Spatial differentiation of housing conditions in in the Pomeranian and West Pomeranian voivodeships in 2018–2020

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the spatial differentiation of the social situation concerning the housing conditions of the population in the poviats of the Pomorskie and Zachodniopomorskie voivodships. The time range of the study covers the average from 2018–2020. The analysis was based on 6 variables selected from the databases of the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office. They refer both to the aspects of dwelling occupancy (an average usable floor space of a dwell in m² per person, an average number of persons per room) and to the utilities used (a percentage of population using the water supply system, a percentage of population using the sewage system, a percentage of dwellings equipped with bathroom, a percentage of dwellings equipped with central heating). During the elaboration of the collected data, the following methods were used single-feature classification using the critical range method and the coefficient of specific variability (for the assessment of the social situation in terms of selected variables in poviats), as well as the Perkal synthetic index and the multi-feature classification using the Ward method at the Euclidean distance (to summarise the social situation regarding living conditions). The spatial differentiation was depicted using the choropleth map method with the use of GIS software. The conducted analyses proved that the favorable social situation in terms of housing conditions applies to all cities with poviat rights located within the study area. Apart from that, several poviats directly adjacent to voivodeship centers are in a similar situation, as is the Kołobrzeg poviat located on the coast. The single local governments from the Pomorskie (3) and Zachodniopomorskie (1) voivodships are in unfavourable situation. In the remaining poviats, which account for over 58% of the total, the examined situation can be described as relatively average. The results of the conducted research can be used for the needs of local governments to implement appropriate solutions aimed at improving the social situation in terms of housing conditions in units where it is unfavorable. They can also be an element of deeper analysis on the diversity of the social situation in the Pomorskie and Zachodniopomorskie voivodships, extended by many other indicators regarding human living conditions.