At the end of the twentieth century, sustainable development became a universally recognized goal for humanity, countries, regions, enterprises and the population, considering socio-economic and environmental processes in unity and interdependence. New interest in sustainable development is associated with the holding of the UN Conference on sustainable development (September 2015), which stressed the need to monitor progress towards sustainable development and the “green” economy, avoiding the absolutization of traditional macroeconomic indicators. The authorities and management bodies are obliged, according to the UN resolution and the UN targets, to develop strategies for sustainable development of territories for the period up to 2030, to implement the following basic standards of living: improving the quality of life of the population, eradicating poverty, creating a stable infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization and innovation, to build technological capacity, to ensure a healthy lifestyle by improving socio-demographic indicators, etc.

The paper deals with the actual problem of cognition of the sustainability of regional development with the use of traditional tools to assess the quality of life and additional complex indicators that reflect the effectiveness of governing bodies. The aim of the study is to develop methodological tools for assessing the welfare and quality of life of the population in the regions of the Russian Federation, allowing to know the real level of stability of regional development.

In accordance with the goal, the following tasks were solved:

– identification of features for traditional tools’ application to the assessment of well-being in the context of spatial heterogeneity and its modernization, which allows to reflect the real quality of life in the regions;

– to develop a comprehensive indicator of sustainable regional development from the standpoint of reproduction of the population in contrast to the priorities of reproduction of means of production in the field of material production, traditional for Russian economic theory;

– to improve the three-pronged concept of sustainable ecological, social and economic development by including in the integral indicator of the sustainability of regional development a block of data reflecting the political state of the region, which in modern conditions has a significant impact on the conditions and quality of life of the population;

– to develop a matrix of sustainable development management and assess the qualitative changes in the state of the economy of the region (Kurgan region) for 2006-2016.

The object of the study is the quality of life of the population, which adequately reflects the degree of stability of regional development in the context of the regions of the Russian Federation of the Ural Federal District.

The subject of the research are social relations (social, economic, demographic, environmental, etc.) arising from the organization and monitoring of the object of the study.

The aim of the study: to show the complexity and heterogeneity of inflation processes, which  break down into inflation processes of sectoral economies, to conduct a comparative analysis of prices using two-dimensional distributions, to show the difference between the inflationary component in the investment and construction sector of the economy from inflation indicators, used in everyday real estate valuation practice, to propose a method for calculating the level of inflation that appraisers could use independently, based on current market data.

The system and comparative analysis, method of analogies, the content analysis were used as methods of the research. The main attention is paid to the use of multidimensional statistical analysis, the use of the logarithmically normal distribution model as distributions that adequately reflect the asymmetric empirical distribution of prices and convenient from a computational point of view, and the conclusion of the calculation formulas derived from the corresponding hypothesis. The latest data, published by Rosstat on the dynamics of prices for different groups of goods, as well as data from one of the construction companies of Saint Petersburg were used as statistical materials. The study is divided into the following stages: calculation of the inflation rate for the product group, based on the hypothesis of jointly logarithmically normal distribution of prices of the reference group of goods in the base year and in the year of comparison, as well as the hypothesis of logarithmically normal distribution of the weights of the consumer basket, comparison of the result with the official data, then a similar calculation of the inflation rate in the evaluation of objects in the investment and construction sector of the economy.

Results: the authors propose a method of determining the rate of inflation in the evaluation of market value income approach based on statistical analysis of the market data. The method allows setting the estimated inflation rate, acceptable for the construction industry and the tasks of assessing the real estate income approach.

Conclusion: In the evaluation of the real estate, it is necessary to study more thoroughly the sectoral inflation rates, since the forced use in the evaluation of the real estate data on inflation in the consumer sector is not always correct. General questions of the inflation rate estimation and deflator coefficients by the market data based on two-dimensional distributions of random variables are raised. Modern methods of big data processing, technical capabilities, a large number of software products on the market, the prospects of the digital economy pose the task of creating extensive and accessible to appraisers and analysts databases, equipped with analytical tools. The goal is difficult, because the carriers of reliable information (such as retail chains, for example) often avoid publicity. In this regard, there is a task to coordinate the efforts of the scientific community and business to solve common modern problems and challenges.

The paper presents the results of the study, which was aimed at comparative statistical analysis of the main indicators of poverty of different socio-demographic groups of the population to identify patterns and characteristics of poverty in Russia.

