MOSCOW, December 11. /TASS/. Nearly half of Russian citizens (44%) would like to live in an urban environment based on the Smart City concept, while one in seven believes they are already living in such a city (14%), according to a survey published by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).
"Just under half of Russians expressed a desire to live in a smart city (44%), and one in seven respondents believes they already do (14%). A quarter of those surveyed are not interested in such cities (25%), while 4% are dissatisfied with urban living in general. <...> The majority of respondents shared their vision of a Smart City (56%). Their responses primarily referenced well-developed social infrastructure and urban amenities (31%), including the availability of schools and kindergartens and the construction of these facilities (13%), accessibility to education (5%), and comfortable living conditions (5%)," according to the survey results.
Respondents also identified key elements of the Smart City concept, including advanced technology (22%), a well-developed transportation infrastructure (14%), a strong economy (9%, including job availability, price control, industrial development, high incomes, etc.), efficient governance, management, and legal oversight (8%), social support and healthcare services (6%), as well as educated, well-mannered, and cultured citizens (6%).
Although the Smart City project, initiated by the Russian Ministry of Construction, has been in effect for six consecutive years, only one in three Russians (33%) are somewhat familiar with the concept, while twice as many (66%) encountered the term for the first time during the survey. Those who could provide a general description of the project were typically men and women with higher or incomplete higher education (40%), individuals with high or average income levels (37% and 33%, respectively), and residents of Moscow or St. Petersburg (44%). "**The settlement factor plays a key role in this matter: in the two capitals, where the effects of digitalization are most evident, familiarity with the concept of smart city is 11 percentage points higher than the national average," the study noted.
The nationwide telephone survey "VCIOM-Sputnik" was conducted on October 24, 2024. A total of 1,600 respondents aged 18 and older participated in each survey. The survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a comprehensive list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics, and the margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%.