Assessing Urban Vibrancy through Geolocated Tweets: A Case Study of Naples

Abstract Data volume, variety, and velocity from diverse sources have increased dramatically in recent years. Most of this big data is produced by web users: the so-called user-generated content (UGC). This data can include geographic information that users voluntarily provide via their devices’ location services. Twitter (now called X) is a primary source of geodata for social research. Through a case study, we aim to assess whether geolocated tweets can serve as a proxy for urban vibrancy and to analyze whether their spatial distribution is associated with the socioeconomic characterization of the urban fabric. Urban vibrancy, defined as the liveliness of an area with robust social, economic, and cultural engagement, is a key factor in quality of life. Vibrant areas offer a wider array of opportunities and services, as well as a stronger sense of community, enhancing the city’s attractiveness and livability. To meet these research objectives, a Python scraper was used to collect 100,000 geolocated tweets from the city of Naples between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2023. The geolocated tweets were analyzed alongside socioeconomic data from the 2021 census, income data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and datasets on leisure facilities and services in the area. Results indicate that geolocated tweets can effectively serve as a proxy for urban vibrancy. Clinical Trial Registration Not applicable.