The information base of the study was the data of the Federal State Statistics Service, in particular the materials of the statistical Bulletin "Socio-economic indicators of poverty in 2013–2016".

The statistical poverty assessment, presented by the author is carried out within the framework of the absolute concept of poverty, taking into account its main criterion – the size of the subsistence minimum. Data from the sample household budget survey (HBS) in 2016 allowed for a subjective approach to poverty assessment and a study of opinions of the Russian people on their own financial situation. The use of statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service revealed the reduction of poverty by 2,1 times (from 29% to 13,5%) for the period from 2000 to 2016 and the excess of the average per capita income and average monthly wage of the subsistence minimum by more than 3,0 times. However, all this does not indicate the general welfare of the country's citizens. The directive-based subsistence minimum as a standard of consumption is highly underestimated and does not meet the most important needs of the modern man.

The results of the sociological survey of household budgets confirm the social stratification of society: more than 86% of Russians consider themselves poor. Based on the comparative characteristics of the poverty level in the regions of the Russian Federation, regions with the level of poverty below, at and above the average Russian level are identified. 63,5% of regions are characterized by the level of poverty that exceeds the average Russian level, which proves the severity of poverty and socio-economic inequality in the country.

The results of the study allowed determining the characteristics of poverty in Russia. First, the existence and social (children, youth, pensioners) and economic poverty of the working population (employees of the public sector). Second, interregional differences and high spatial differentiation of the level of poverty in the context of the regions of the Russian Federation.

To improve the efficiency of management of socio-economic systems at any level, it is necessary to conduct a permanent comprehensive analysis of the social well-being of the population. One of the directions of such research is the study of factors that determine the behavior of consumers. Forecasting consumer behavior plays a significant role in shaping economic policy. Therefore, the development and justification of means and methods of socially significant state regulation of consumption and consumer behavior of the population, taking into account its main components, is always relevant. The purpose of this work is to analyze the main macroeconomic indexes that identify the features of consumer behavior and the mood of the country's residents and subjective assessment of the economic situation with great certainty.

In order to study consumer behavior, the borrowed methods from different fields of knowledge – sociology, psychology and ecology are used, in addition to general scientific and analytical-prognostic ones. The most used in everyday practice are such methods of obtaining primary information as observation, experiment, focusing and survey.

Special indicators are used to predict consumer behavior in the world practice: consumer sentiment index, consumer expectations index, consumer confidence index. These indicators, called indexes of consumer optimism, represent leading economic indicators, which correct and clarify existing forecasts of the development of the economy. All these indicators are calculated based on data obtained by the method of mass survey of citizens. With apparent identity, these indexes are still different. The use of a set of special indicators for predicting consumer behavior allows a deeper and broader look at the problem under study. All indicators are calculated based on representative samples according to the methods tested in the world for a long time. The paper considers the specifics of these indicators in Russia and abroad, describes the methods of calculating the main indexes. The analysis of the dynamics of aggregate and partial indexes is based on the secondary analysis of Rosstat (Russian Federal State Statistics Service) and Levada Center data. This analysis showed that all indexes have negative values, which indicates the predominance of pessimistic attitudes during the study period. The results of surveys conducted in the 4th quarter of 2014–2017 show the prevalence of negative attitudes and expectations of the population during the study period. It is determined that the value of the consumer sentiment index is closest in value to the index of favorable conditions for large purchases; differences with other indicators of Rosstat are more significant. Since the 2nd quarter of 2016, there has been a tendency to increase all indicators.

The share of negative evaluation options has been declining since the second quarter of 2016, but the share of optimistic opinions has not changed. In general, the growth of consumer confidence is due to a decrease in the number of pessimistic respondents, not to an increase in consumer optimism. The obtained data allow us to quantify the processes of formation of consumer behavior and ultimately study the overall climate in the economy of the region and the country as a whole. Monitoring of consumer attitudes and expectations should be an information base for substantiating the content of social policy, for determining its main directions and performance criteria.

