Housing Conditions, Neighbourhood Area and Life Satisfaction in Older Age

This study contributes to the literature on environmental influences on individual life satisfaction in older age, by offering novel empirical evidence from Italy, a country marked by rapid population ageing, a difficult homeownership regime and pronounced territorial inequalities. We jointly investigate various aspects of the living environment, both the indoor characteristics of the housing—its stability, adequacy and affordability—and the outdoor features of the immediate neighbourhood environment—its liveability and accessibility. We offer evidence that housing adequacy, friendliness of the neighbourhood environment and accessibility to public services are the most relevant aspects for older Italians' life satisfaction. Nevertheless, various aspects of the living environment proved to be important, highlighting the importance of adopting a multidimensional and integrated approach. In addition, despite well-known North–South differences in Italy, we did not find substantial variations across Italian macro-areas in this link. Conversely, the city type of residence does appear to matter, underscoring the need to conduct territorial analyses at a finer spatial scale that surpasses the traditional North–South divide. By placing our analysis within the literature on environmental effects on ageing, this study provides empirical evidence that can inform policy about interventions to enhance housing and neighbourhood conditions for elderly individuals, promoting friendly communities and well-designed urban spaces to support active ageing.