An objective analysis of the relationship between quality of life and socio-economic characteristics in Kumasi, Ghana Michael Ayertey Nanor . Michael Poku-Boansi . Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2017 Abstract Increasing urbanisation and the growth of urban areas in cities in developing countries present major challenges for local governments, policy mak- ers and urban planners even though the phenomenon offers opportunities. Studies focusing on the quality of life (QoL) help in assessing objectively, urban condi- tions which inform urban policy and planning. Using Kumasi as a case study, this paper investigates the relationship between quality of life and socio-eco- nomic characteristics such as gender, age, marital status, educational background, household income and housing type. To this end, the paper uses data from 500 households to examine the relationship between urban dwellers socio-economic characteristics and quality of life index in Kumasi. Findings indicated that objective QoL varied considerably with some of the socio- economic variables (household income and housing type) in the study area and these variables contributed significantly to the objective quality of life in Kumasi. The paper concludes that there are six (6) dimension of quality of life in Kumasi. Keywords Quality of life Á Objective quality of life (O-QoL) Á Socio-economic variables Á Kumasi Introduction The major objective of any urban development policy is to make sure the living condition of the people improve. However, one question which always arises when the issue of improving quality of life (QoL) comes up is; how can quality of life be measured? The response to this question has essentially been found on the different ways urban planners and development experts measure welfare or wellbeing. The question, no matter how it is answered requires an objective answer if comparison in people’s quality of life is to be made (Gomes et al. 2010). The measurement of quality of life in urban areas has attracted a lot of attention from academics, urban planners, psycholo- gists, medical experts, sociologists and even the clergy. Currently, QoL is a central issue within different subject areas in academia and in a variety of scientific areas, generating a large amount of scientific publications. The study of QoL has occupied philosophers and thinkers since time immemorial. Plato questioned the nature underlying a good life both in individual and social terms in The Republic (360 BC) and Aristotle later on stated that happiness is the objective to be achieved by individuals throughout their lifetime (Michalos 2006). Even though Plato and M. A. Nanor (&) Á M. Poku-Boansi Á K. K. Adarkwa Department of Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana e-mail: man.nanor@gmail.com M. Poku-Boansi e-mail: pokuboansi@gmail.com K. K. Adarkwa e-mail: kwasiadarkwa@yahoo.com 123 GeoJournal DOI 10.1007/s10708-017-9795-6