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Purpose This paper explores how smart city (SC) environments are perceived by different generational and gender groups, focusing on self-rated health, environmental satisfaction and perceived safety. The aim is to determine whether SC frameworks deliver equitable well-being benefits across age and gender, highlighting the importance of intergenerational and gender-inclusive planning in smart urban design. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, survey-based study was conducted in Ljubljana, Slovenia, involving 473 residents who self-identified their living environment as an SC. Using ANOVA and post-hoc analyses, the study examines generational and gender differences in subjective evaluations of health, environmental factors (air quality, natural lighting, noise levels and green access) and safety. The conceptual framework integrates subjective well-being theory, environmental psychology and inclusive SC governance. Findings The results reveal statistically significant generational differences in well-being perceptions. A U-shaped pattern emerged, with middle-aged respondents reporting the lowest satisfaction, younger adults rating their health highest and older adults placing greater emphasis on environmental quality. Perceived safety was highest among middle-aged participants, likely reflecting family and housing responsibilities. Gender-based effects were modest, with significant interaction only for perceived age, suggesting that gender moderates some aspects of urban experience but does not systematically alter overall well-being outcomes. The findings indicate that technological innovation alone does not ensure well-being for all social groups, emphasizing the need for human-centred and inclusive SC design. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to a single urban context and a cross-sectional design, which constrains generalizability. Future longitudinal and comparative research should explore causal pathways linking age, gender, urban experience, and subjective well-being in diverse SC settings. Practical implications Results underscore the need for age- and gender-responsive, participatory and human-in-the-loop SC policies. Urban planners and policymakers should integrate generational and gender perspectives into design and governance, ensuring that environmental, health and safety measures address life-stage- and gender-specific needs to promote inclusiveness, equity and urban resilience. Social implications The study highlights that SCs risk reinforces social inequalities if generational differences are not addressed in planning and implementation. The unequal perception and access to smart infrastructures point to a generational digital divide and differences in environmental vulnerability. Promoting intergenerational equity through inclusive urban design, digital literacy programs and age-sensitive communication strategies is vital to ensure that SCs contribute to social cohesion, collective well-being and long-term urban. Originality/value This paper provides incremental empirical evidence to SC scholarship by applying a combined generational and gender lens to residents’ perceptions of health, environmental satisfaction and safety in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The novelty lies primarily in the empirical configuration and contextual application, focusing on self-identified SC residents and well-being–relevant environmental indicators, and in the practical implications for inclusive, human-centred smart urban planning rather than in proposing a fundamentally new conceptual framework.