Abu Dhabi's Quality of Life Survey results are in – and it's good news
Abu Dhabi residents are safe, happy – and just a little overworked.
That's the bottom line from the latest Abu Dhabi Quality of Life Survey, which has just dropped fresh stats from its fifth edition.
Run by the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD), the survey polled over 100,000 people from 190 nationalities across the emirate to check in on how everyone's really doing. Spoiler: pretty well.
Here's the breakdown: a whopping 93.6 percent of people say they feel safe walking alone at night (no surprise, since Abu Dhabi is still the world's safest city according to global indicators) and happiness is on the rise too – scoring 7.74 out of 10, up from 7.63 last time.
The survey taps into 14 juicy categories that shape daily life – from housing and health to digital happiness and work-life balance.
Here are some of the top takeaways:
Social support is strong: 75.6 percent of residents say they've got people they can count on.
Community spirit is buzzing: One in three people (34.3 percent, to be exact) are volunteering their time.
Digital life is smooth: Access to e-services is a breeze.
But tech has a downside: There are growing concerns over how screens are affecting mental health.
And working hours? Still long: Residents are clocking in more hours than the OECD average, so the work-life balance isn't quite there yet.
The good news? The Department of Community Development is listening. Shaikha Alhosani, executive director of the social monitoring and innovation sector at DCD, said: 'During the Year of Community, we continue to shape policies and develop programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for all community members and fulfilling their aspirations.
'Recently, we witnessed the opening of the 'Nabdh Al Falah Community hub,' which serves as a tangible example of transforming the 'Voice of the Community' into reality. In collaboration with all our partners, we are working to make it an integrated platform offering activities, programs, and events that target all segments of society.'
And with the sixth cycle of the survey already on the horizon, residents are being encouraged to keep sharing their thoughts so the capital can keep getting better. So if you've ever wanted to vote for fewer work hours and more beach days – now's your chance.
dcd.gov.ae.
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