Rural areas in Utrecht, the Eindhoven region and the centre of Overijssel score highest for quality of life in the Netherlands, the latest CBS monitor has shown.

In general, people in rural areas enjoy a better quality of life compared to city dwellers, CBS said, despite a marked difference between the three highest-rated rural areas and the northeast of Groningen and Drenthe.

The CBS defines quality of life as having good health, a good education, few debts, a sense of achievement in work, and a safe and clean environment.

People in urban areas, such as the four big cities, and cities in Brabant and Limburg have a lower quality of life – which translates into a higher number of people in debt, health problems and unemployment, the CBS said. City dwellers are nearer to facilities, which contributes to quality of life but are more often exposed to air pollution.

Overall, material welfare and leisure time are increasing in 2024, the monitor shows, with income rising and more people having jobs and school qualifications.

Projections for the future show more affluent households, a greater use of solar energy and fewer CO2 emissions per person, the CBS said.

But other issues, such as the distance people have to travel to amenities and problematic debt, are growing in most municipalities, the CBS found. People in urban areas also have less contact with family, friends and neighbours and are less happy with their social life as a result.