99	15%
No	46	57%	106	47%	135	53%	68	74%	355	54%
A semi-detached dwelling?											χ^2(6) = 16.23, p = 0.01
Yes	33	41%	123	55%	133	52%	32	35%	321	49%
Maybe	13	16%	37	16%	36	14%	15	16%	101	15%
No	35	43%	65	29%	88	34%	45	49%	233	36%
A detached dwelling											χ^2(6) = 22.01, p < 0.01
Yes	18	22%	73	32%	83	32%	42	46%	216	33%
Maybe	4	5%	19	8%	21	8%	14	15%	58	9%
No	59	73%	133	59%	153	60%	36	39%	381	58%
A single-family dwelling											χ^2(6) = 21.68, p < 0.01
Yes	52	65%	182	83%	216	85%	78	90%	528	83%
No	28	35%	37	17%	37	15%	9	10%	111	17%
Want a garden?											χ^2(6) = 23.95, p < 0.01
Yes	51	63%	187	83%	206	80%	84	91%	528	81%
No	18	22%	22	10%	29	11%	5	5%	74	11%
Maybe	12	15%	16	7%	22	9%	3	3%	53	8%
	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std	Mean	Std
Preferred living room in m^2	39.8	14.4	40.9	12.1	40.6	12.1	44.3	14.4	41.1	12.8	F(3,633) = 2.36, p = 0.07
Preferred living space in m^2	135.5	36.6	146.6	37.9	147.8	40.3	167.3	49.3	148.8	41.3	F(3,569) = 8.39, p < 0.01
Preferred number of rooms	4.2	1.1	4.6	1.1	4.7	1.1	4.8	1.3	4.6	1.2	F(3,650) = 4.34, p < 0.01
Attributes of the dwelling environment
Shops for daily goods											χ^2(3) = 54.82, p < 0.01
Yes	74	91%	167	74%	199	77%	41	45%	481	73%
No	7	9%	58	26%	58	23%	51	55%	174	27%
A park											χ^2(3) = 6.65, p = 0.08
Yes	44	54%	130	58%	124	48%	41	45%	339	52%
No	37	46%	95	42%	133	52%	51	55%	316	48%
Schools											χ^2(3) = 20.85, p < 0.01
Yes	20	25%	108	48%	120	47%	28	30%	276	42%
No	61	75%	116	52%	137	53%	64	70%	378	58%
A railway station											χ^2(3) = 12.98, p < 0.01
Yes	32	40%	60	27%	69	27%	14	15%	175	27%
No	49	60%	165	73%	188	73%	78	85%	480	73%
Mix of residents with regard to behaviour, income and age											χ^2(3) = 15.49, p = 0.02
Similar residents	10	12%	62	28%	48	19%	12	13%	132	20%
Mix of residents	58	72%	127	57%	167	65%	60	65%	412	63%
No preference	13	16%	35	16%	42	16%	20	22%	110	17%
Preferred liveliness of the neighbourhood											χ^2(6) = 77.14, p < 0.01
Very quiet	4	5%	19	9%	34	13%	34	37%	91	14%
Quiet	26	33%	118	53%	139	55%	42	46%	325	50%
Lively or very lively	49	62%	85	38%	81	32%	15	16%	230	36%
Mix of housing and other activities											χ^2(6) = 43.49, p < 0.01
Mainly housing	36	44%	160	71%	188	73%	64	70%	448	68%
Housing mixed with other activities	37	46%	41	18%	44	17%	11	12%	133	20%
No preference	8	10%	24	11%	25	10%	17	18%	74	11%

Table A3. The relationship between the preference for the residential environment and motivations.

	Preference for city centre		Preference for city edge		Preference for smaller municipality		Preference for rural area		Total group
Because …	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	Effect
Of peace and quiet	1	1%	118	53%	96	38%	72	79%	290	45%	χ^2(3) = 115.34, p < 0.01
Of easy access to amenities	40	51%	57	26%	48	19%	1	1%	148	23%	χ^2(3) = 62.73, p < 0.01
Of social contact	14	18%	9	4%	88	35%	2	2%	113	17%	χ^2(3) = 94.31, p < 0.01
Of the ambiance outside	26	33%	20	9%	52	20%	8	9%	106	16%	χ^2(3) = 31.46, p < 0.01
Of easy access to the dwelling	7	9%	36	16%	24	9%	1	1%	68	11%	χ^2(3) = 16.76, p < 0.01
Of a sense of freedom	1	1%	19	9%	9	4%	18	20%	47	7%	χ^2(3) = 31.11, p < 0.01
Of feeling safe/secure	2	3%	9	4%	18	7%	3	3%	32	5%	χ^2(3) = 4.35, p = 0.23
Of enjoying life	5	6%	8	4%	8	3%	5	5%	26	4%	χ^2(3) = 2.20, p = 0.53
Of performing activities	10	13%	9	4%	5	2%	1	1%	25	4%	χ^2(3) = 20.77, p < 0.01
Of well-being	1	1%	4	2%	16	6%	–	–	21	3%	χ^2(3) = 13.03, p < 0.01