An approach for determining areas of socio-economic deprivation at sub-municipal level

Abstract

Municipalities have a growing need for detailed and interpretable data to implement specific measures to reduce socio-economic exclusion and deprivation while improving urban quality and promoting the economic, social, and cultural development of urban areas of the resident population. Traditional administrative boundaries may not represent the true spatial distribution of socio-economic phenomena, limiting the effectiveness of such interventions.

This study proposes a parameterized procedure for aggregating small, contiguous spatial units, such as census enumeration areas, into larger, homogeneous domains. With highly detailed demographic, social and economic data, this approach provides in-depth understanding of complex urban issues. The approach is applied to a case study focusing on socio-economic deprivation at sub-municipal level, which considers multiple dimensions such as economic distress, employment instability and low educational attainment. These factors contribute in different ways to the social exclusion of individuals.

The analysis uses results from the population and housing census and data from administrative registers collected by Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). The different aspects are synthesized into a single metric using the composite AMPI index at the urban enumeration area level. The results highlight the potential of data-driven spatial aggregation to support effective urban planning and decision-making, revealing patterns that go beyond conventional administrative partitions.