The current edition of the Qualità della vita study by ItaliaOggi and Ital Communications in cooperation with the Università La Sapienza in Roma paints a picture of an Italy increasingly divided in its regional living conditions The analysis of 107 provinces confirms a trend observed in recent years. The north and large parts of central Italy present themselves as stable and capable, while the south continues to lag significantly behind despite isolated progress. The study draws on a total of 92 indicators, taking economic, social, and infrastructural aspects equally into account.
Strong quality of life in the north and parts of central Italy
In the north, regions such as Lombardia, South Tyrol, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna dominate. Milano leads the national ranking, owing its position to a combination of economic strength, solid infrastructure, high innovation capacity, and continuous investment in mobility and services. The provinces of Bolzano and Trento also fare very well. Both benefit from stable administrative structures, a high level of social security, and a strong connection between living environment and regional identity. Veneto, with cities such as Padua and Verona, impresses with a diverse economic structure and a well-developed education and healthcare system. In Emilia-Romagna, Bologna, Parma, and Reggio Emilia once again demonstrate a high standard of quality of life. The region has long been considered a model, combining economic performance with social balance.
In central Italy, Toscana achieves excellent scores. Firenze benefits from a strong cultural infrastructure and a stable services sector. Pisa and Siena also rank well, as tourism, education and healthcare are closely intertwined. Lazio presents a mixed picture. Roma loses ground again in the current study, primarily due to persistent administrative challenges, traffic congestion, and deficiencies in public safety. At the same time, individual areas such as healthcare and cultural offerings show improvement.
According to the study, "weak quality of life" in the south
The south once again faces major challenges. Regions such as Sicilia, Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia, and Campania occupy the lower end of the rankings. This is most apparent in provinces such as Caltanissetta and Crotone, which sit at the bottom of the national list. These areas suffer from a persistently weak labor market, low investment volumes, the emigration of young people, and an overall fragile administrative apparatus. In parts of Puglia, industrial and environmental conflicts further compound the situation. In Campania, Napoli remains well within the lower tier despite its cultural diversity and tourist appeal Factors such as crime, traffic problems, and social inequality have a strongly negative impact on its score. Sicilia shows slight regional differences. Provinces such as Ragusa and Trapani occasionally manage to benefit from tourism-driven momentum or local reform processes. However, major cities such as Palermo, Catania, and Agrigento continue to post no better than mediocre or poor results. Calabria remains one of the most heavily burdened areas in the country. Its structural problems are deeply rooted and are again clearly reflected in the 2025 indicators for the labor market, safety, and social stability.
Stagnation despite individual initiatives
Only around 60 of the 107 provinces are rated as good or acceptable by the study. This suggests that Italy as a whole has made only limited progress. Economic recovery, support from European programs and various regional reforms have not succeeded in meaningfully reducing structural disparities. While many northern regions are holding or improving their positions, some already weak provinces continue to slide further down. The 2025 study thus serves as the current reference point, as no edition for 2026 has been announced to date. Italy faces the challenge of transferring successful regional models from the north and center to disadvantaged areas. Long-term success depends on whether it proves possible to sustainably improve public administration, infrastructure, education, and economic conditions in the south. The study's findings make clear that quality of life does not depend on economic indicators alone. It takes shape above all where reliable public structures, social stability, and functioning local governance work in concert.