Bolzano tops Italy's 2026 quality-of-life ranking, Taranto last at 107th

The 2026 podium and biggest movers

The 28th edition of the quality-of-life survey, run by ItaliaOggi and Ital Communications with the Sapienza University of Rome, ranks Bolzano first. Milano drops to second and Bologna keeps third place. Bolzano climbs on the strength of its economic, environmental and tourism results. Taranto closes the national list at 107th, six places lower than in the previous year, with Crotone (106th) and Foggia (105th) just ahead of it. Caltanissetta leaves the bottom spot, rising three places to 104th.

The largest climb belongs to Belluno, up 29 places to 31st compared with 2025. Pordenone, Venezia, Ancona, Arezzo, Pistoia and Vibo Valentia each gained at least ten places. Rimini moves up six places to 6th. Several provinces fell sharply: Lucca lost 18 places, Cremona 16, Piacenza and Sassari 12 each, and Udine 10. Sassari slid into the group of provinces with insufficient quality of life. Monza e della Brianza, now 9th, is also listed among the provinces that declined.

North and South remain divided

Sixty of the 107 provinces are rated good or acceptable, the same number as last year, which the survey reads as stability at national level. The divide between the Centre-North and the South and islands remains clear. Isernia, at 67th, is the highest-ranked southern province, while Alessandria, at 72nd, is the lowest-ranked northern one. The survey points to significant pockets of social and personal distress, mostly in the Mezzogiorno. The North-East, with all 22 of its provinces in the top two quality bands, is described as the country's driving area.

Marche: Ascoli leads, Ancona gains ten places

Ascoli Piceno remains the top Marche province at 21st, although it fell six places from 15th in 2025. Ancona rose ten places, from 37th to 27th, the strongest annual gain in the region, and ranks first nationally for its health system. Macerata is 32nd, down from 30th, while Pesaro e Urbino fell from 35th to 42nd. Fermo climbed two places, from 48th to 46th. Ascoli is fifth in both education and safety, and Macerata is 16th for environment.

The survey's verdict on the region carries a warning as well as praise.

“Some weaknesses remain, above all on health, where strong territorial differences are recorded, and in income and wealth, where all Marche provinces rank beyond 40th.”

The region as a whole is described as offering a good level of quality of life, with the remaining challenge being narrower territorial gaps and better economic opportunities.

Ascoli Piceno21

Ancona27

Macerata32

Pesaro e Urbino42

Fermo46

Ascoli Piceno

21 rank

Ancona

27 rank

Macerata

32 rank

Pesaro e Urbino

42 rank

Fermo

46 rank

Data from the article text

Umbria holds a middle position

Perugia holds 40th place, the same as in 2025, while its education ranking stays at 10th. Its business and work ranking improved to 36th from 43rd, and its population ranking rose to 40th from 48th. Social security dropped sharply, from 61st to 73rd. Terni slipped three places to 48th. Its health system moved to 8th from 6th, but its social security ranking fell from 16th to 66th. Terni's population ranks 97th, the lowest of its nine dimensions.

The survey describes Umbria as holding an intermediate position, with good performance in some services but room to improve on social and demographic measures.

Perugia40

Terni48

Perugia

40 rank

Terni

48 rank

Data from the article text

How the survey works

The survey scores each province across nine dimensions: business and work, environment, education and training, population, crime and safety, income and wealth, social security, health system, and tourism, entertainment and culture. The 107 provinces are grouped into five clusters: Mediterraneo (28 provinces), Francigena (18), Padania (20), Adriatico (32) and Metropoli (9). The ranking is produced with the Sapienza University of Rome.