The problem of assessing the standard of living in the context of the spatial development of the country

The problem of regional differentiation in living standards indicators is becoming especially relevant, the solution of which predetermines the strengthening of the integrity of the state, migration flows, and the capacity building of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The results of the study of regions show that the tools for collecting information should cover a wide range of indicators that increase the complexity of the assessment and describe the standard of living. The indicators traditionally used in social statistics – the Gini coefficient, reflecting the degree of income concentration, and the Theil index, which allows assessing the scale of interregional disparities taking into account the distribution of basic resources – do not fully reflect the multidimensionality of development. Along with data on average monthly per capita income and its distribution, the most important indicators are the level and structure of employment, the availability of basic social infrastructure (medical institutions, educational organizations, cultural and leisure facilities), housing provision, as well as demographic coefficients (birth rate, mortality, migration increase or decrease). Integral indices are required that take into account the significance of each factor, with a comparison of the shares of economic indicators (income, investment, employment) with socio-demographic indicators (access to medical and educational infrastructure, demographic trends).