Ocena poziomu rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego miast w Regionie Wschodnim

The article presents an assessment of the level of social and economic development of all 153 towns and cities of the Eastern Region in the years 2005 and 2009. It also determines the changes in ranking of the towns and cities within the researched area according to classes of social and economic development. The research took into account 42 variables, analysed as a whole and within three research areas: social resources, economic potential and living conditions. The analysis allows for conclusions concerning diversity of the levels of development among the towns and cities from the spatial perspective and enables planning of development of the towns and cities both within each province and for the entire Eastern Region.