A novel method for tracking urban liveability over time: Case study from Melbourne, Australia (2016–2021)

• Introduces a new method to accurately track liveability over time • Liveability changes in Melbourne’s suburbs from 2016 to 2021 were examined • Most suburbs had little to no change, but some experienced significant improvements or declines in overall liveability • The new liveability index can support both research and practice in improving urban liveability Existing liveability indices are limited as they cannot be used to accurately monitor changes in liveability of a place over time. This study introduces a new method, the Adjusted Mazziotta-Pareto Index (AMPI) approach, to calculate the liveability index and accurately measure its changes. The liveability index was calculated for 403 suburbs in Melbourne, Australia, in 2016 and 2021. This index consisted of walkability components, social infrastructure, regular public transport, public open space, local employment opportunities, and housing affordability as the constituent indicators. By employing the AMPI approach, these indicators were normalised into a time-independent scale and aggregated by incorporating a penalty for any imbalances among them. This method provided a balanced assessment of liveability, which is comparable across multiple time points. Our analysis of within-suburb changes in liveability found that, while liveability in most suburbs remained stable over a five-year period, some outer suburbs of Melbourne exhibited considerable changes, primarily driven by changes in access to regular public transport and daily living destinations. Understanding changes in liveability has the potential to advance both research and policy practice on improving liveability. Future research could apply the AMPI-based liveability index to investigate to what extent neighbourhood liveability changes over time can influence residents’ health and wellbeing trajectories. Practitioners and policy makers can make evidence-informed decisions in identifying areas where investments are needed to improve liveability.