From United Press International:

A Gallup study of 26 U.S. communities released today has 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," said Warren Wright, managing partner for Gallup, which conducted the study with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

In fact, a community's social offerings, such as fun places to gather, its physical beauty and its openness to new and different people are the most important reasons residents love where they live, the study found.