målområden

Målområde (plural målområden) is a Swedish term that refers to a defined geographic area or sector that is the focus of a program, policy, project, or study. It designates the spatial scope or target of action and serves as the basis for planning and evaluation.

The word combines mål, meaning goal or target, with område, meaning area. The term emphasizes a specific region or zone where aims should be achieved or where interventions are concentrated.

In practice, målområden are used across various sectors. In urban planning and regional development, they designate zones targeted for interventions such as housing, infrastructure, safety improvements, or economic development. In public health and social services, målområden mark areas with higher needs or where services and resources should be prioritized. In research and evaluation, the term can refer to the unit of analysis or the geographic scope from which data are collected and compared.

Examples include municipalities identifying several målområden to drive urban renewal or social integration efforts, or education policy where districts within målområden receive targeted funding. Data and reporting are often organized at the målområde level to assess progress toward goals and to compare outcomes between areas.

See also: målgrupp (target group), geografisk avgränsning (geographic delimitation), regionalt utvecklingsområde, enhet för statistik.