Every year Swedish number-crunching agency Statistics Sweden (SCB) carries out its Citizen Survey (medborgarundersökning), where residents get to have their say on their towns. The answers are collected then compiled to produce a rating out of ten – the lower the rating, the less residents like living there. Here are the five worst municipalities in Sweden to live in as of autumn 2017, according to the folks who live there.
5. Bjuv (5.9/10)
A stone's throw from Helsingborg, and not too far from both Lund and Malmö, Bjuv in south-western Sweden is in a privileged location, and there's at least two things to do according to Tripadvisor (a castle and a farm respectively). Regardless, the locals aren't happy.
Some of the aspects of Bjuvian life they're critical of are the state of pedestrian and cycle paths as well as the roads, cultural offerings and the sport and exercise facilities available.
4. Svenljunga (5.9/10)
Svenljunga is a small municipality of around 10,000 people in south-western Sweden. But even though the rural settlement is only around 100 kilometres from Sweden's second city Gothenburg, residents feel it isn't well connected enough, saying transport links are one of the aspects it needs to improve most.
On top of that they complained about housing, as well as a lack of things to do in their free time, while 39 percent said they would discourage people from moving there.
3. Södertälje (5.9/10)
Most people from Stockholm will know nearby city Södertälje for at least two reasons: the popular Tom Tits Experiment science museum, and the popular Sydpoolen adventure pool. For the people who actually live in the area those are not enough of a novelty it seems, as only 22 percent said they'd strongly recommend friends and relatives move there.
Their biggest concerns are housing and safety, but they also rated the leisure options available as below average. Harsh?
Not enough to impress the Södertälje locals. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
2. Hörby (5.7/10)
Hörby in Skåne, southern Sweden has nine nature reserves filled with meadows and rivers, a nearby lake and a novelty football golf park – what more could you want?
More houses and a safer municipality, according to the locals, along with more employment opportunities and leisure facilities.
1. Flen (5.6/10)
Located just an hour by train from Stockholm and nestled among lakes and forest, Flen municipality in Södermanland County doesn't look as bad as its residents apparently feel it is if you only focus on the pretty buildings like royal palace Stenhammar castle.
But the lack of leisure activities and shops coupled with a difficulty in finding work within a reasonable distance means 44 percent of those who live there said they would discourage others from doing the same.
Stenhammar castle in Flen. Needs better cycle paths. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT
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