Village Development and Welfare Enhancement: The Influence of Area Size, Population, and Village Fund Transfer: Evidence from Bangkalan, Indonesia

This study analyzes the influence of area, population, and village fund transfers on improving community welfare in Bangkalan Regency, Indonesia. Using regression analysis methods, data were collected from various sources, including government statistics and field surveys. The results show that village area has no significant effect on community welfare. In contrast, population has a negative effect, indicating challenges in the distribution of village fund benefits in villages with larger populations. However, village fund transfers are shown to have a significant positive effect on community welfare, indicating that increasing village fund allocations can improve infrastructure, basic services, and empower communities. This study emphasizes the importance of good management of village funds to achieve the goal of improving welfare. These findings are expected to be a reference for policymakers and practitioners in designing effective strategies to improve the welfare of rural communities. Recommendations for further research include exploring other variables, such as village management capacity, to provide a more comprehensive picture of the factors that influence welfare in rural areas.