Territorial socioeconomic index

The IST is a relative index without units of measurement. There is a reference value of 100 for Catalonia and a value for each territorial unit in relation to the average for Catalonia. In terms of reading, it is necessary to understand that a municipality with an index of, for example, 103 is 3 points above the value for Catalonia as a whole (100) and is therefore more privileged than the territory as a whole from a socio-economic point of view. On the other hand, a municipality with an index value of 94, for example, will be understood as a value 6 points below that of Catalonia as a whole (100), and therefore less privileged from a socio-economic point of view.

The Territorial Socio-economic Index (IST) is a synthetic index for small areas, created by the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (IDESCAT), which combines in a single value different socio-economic characteristics of the population: Employed population, low skilled population, low educated population, young population without post-compulsory education, foreigners from low or middle income countries and average income per person.