Resilience, proximity and the 15-minute City: A Case Study for Central Italy

This article develops a method for evaluating urban resilience by operationalizing the 15-Minute City concept. The methodology combines cluster analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to identify socio-demographic patterns and disparities in access to essential services and amenities across urban neighborhoods. By leveraging open-access and georeferenced data from OpenStreetMap (OSM), we compute density metrics for a wide range of services grouped into six key domains (Education, Healthcare, Public Transport, Commerce, Living/Sport, and Entertainment). The analysis, applied to Ancona—a mid-sized city in Central Italy—maps the distribution of target groups (e.g., elderly, foreign residents) and classifies urban areas into four distinct clusters based on socio-demographic characteristics. These clusters are further evaluated to reveal significant spatial inequalities in access to services. Unlike most prior studies, our approach integrates socio-demographic data and systematically examines the functional diversity of neighborhoods. Additionally, statistical methods such as ANOVA provide robust evidence of spatial disparities across clusters, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Our findings confirm that peripheral neighborhoods are underserved compared to central areas, which benefit from a well-connected public transport network and a richer mix of essential services and amenities. The article concludes by discussing the implications for urban planning and the potential of data-driven policies to foster inclusive and resilient urban development.