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• Existing Measures
• This Guide´s Approach:
  High-Density Residential Satisfaction
• How to Use this Guide
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Existing Measures

Liveability can be measured using a range of Liveability Indices. There are indices which measure liveability of locations (e.g. European Union’s Urban Audit [12]) or liveability characteristics (e.g. Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey [13]). One common liveability index is the Economist Intelligence Unit’s liveability rating [14]  which forms part of the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. Each city is assigned a score for over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability (safety), healthcare, culture and the environment, education and infrastructure (transport, housing availability, water, energy, communications).

Other global measures include Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey [15] , the International Living Quality of Life Index [16] and the United Nations Human Development Index [17]. The Australian Unity Well-being Index [18] measures personal well-being (e.g. standard of living, health, safety, community inclusion) and national well-being (e.g. social conditions, state of environment, business and national security). These indices produce a quantifiable measure of liveability at a broader level than the precinct, building or dwelling level.

References:

12. European Union's Urban Audit.   [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://www.urbanaudit.org/.

13. Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. 5th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey: 2009.  2008  [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://www.demographia.com/
    dhi-ix2005q3.pdf.

14. Economist Intelligence Unit. Liveability Ranking.  2009  [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://www.economist.com/markets/rankings/displaystory.cfm?story_id=
    13809770

15. Mercer's Quality of Living Survey. Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living Survey.  2009  [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://www.mercer.com.au/summary.htm?siteLanguage=1012&id
    Content=1128060.

16. International Living Quality of Life Index. 2009 Quality of Life Index.  2009  [cited; Available from: http://www.internationalliving.com/Internal-
    Components/Further-Resources/qofl2009.
    

17. United Nations Human Development Index. United  Nations Human Development Report.  2008  [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/.
    

18. Australian Unity Wellbeing Index. Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.  2009  [cited 21 September 2009]; Available from: http://www.australianunity.com.au/wellbeingindex/.