Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

MOSCOWSeptember 4, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information about where Russians would like their children to live - in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other cities or rural area, and where they think their children have more opportunities - in metropolitan areas or other regions.

The popularity of living in a small city or rural area is growing. More Russians would like their children to live in small cities (26% versus 20% in 2006). Other 17% prefer metropolitan areas, except for Moscow and St. Petersburg (the amount of them has decreased over the recent three years from 20%). Sixteen percent are in favor of living in metropolitan area (in 2006 - 19%). St.Petersburg rarer attracts our fellow citizens: only 9% of them want their children to live there. Rural area is getting increasingly popular (from 6% in 2006 to 12% this year). Other 9% prefer living abroad.

 

As a rule, Russians would like their children to be residents of the same size localities as they live. Thus, Muscovites and St. Petersburgians want their children to live in the same cities  (54% and 18%  respectively), residents of big cities - in big cities (34%), residents of middle-sized and small cities - in small cities  (34-35%), and rural area residents - in rural area communities and small towns (26% and 25% respectively).

 

Those who want their children to reside in metropolitan area are basically residents of the Central District of Russia (37%) and Russians with high level of income (21%). Saint-Petersburg is attracted by respondents living in North-Western District of Russia (32%). Other cities are chosen by residents of the Urals (28%), Siberia (24%) and Volga District (23%). Those who prefer small towns are Far-Eastern inhabitants (37%); respondents from the Volga District and Siberia, as well as Russians with low level of income (17%) are in favor of rural area (17% and 16% respectively). Living abroad is reported by Far-Eastern residents (19%) and North-Western Federal District (15%). 

 

The higher the level of education of Russians is, the more often they want their children to be residents of Moscow (24% of high-educated Russians versus 6% of low-educated ones) and Saint-Petersburg (11% versus 5% respectively). On the contrary, the lower the level of education is, the more often our fellow citizens are attracted by living in a small town (38% respondents with elementary education versus 23% of high-educated respondents) or rural area (25% versus 7% respectively).

 

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on August 29-30, 2009. 

1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.

The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

 

Where would you like your children to live?

 (close-ended question, one answer)

 

2006

2008

2009

Moscow

19

17

16

Saint-Petersburg

11

10

9

Other big city (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg)

23

18

17

Small city

20

25

26

Rural area

6

8

12

Abroad

11

10

9

Hard to tell

11

12

9

Where would you like your children to live?

 (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Type of settlement

Moscow and St.Petersburg

More than 500thousand

100-500 thousand

Less than 100thousand

rural area

Moscow

16

54

13

12

12

11

Saint-Petersburg

9

18

7

9

8

9

Other big city (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg)

17

9

32

15

16

13

Small city

26

4

19

35

34

26

Rural area

12

4

4

7

12

25

Abroad

9

11

14

10

7

8

Hard to tell

9

1

10

13

12

9

Where would you like your children to live?

 (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Federal Districts*

CFD

NWFD

SFD

PFD

UFD

SFD

DFD

Moscow

16

37

5

13

8

13

6

10

Saint-Petersburg

9

5

32

13

6

9

3

3

Other big city (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg)

17

11

8

14

23

28

24

11

Small city

26

25

25

27

24

23

29

37

Rural area

12

11

10

11

17

9

16

3

Abroad

9

5

15

13

10

3

10

19

Hard to tell

9

6

4

9

11

15

11

18

*Abbreviations

CFD - Central Federal District

NWFD - North-Western Federal District

SFD - Southern Federal District

PFD - Volga Federal District

UFD - Urals Federal District

SFD - Siberian Federal District

DFD - Far-Eastern Federal District

 

 

Where would you like your children to live?

 (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Education

Elementary, or lower, incomplete secondary education

 

Secondary (school, technical college)

Secondary special (college)

Incomplete higher

 (not less than 3 years), higher

Moscow

16

6

14

18

24

Saint-Petersburg

9

5

8

10

11

Other big city (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg)

17

14

17

18

17

Small city

26

38

24

27

23

Rural area

12

25

16

9

7

Abroad

9

3

11

9

11

Hard to tell

9

10

11

9

7

Where would you like your children to live?

 (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Financial self-assessment

Very good, good

Average

Very bad, bad

Moscow

16

21

17

13

Saint-Petersburg

9

9

9

9

Other big city (except for Moscow and St. Petersburg)

17

19

18

15

Small city

26

27

25

27

Rural area

12

8

11

17

Abroad

9

10

9

10

Hard to tell

9

7

10

9

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,

the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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