Introduction
In recent years, the world has been burdened with numerous challenges. From the Covid pandemic to global conflicts and the resulting economic and social transformations; these factors have significantly impacted the rental real estate market and the real estate industry as a whole.
At Rentola, we strive to identify and examine these changes, presenting them in a user-friendly and accessible manner, often in the form of rankings. In our latest endeavor, we posed a hypothetical scenario: what if the world were to face a new epidemic that turns people into zombies? What if a war erupted between the living and the undead? And which provinces in Spain would offer the best chances of survival in such a situation?
We created 5 groups of data (Vulnerability, Hideouts, Supplies, Safety, Mobility), analyzed each of them, and found the best Spanish provinces based on the average of the 5 groups. So, if you're not lucky enough to live in the safest province in the event of a global zombie apocalypse, we encourage you to take advantage of our website to find suitable accommodations in the recommended areas!
5 groups of data
Each of the five categories contains a set of data points that are considered representative of that category. Each of these underlying data points was analyzed and indexed for each province, after which an average value was calculated. Below is an overview of the underlying data used for each category:
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Vulnerability
Indicators: Population density index, death rate index, disability index, long-term health conditions, etc.Certain places are simply created for epidemics and their rapid spread. Factors such as high population density, the influx of tourists, the prevalence of chronic diseases among the population, and even the disaster risk index, all play a role in determining which provinces are most susceptible to the onslaught of the undead. We took all of these factors into account to calculate the level of vulnerability for each province.
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Hideouts
Indicators: Appropriately sized housing index; total dwelling units, separate house, etc.Apocalypse doesn't solely involve astronauts flying on a heroic mission to destroy an asteroid heading toward Earth; it's more like a game of hide and seek. Therefore, it is important to find the best, most protected, or remote place to save your life. This index indicates the number of available hiding spots within a region.
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Supplies
Indicators: Agricultural commodities, agriculture, forestry and fishing index, accommodation and food service activities, etc.You'll need a lot of things: food, fuel, tools, weapons, clothing, medicine, and maybe even pet fish. So it is better to have all these stores conveniently located nearby, allowing you to quickly access and borrow these goods!
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Mobility
Indicators: Road safety, camper-vans, number of motor vehicles per household, etc.There might come a time when you have to embark on extensive journeys in search of survivors, provisions, or a better fate. Therefore, it is important that transport is your friend, and mobility is your best ally.
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Safety
Indicators: Crime index, number of people who serve in forces, etcRegarding weapons and tools for self-defense, we examined factors such as the abundance of firearms, specialized stores, and military installations. So now we know who is most likely to have a zombie roast!
Province Teruel is the safest place to be
According to our findings Teruel comes up on top in terms of being the city with the highest zombie resistance. But what makes this quiet province near Zaragoza and Valencia well poised to fight off a wave of zombies or avoid them appearing all together? Teruel achieved relatively high scores in all categories. And despite the fact that in the VULNERABILITY category it didn't get into the top ten because of the high level of migration and the relatively low level of medical care, it still has the highest average score of all. The relatively low VULNERABILITY index doesn’t change the fact that the province is quite highly rated in overall SAFETY (1st), HIDEOUTS (4th), and SUPPLIES (5th). So in case of a zombie threat, you will be well-hidden, protected, and equipped with everything you need
Stay away from Bizkaia and Illes balears
According to our research, Bizkaia is the most unsafe place to survive a zombie apocalypse, coming in 46th place in the HIDEOUTS category, and in last place (50th) in two other categories—MOBILITY and overall SAFETY. While Bizkaia is generally acknowledged as a secure and enjoyable place to reside during peaceful times, it would be highly unfavorable to remain in the region in the event of a zombie apocalypse!
As for the Balearic Islands, they ranked 46th in the VULNERABILITY and overall SAFETY categories, and 49th in the MOBILITY category. Contrary to popular belief that living on an island is an optimal choice during a hypothetical zombie apocalypse, a comprehensive examination of the matter consistently leads to the realization that an island can swiftly transform into a prison without viable escape options. So think twice before staying here!
Barcelona and Madrid miss the mark with low results
Barcelona and Madrid, ranking 45th and 47th respectively, are not high on our list due to a few reasons.
Firstly, these are the largest urban centers in Spain, with populations over 5 million. In densely populated areas like these, a zombie virus would spread rapidly due to the high population density.
Secondly, essential resources, especially food, would run out quickly in these locations. Barcelona, ranked 35th in the SUPPLIES category, indicating that food, water, and medicine would become scarce shortly after a zombie apocalypse begins. Madrid fares slightly better, ranking 11th in this category, suggesting a better stock of necessities and a higher chance of short-term survival, but the large population size is still a concern.
Most importantly, both provinces ranked poorly in the HIDEOUTS category, with Barcelona at 42nd and Madrid at the bottom, 50th. Finding suitable hiding places or secure shelters would be extremely challenging in these regions. So it is strongly advised to consider relocating at the first sign of an approaching disaster, in order to find a safe refuge!
Data/
Metho
dology
All data has been collected and processed from Instituto Nacional de Estadística. The latest data available has been used for each data source. Min-max normalization has been used to index the data sources in question. This method of indexing allows us to convert any kind of data to a value between 1-10, where 1 represents the lowest / worst value and 10 the highest / best value within the categories in question. This means that the higher a score an area achieves, the better it is relative to the others. To ensure a precise and representative result as possible, all provinces missing more than two data sources have been removed from the Quality Index.
