# Urban health and living quality in Polish cities

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/urban-health-and-living-quality-in-polish-cities
> Updated: 2026-10-04T12:15:57.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

Recent reports have assessed various urban health and living quality metrics across Polish cities.

In September 2026, the fifth Healthy Cities Index highlighted successes in housing and urban space. Gliwice improved its national ranking for housing, while Siemianowice Śląskie ranked second in Poland for urban space, supported by high safety metrics and green space density.

By October 2026, focus shifted to air quality and mortality risks. Data from the European Environment Agency regarding exposure to fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone revealed significant disparities. While Koszalin recorded the best air quality among 68 surveyed Polish cities, Krakow was identified as having a high mortality risk. Overall, 21 Polish cities were ranked in the bottom 10th decile for air quality performance.

## Claims

- The EEA assessed air quality in 761 cities based on mortality risk from PM2.5, NO2, and ground-level ozone. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Koszalin had the best air quality among 68 Polish cities, ranking 283rd. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Krakow ranked 748th, among the lowest in the European ranking. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- 21 out of 68 Polish cities ranked in the bottom 10th decile for air quality. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Tallinn ranked 8th, while Warsaw ranked 697th in the European air quality assessment. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-04: European air quality ranking identifies high mortality risks in Polish cities

The European Environment Agency ranked 761 cities by air pollution mortality risk. Koszalin led Polish cities, while Krakow and Warsaw ranked poorly, with 21 Polish cities in the bottom 10th decile.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-air-quality-ranking-identifies-high-mortality-risks-in-polish-cities

### 2026-09-18: Polish cities rank highly in Healthy Cities Index

Polish cities Gliwice and Siemianowice Śląskie achieved second-place rankings in the Healthy Cities Index for housing and urban space, respectively.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-cities-rank-highly-in-healthy-cities-index

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Cite as: Urban health and living quality in Polish cities. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/urban-health-and-living-quality-in-polish-cities