BILOXI — As bad as the economy has been, it doesn’t have much to do with the way people feel about the places where they live, according to a new study conducted in Biloxi and 25 other U.S. cities. 

Instead, the study commissioned by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation revealed that residents put far more value in other things when judging their communities. Chief among them are social offerings, how open or welcoming a community feels, and how eye-appealing it is. 

“While the pain of the recession is deep, other factors far outweigh economics when it comes to determining how emotionally attached people are to their communities,” said Warren Wright, managing partner of the Gallup polling organization. 

Results of “The Soul of the Community Study,” which was launched in 2008, were compiled by Gallup and released Monday by the Knight Foundation. Conclusions were gleaned from 15-minute telephone interviews by Gallup researchers with nearly 14,000 people in 26 cities.