It is possible to develop indices of the richness of life in urban communities. A parallel technique to national income accounting can be used for analyzing the social choices made within a population. It is based upon the ways people spend their time. Improvements in income and social development are accompanied by increases in the amount of time spent in public activity. They are reflected also in an increase in the variety of life. Thus, the cumulative data on time allocations can be used to indicate whether the life of various sections of the population is getting richer, and the effectiveness of programs directed to modifying the social and physical environment can be tested.