Construction of urban livability evaluation index system by principal component analysis combined with entropy value method

Abstract

As cities become central hubs for human civilization and economic activities, enhancing urban livability is a critical challenge amid rapid global urbanization. This paper introduces a novel evaluation framework for urban livability, merging principal component analysis with the entropy value method. Focusing on economy, culture, ecological environment, infrastructure, and social welfare as critical dimensions, we develop and empirically test livability indices using Province M as a case study. Results reveal a significant cumulative variance contribution of 97.511% across the dimensions, with Province M’s livability score improving from 3.8 in 2015 to 4.7 in 2022, marking an overall increase of 0.8091. This research offers valuable insights into assessing and enhancing urban livability.