Eindhoven citizens are relatively dissatisfied with their lives, a Rabobank survey concludes.
The researchers point out that this is associated with the economic success of the high-tech Brainport region. However, the region’s high financial score does not translate into greater happiness. The emerging division between rich and poor could impede the region’s growth.
The report investigates eleven aspects of broad prosperity: Income, work, education, health, environment, safety, housing satisfaction, welfare, social involvement, work-life balance, and social contacts. The region scores well on this broad prosperity. But it does not achieve the desired results when it comes to housing satisfaction, personal financial situation, education, and work.
Success does not equal higher income
The success achieved by the businesses in the Brainport region is not necessarily reflected in a high average income, Rabobank writes. In fact, incomes in Eindhoven are lower than the Dutch average and less evenly distributed. Many families in Eindhoven are earning less than the low-income threshold. It is striking that income in the Southeast Brabant region is higher than the national average.
Finally, fewer people indicated that they are enrolled in an education, training or a course to develop their skills. This continued education is critical, especially in the Brainport region. People must maintain and further develop their knowledge and competencies. This is because many technologies evolve very quickly, according to the researchers.
“The Brainport region needs to develop a broad welfare agenda to improve these aspects”, Principal Researcher, Otto Raspe, concludes in the report. The dissatisfaction and the emerging division in both income and education must be addressed. This plan requires an overall view of broad prosperity. Enhancing one dimension should not be done at the cost of the other.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Shufei
Editor: Melinda Walraven
