Municipal Services Survey 2022: rising prices and the economic situation of most concern to local people
Every year, the Municipal Services Survey gauges local opinion on the main problems relating to the city, services and municipal management. Of those interviewed, 73.7% approve of municipal management, giving it an average score of 5.7 out of ten, some 0.2 lower than in 2021.
Perception of the city
Most of those surveyed (52.7%) feel that Barcelona has gone downhill in the last year (compared to 53% in 2021), while 28.7% think it has improved (compared to 29% last year).
In terms of satisfaction at living in Barcelona, citizens gave this a score of 7.4, a decimal below the mark from 2021. Of all those interviewed, 52% would continue to live in the neighbourhood despite being able to leave, while 29% affirm they would leave the city if they could.
In all aspects, the future of the city generates the most optimism, with 57.8% of people expressing positive expectations.
Problems perceived by citizens
Inflation and the current economic situation resulting from the war in Ukraine account for the main problems perceived by local people, with 13.8% of responses, doubling the mentions from 2021 and representing the highest number since 2014. Other concerns revealed by the survey include unemployment and work conditions (11.7%) and insecurity (8.8%).
City problems
Citizens also assessed the problems that worry them most. Once again, insecurity headed the list this year, but on this occasion at 19.1%, differing significantly from last year’s figure of 14.5%. This was followed by cleaning with 12.4%, some 5% more than in 2021. Access to housing, pollution, unemployment and cleaning were the other notable worries among people, with percentages around 6% and 7%.
Firefighters and libraries rated as the best municipal services
Out of the 26 municipal services assessed by citizens, parking was the only one not to make the grade. The Fire Service, with 8.1, and the city’s libraries, with 7.8, topped the list as the best rated services. Markets, community centres, public transport, waste collections and public lighting all gained notable scores too.
37 years gauging opinions
The Municipal Services Survey began in 1985 and gathers the opinions of local people relating to important aspects of the city, their neighbourhood or municipal management, conducting 6,000 face-to-face interviews with citizens over the age of 18.
Find all the data from the Municipal Services Survey 2022.