Living conditions refer to the main characteristics that determine the level and quality of life. Living conditions in Russia are differentiated according to the levels of family income, family structure, location of residence and other factors. The relevance of the study of living conditions in the context of urban and rural areas increases with the growing necessity of creating the basis for social development in our country (“State program of development of agricultural industry, and of raw material and foodstuff market for 2013–2020”, approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 14, 2012, No. 717). The analysis of factors that contribute to the change of population’s living conditions depending on the type of the settlement (a city, a rural area), significantly clarifies the tendencies of the economic and demographic processes that take place in Russia (for example, the reasons of the population migration from rural settlements into cities, the instability of agricultural production etc.).

The purpose of the study is to identify the most significant socio-economic factors that determine the changes of housing conditions of the urban and rural population of the region. The urban and rural households of the Orenburg region are the subject of research.

The materials and methods of the study. The information base of research includes the data of household budget survey, made by Orenburgstat. The information was detailed in the context of urban and rural areas in the period from 2003 to 2016. The authors comparatively analyzed the level and the structure of disposable household resources, consumer spending and other indicators that were relevant for rural and urban households of the Orenburg region. The authors gave a quantitative assessment of the impact of the structure of consumer spending and disposal resources of households and demographic factors on the level of provision of comfortable housing for urban and rural households. The choice of a modified statistical correlation coefficient was motivated by the fact that the initial data array consists of time series, some of which are non-stationary time series. The usage of a modified correlation coefficient allows the exclusion of the auto-correlation influence effects, therefore providing us with the objective estimate of the interrelationships in the dynamics.

The research results showed that the factors, determining the change in the level of comfortable household provision are different for the urban and rural population. For example, the rural households are not as heavily affected by the increase of utility fees (water, sewerage, gas, electricity) in the context of the growth of the comfortable housing provision. The improvement of living conditions of urban households in the Orenburg region is associated with the family structure change, increased life expectancy as well as with the increase in the proportion of houses in renting.

The conclusion. Taking into account the differentiated impact of factors on urban and rural households, the state must direct the efforts on social development of rural areas and on the improvement of rural population’s living conditions. This will allow the development of domestic agriculture and will reduce the demographic losses in rural areas that were caused by the urbanization and declined living standards.

Purpose of the study. The study of wages in the Russian Federation, the study of the influence of various factors on its magnitude is of particular relevance now in connection with the existence of a noticeable differentiation in the level of workers' wages. In the official statistics, differences in wages are manifested most clearly in the territorial aspect and in the context of the types of economic activity. The average wage in the economy is affected by changes in the structure of the employed – both within the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the types of economic activity. The purpose of this paper is to consider the methodology for analyzing the structural changes that affect wages in Russia, as well as in obtaining their quantitative assessment, based on government statistics.

Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, the index method is used, often used in the analysis of wages. Typically, the analysis of wages includes the construction of a system of variable wage indexes, constant composition and structural shifts. In this paper, we propose the index analysis methodology, adapted to identify the effect of changes in the structure of different territorial units on the average wage. Municipal entities, regions of the Russian Federation, federal districts and Russia in general act as territorial units. In addition, the methodology of index analysis of wages is considered, taking into account the structural factor by types of economic activity. A comprehensive analysis is presented, which makes it possible to assess structural changes in common – both in the distribution of territories and in the types of activity. The inclusion of factors is made depending on analytical purposes and the availability of statistical data. The calculations were performed, based on data from the Federal State Statistics Service. The proposed method makes it possible to consider more comprehensive the factor of wage differentiation.

Results. The application of the system of variable, constant composition and structural shifts revealed that when the employed were grouped by territories, economic activities, education level and social and professional groups, the most noticeable structural changes were observed in the distribution of the employed by territories and education. Due to changes in the wages of individual groups of workers, the average wage has changed most strongly due to distribution across territories and by professional groups. Based on the adapted methodology, calculations have been made that allow drawing conclusions about the structural changes of the employed in the economy and the impact of these changes on wages in Russia.

Conclusions. In the Russian Federation, there is a noticeable differentiation of wages by subjects and types of economic activity. A higher level of wages is observed in the Central and Far Eastern Federal Districts. The most highly paid are the activities in the financial sector and in mining. Multilevel index analysis makes it possible to identify the impact of changes in the structure of employees by subjects and types of economic activity. According to the results of the calculations, the changes in the average wage due to structural changes are significant.

