Beyond the Score: Mapping Local Human Development in Poland with Scalar and Vector-Based Indices

Abstract This study investigates local human development dynamics in Poland by applying a dual-method approach that combines the classic scalar-based Local Human Development Index (LHDI) with a novel vector-based formulation using complex numbers and visual typogram representation. Drawing оn comparative county-level data from 2010 to 2023 and employing bivariate analysis, the research captures both the magnitude of development and internal structural shifts across three core dimensions: health, education, and welfare. While the overall LHDI shows no significant change over the study period, the analysis reveals important internal reconfigurations, including widening disparities in wealth and health. Notable trends include increases in the welfare and education sub-indices, contrasted by a statistically insignificant yet widespread decline in health, likely associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent systemic challenges within the healthcare sector. The novel vector-based method not only shows how much change has occurred but also elucidates how the composition оf development has evolved over time. The study identifies regions with stable, improving, оr stagnating trajectories in both overall LHDI and its component domains and highlights a pronounced urban-rural asymmetry in development patterns. The findings demonstrate that integrating scalar and vector-based methods may enhance both the analytical depth and policy relevance of local human development monitoring frameworks.