Study:

MIAMI – Sept. 29, 2009 – A Gallup study of 26 U.S. communities found that the worst economic crisis in decades is not a key factor in attracting and retaining residents.

“While the pain from the recession is deep, other factors far outweigh economics when it comes to determining how emotionally attached people are to their communities,” says Warren Wright, managing partner for Gallup, which conducted the study with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The study found that a community’s social offerings (fun places to gather), its physical beauty and openness to new and different people are most important to making residents love where they live.

“The findings are particularly important in a globalized economy, where cities are fighting for the talented workers they need for a vibrant workforce and economy,” says Paula Ellis, Knight Foundation’s vice president for strategic initiatives. “Local leaders, city officials and residents can use this information to better understand their community – and strengthen it to be a destination where people want to live, work and play.”

The “Soul of the Community” survey was designed to explore the connection between economic growth and residents’ emotional attachment to their community. The latest results, from year two of the three-year study, suggest a significant correlation between the two. While the current economic crisis doesn’t seem to change residents’ love for their community, it appears to work in the other direction: Residents’ positive feelings about their community may improve local GDP growth.

Within a smaller microcosm, such as a company, Gallup surveys show that increasing employees’ emotional connection to their company leads to improved financial performance for the organization.

In addition, the study also made several conclusions that will interest leaders concerned with keeping top workers:

• The cities studied wanted to keep recent college graduates and stem brain drain, and all considered it continuing challenge to do so.

• New residents are the least attached of any demographic group to their community – and were even less attached in 2009, as compared to the previous year

• Residents who are satisfied with their jobs usually have an emotional connection to their community.

In Tallahassee, for example, social offerings are the No. 1 driver of community attachment. Efforts to create cultural spaces where residents can meet and create a sense of place are particularly important to the Florida’s capital as it entices local college graduates to stay in the area, build a career and help diversify the local economy.

The nationwide communities in the study vary in population size, economic levels, and how urban or rural they are. Florida cities in the study include: Bradenton, Miami, Palm Beach, Fla. and Tallahassee.

Gallup randomly surveyed a representative sample of more than 10,000 adults from Feb. 17 to April 25, 2009, by phone.
 
For complete survey findings, visit www.soulofthecommunity.org.

© 2009 Florida Realtors®