Research purpose. One of the ways to improve the living conditions of Russians is the development of the mortgage market. The peculiarity of the mortgage market in Russia is that credit institutions, located in the Central Federal District provide more than 90% of the volume of mortgage loans in rubles, and resident individuals - borrowers from other federal districts, receive most of these loans. Thus, the Central Federal District is the center of attraction of borrowers and determines the main trends in the mortgage market. In addition, if still to consider that migration flows have the developed tendency in a section of federal districts, then there is a question of a possibility to create the gravitational model, the obtained mortgage loans borrowers of the explored federal districts in the center of attraction, this is the research purpose.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted, based on official state statistics - ROSSTAT and the Bank of Russia, using correlation regression analysis and adaptive prediction methods. Analysis of migration indicators by federal districts revealed the features that led to the construction of three gravitational models.

Results. The first gravitational model is suitable for borrowers of four federal districts:  Northwestern, Southern, Far Eastern and North-Caucasian regions. The second gravitational model is under the first type and is typical for the Volga Federal District, which has its own specifics. The third model, which determines the volume of mortgage loans in rubles, obtained by borrowers of the Siberian and Ural Federal Districts, for these districts the gravitational constant of the models turned out to be almost the same that is approximately equal to 11, which indicates the same situation, both on the mortgage market and migration sentiments. In the paper, based on the constructed gravitational models of the mortgage market of the Central Federal District, a forecast of the volume of mortgages was given received in both the context of federal districts and the entire Russian mortgage market for 2018, which required the construction of forecast models for migration indicators. The construction of gravitational models was carried out based on indicators, taken in dynamics up to 2016 inclusive. Therefore, comparing the forecast with its implementation in 2017, the quality of the forecast of the constructed models was evaluated, which showed good results.

Conclusion. In Central Federal District, more than a half of credit institutions - 52% are concentrated. They issue the main volume of all mortgage-housing loans in the country - 94%. The constructed gravitational models, considering the migration processes, give an answer to the question of the volumes of development of the primary mortgage market, and therefore allow assessing the risks and opportunities for the development of the secondary mortgage market.

According to modern studies in the field of didactics, the content of education, such as mathemati-cal, should be represented by two components of knowledge: information and methodological.

The purpose of current research is to identify the potential of mathematical modeling, as a general scientific method of cognition in the process of forming both components of the educational content for students of environmental training directions.

Materials and methods. The basis of the research, devoted to the study of the place and role of mathematical modeling in the training of future ecologists was the analysis of literature and the comprehension of experience of teaching mathematics for students of environmental training direc-tions in other Russian universities. Most of the presented models in the publications form knowledge, subjectively new only for the students. The paper is considering in detail the process of constructing by students new scientific knowledge on the basis of mathematical modeling, using methods of multivariate statistical analysis.

Results. The information component of the mathematical education content, which includes training in mathematical modeling for students-ecologists, is described. The paper gives an illustration of its methodological component formation on the example of the implementation of a group research project, including construction and analysis of graphical and analytical multiple regression models. Mathematical modeling was carried out on the basis of monitoring data of social-economic and medical-ecological indicators of the Kirov region for 2007-2016 together with students-ecologists of Vyatka State University. The procedure of scientifically based choice of factors in  the  model, their classification by the method of correlation pleiades, which allow effective analyzing both strong and weak correlation links, prevailing in the relationship between a person and the environment are described in detail. Mathematical modeling of the links between the health indicators of the population of the Kirov region and habitat factors was carried out using multiple correlation-regression analysis. The possible nonlinearity of the studied bonds is taken into account. The process of sequential selection of the best model of multiple regressions is presented, taking into account such criteria as determination coefficient, Zarembka test, standard regression error and approximation error.

Conclusion. The listed criteria are satisfied by linear, inverse, power and exponential models. Among them high-quality selection of the regression equation is ensured by an exponential model that has statistically significant parameters and allows interpretation from the ecological point of view.

Based on the analysis of the constructed mathematical models, some conclusions are formulated, which are of scientific and practical interest for residents of the Kirov region and consistent with the results of other researchers. In particular, it was found that the health status of the population of the region is more significantly influenced by social-economic factors of the environment in comparison with medical and environmental indicators.

The inclusion of mathematical modeling in the content of higher education of future ecologists promotes the formation of a scientific worldview, the applied and professional orientation of teach-ing mathematics, and the strengthening of motivation to study mathematical content. Participation of students at group research projects devoted to the application of mathematical modeling in the future professional activity ensures the implementation of interdisciplinary study, mastering the methods and logic of scientific research.