This study elaborates and pilots a method for assessing how linkages between urban and rural activities affect socio-economic development. For that purpose, an in-depth exploration of socio-economic variables at a micro-spatial scale (neighbourhood) was carried out to monitor the evolution of functional linkages around the private sector and employment, and how both influence sustainable welfare in the German case study region. Connections between share of commercial estate, level of purchasing power, demographic structure, unemployment rate and other variables are made visible with the microm database.