2023 Report on the state of the Municipality of Krakow
Krakow is safe and green, according to the latest report on the state of the city published and adopted by the City Council of Krakow by a vote of 22 in favor and 14 abstentions. The 2023 report considered the fifteen most important areas of management, reflecting the areas of the city's operations and the lives of its residents. It presents the outcome of the measures taken by the city, and expenditure on the implementation of strategies and plans aimed at developing the city.
Safety
In 2023, the level of public safety in Krakow remained very high. The crime detection rate was 68.6%, which is an improvement compared to the previous year. No less than 86.8% of residents found Krakow to be safe, while in 2022 this figure was 78.2%.
Green areas
Krakow is consistently extending its green infrastructure. The biologically active zone was 72.2% of the area of the city. Numerous mini parks and larger green areas were created, for instance Krakow’s Saski Garden, Fairy-Tale Garden, and Chess Garden. The year 2023 saw the completion of the Zakrzówek Park and Wisława Szymborska Park, and the renovation of the Wojciech Bednarski Park and the Alley of Roses.
Urban planning and architecture
At the end of 2023, Krakow had 256 local spatial development plans, which covered 78% of the city. There were 64 new plans underway to encompass a further 22.8% of the area of the city, and 12 new spatial development plans were adopted.
Demographics and health
Unfortunately, the natural increase rate dropped to -414 last year. Thus, the city’s in vitro program proved extremely relevant, aiding in 71 births in 2023.
Also, nine health policy programs were completed in 2023, and three new plans were adopted:
- better access to nursing and care services
- early detection of vision defects in children
- detection of hearing disorders in children.
Social assistance and integration
Social assistance was provided to 3.9% of residents in Krakow. There were nine care homes for the elderly and patients with chronic somatic disorders, five for patients with mental disorders, and 22 daily living centers for the elderly. The support was extended to include families with children with disabilities, and, for instance, took the form of the “N” Family Program and Krakow Family Card 3+. Work also began on planning the location and construction of 75+ Health Centers.
Teaching and education
In the school year 2023/2024, Krakow operated 431 schools and institutions of various types, and subsidized 500 institutions run by entities other than the Municipality. The total expenditure on general city investments amounted to PLN 11 million in 2023.
The city's subsidies for private nurseries and children's clubs also more than doubled. A new nursery was opened in the Piastów subdivision. There are plans to construct eleven more nurseries.
Housing
The number of residents waiting to be housed fell by 8.32% compared to the previous year, and tenant debt decreased from 13.7% to 12.6%. The technical condition of municipal buildings improved, and it now takes less time to complete repairs.
Transportation
In 2023, 39.5 km of new cycle paths, shared-use pedestrian and cycle paths, and flood barrier roads were opened. This extended the total length of dedicated bicycle infrastructure to 229.4 kilometers. More than one thousand bicycle racks were installed, and the LajkBike bicycle rental service, which offers one thousand single‑track vehicles, was launched.
Civil society
Non-governmental organizations helped to complete 513 public tasks and took on 282 tasks independently, while relying on subsidies. There were fifty public consultations with the participation of 346 NGOs. The tenth civic budget was finalized, and PLN 38 million allocated. Most proposals submitted by residents concerned green areas and environmental protection.
Entrepreneurship and science
The unemployment rate in 2023 fell by 0.4 percentage points compared to 2022, reaching 1.9%. The average workforce in the business sector was 242,700, which was an increase by 2.3% compared to the previous year. Krakow ranked highly in terms of investment attractiveness and business conditions. Universities in Krakow were rated highly in national and international rankings – the Jagiellonian University was ranked 293rd place in the QS World University Rankings.
Culture and preservation of national heritage
There were 28 cultural institutions overseen by the city of Krakow. The expenditure on culture in 2023 accounted for 4.8% of the city budget, which was PLN 369 per capita. Scholarships and awards of the City of Krakow were given to 267 artists. In 2023, seventeen investment projects were completed and fifteen continued, including the KL Plaszow Museum, modernization of the Nowa Huta Cultural Center, reconstruction of the KTO Theater, modernization of the Ludowy Theater and the Museum of Photography, and modernization of the Kijów and Agrafka movie theaters.
Tourism and promotion
The number of visitors to Krakow in 2023 was 12.18 million, up 45% from 2022. Estimated revenues from tourism in 2023 amounted to PLN 10.6 billion, an increase of 58%. On average, tourists stay for 2.4 days, and spend approximately PLN 550 per day.
Municipal economy
In 2023, Krakow began working on the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). More than PLN 90 million was spent on maintaining cleanliness and order.