Risks to Regional Living Standards: Concepts and Assessment

High living standards are the strategic goal pursued by all regions of the Russian Federation. However, the overall uncertainty, insecurity, and turbulence affect the quality of life of the population. This article provides a theoretical and methodological justification of various risks that deteriorate the living standards of the regional population. The authors traced the effect of various risks on the regional quality of life to clarify the concept of risk to living standards and classified these risks. The research yielded a methodology for assessing the risks to living standards that may affect the regional population in Russia. The method was tested on the data obtained for 2012–2022 in the Kemerovo Region. Some years saw a 20% total risk level, mostly associated with environmental risks. In the early 2023, the environmental risk was as high as 92%. Other risk areas included personal safety (23.5%) as well as social and labor status (20.5%). A detailed analysis revealed some factors that could raise or reduce various types of risk in the Kemerovo Region.