The authors consider information culture of society as a factor behind development of knowledge-based economy. On the basis of the World Bank methodology the authors apply a complex knowledge economy index to assess the state and development of the society of knowledge-based economy in the regions of the Russian Federation. The problems of development of the knowledge-based economy in the subjects of the Ural Federal District discovered in the course of analysis show the prioritized order of actions of the regional authorities aimed at strategic formation, development and improvement of the level of information culture of the regional population.