Soul of the Community

Findings by Community

How does your community compare to the 26 others we've studied? Use this interactive map to get a quick glance at how each of the communities fared in our surveys of residents in 2008 and 2009. The colors of the dots on the map reflect the community's ranking on the scale in the lower-left corner. By default, the map displays the average emotional attachment residents feel to the place. Use the menu at the top of the map to explore other ratings. Scroll below the map for more detailed descriptions of each parameter.

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Discover the soul of your community

Great schools, affordable health care and safe streets all help create strong communities. But is there something deeper that draws people to a city – that makes them want to put down roots and build a life?
This study explores a less tangible, yet more profound ingredient: a community’s soul. Conducted by Gallup in 26 cities and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the three-year effort measures the emotional factors that make people passionate about – and loyal to – their communities.
Explanation of map terms

Average emotional attachment to place: The overall community attachment score for all 26 Knight communities.

% of residents attached to community: The percentage of residents in a community identified by researchers as being attached to the community, according to their responses on our survey.

% of residents neutral toward community: The percentage of residents in a community identified by researchers as being neutral toward the community, according to their responses on our survey.

% of residents non-attached toward community: The percentage of residents in a community identified by researchers as not being attached to the community, according to their responses on our survey.

Average rating of basic services: Residents' average rating of their community's basic services - infrastructure supports, including highways, housing and health care.

Average rating of leadership: Residents' average rating of their community's leadership and whether elected officials represent residents’ interests.

Average rating of education: Residents' average rating of the quality of local K-12 schooling and local colleges and universities.

Average rating of safety: Residents' average rating of their community's local crime and safety conditions.

Average rating of aesthetics: Residents' average rating of their community's physical beauty and green spaces.

Average rating of economy: Residents' average rating of local economic and employment conditions.

Average rating of social offerings: Residents' average rating of their community's entertainment infrastructure for people to meet each other and how much residents care about each other.

Average rating of emotional well-being: Residents' average rating of their personal emotional wellness - the mixture of mental and physical well-being.

Average rating of civic involvement: Residents' average rating of their community's voting, volunteering, attending meetings, and working for change.

Average rating of openness: Residents' average rating of how welcoming their community is toward different groups of people.

Average rating of social capital: Residents' average rating of the personal connections residents in their community have to each other.

Average rating of quality-of-life: An average of residents' answers to questions about their quality-of-life.

% of residents with thriving quality-of-life: The percentage of residents in a community identified by researchers as "thriving," according to their responses on our survey.

% of residents with striving quality-of-life: The percentage of residents identified as "striving."

% of residents with struggling quality-of-life: The percentage of residents identified as "struggling."

Soul of the Community

Findings by Community

Discover the soul of your community

Explanation of map terms