Comparative Study of Welfare Indicators in Medan and Palembang as Sumatra's Metropolitan Cities

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of community welfare indicators between Medan City and Palembang City as two major metropolitan cities in Sumatra. This comparative descriptive study utilized the independent t-test method to examine differences in several indicators, including the level of community welfare, Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), number of poor population, average length of schooling, and average per capita expenditure. The data used were sourced from the Central Bureau of Statistics Indonesia. The results showed significant differences in the level of community welfare, GRDP, and length of schooling, which were higher in Medan City. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found in the number of poor population and per capita expenditure between Medan and Palembang. The disparity in indicator achievements between these two metropolitan cities is likely influenced by factors such as economic structure, investment, human resource quality, and local government policies. The implication is the need for evaluation and development of well-targeted policies to improve community welfare in Medan and Palembang City more evenly.