The paper presents eight indicators of the main directions of regional development, their features and analysis of the relationship. A procedure for the formation of an integral indicator of the quality of life, based on the expert approach and simulation model, taking into account the correlation between the integral indicator and the indicators of the main directions. As a result of its testing, integrated indicators of quality of life according to 2015 and 2016 were built. The parameters of the model of the relationship of the integral indicator of the quality of life of the subjects of the Russian Federation with the characteristics of their level of development in the main areas are estimated. To check the set of indicators characterizing the direction of socio-economic development "quality of the population", the method of statistical grouping of indicators using minimal covering trees is applied.