The state socioeconomic policy aimed at increasing the well-being of the population should be based on a scientific foundation and reasonable estimates. The article deals with topical issues of assessment and interregional comparisons of the level of population well-being. The study includes a review of scientific research on population well-being. The concept of the population well-being is defined as a measure of population's sufficient provision with material, social and spiritual benefits. A methodological approach to assessing the level of the population well-being in regions is proposed, indicators of living standards in different regions are compared. Calculations of the integral well-being index for the subjects of the Russian Federation are presented. The regions of the Ural Federal District were ranked according to the criteria of the Gini index. The analysis of the obtained results showed a significant differentiation of regions by the level of well-being, which indicates the socioeconomic polarization of the population living in different regions of the Ural Federal District. The findings adequately reflect the real situation in terms of well-being in the regions of the Ural Federal District and can be useful in developing measures of regional social policy and assessing its effectiveness.

Urban studies examine the development of industrial cities regarding the well-being of citizens, their needs and quality of life. Due to a new understanding of industrial cities as towns for people, the role and place of man in the urban space should be reconsidered. We developed a model for structuring the industrial city space based on a retrospective analysis of urban development. Further, we revealed the characteristics of shrinking cities and determined how the harmonisation of the urban environment influences the society. The interaction between physical and social spaces was analysed from the perspective of object- subject relations, enriching the understanding of the categories of place and entity (residential area, public space, etc.), as well as allowing citizens to deliberately transform their environment. Using content analysis, we confirmed that the harmonisation of the urban environment (physical space) stabilises social relations, since the population, government and business should reach a consensus to achieve the city’s goal and satisfy their own needs and interests. The results of the urban space analysis reveal the disparities between historical and modern buildings, natural and urbanised areas, industrial and residential city areas, etc., that should be eliminated. The directions of harmonisation of the urban space (revitalisation of industrial facilities and marginal areas, housing renovation) are proposed. We tested different approaches on the example of cities in the Chelyabinsk region by analysing their development stages, signs of decline, and urban characteristics. We are continuing to study the development of industrial cities. Public authorities and local governments can use the obtained results to elaborate urban development strategies, as well as implement the national projects «Housing and Urban Environment» and «Demography» at the regional and municipal levels.