Best places to live in Czechia revealed: Prague is dethroned

The South Bohemian Region has been named the best place to live in the Czech Republic, according to this year’s Place for Living ranking by research agency Datank. The annual comparative survey, now in its 15th year, analyzes quality-of-life indicators across the country’s 14 regions using a combination of statistical data and public opinion.

The South Bohemian Region knocked Prague off the top spot for the first time in two years, with Hradec Králové and Zlín rounding out the top three. The rankings were presented on Tuesday in Prague.

Datank collected data in March from 23 official sources and conducted a public satisfaction survey with 1,600 respondents representing all Czech regions. The evaluation includes 88 criteria across eight categories: safety, leisure and tourism, civil society and tolerance, childcare and education, infrastructure, labor, health and social services, and environmental sustainability.

“The aim is to highlight which regions are making real progress in improving quality of life,” said research director David Pavlát.

South Bohemia scored highly in several areas, including traffic safety, number of social care beds, completed housing, and grammar school availability. “We want South Bohemia to be a region where the young generation sees its future,” said regional governor Martin Kuba.

The Hradec Králové Region ranked second due to a high number of pharmacies, low student-to-teacher ratios, strong healthcare capacity, and lower levels of waste production. Zlín came in third, leading in small class sizes, municipal waste reduction, and availability of primary arts education.

Meanwhile, the Ústí nad Labem and Karlovy Vary regions finished at the bottom of the list, swapping last year’s positions.

Prague, which previously held the top ranking, fell to seventh place. Despite economic advantages, the capital scored poorly in safety, with the highest crime rate and traffic accident levels. It also fared poorly on environmental criteria and housing affordability, and recorded the highest gender wage gap.

The researchers hope the rankings will inspire local governments, civil society, and businesses to improve residents' living conditions.