Biloxi, Miss. - MSA
The information in our study covers the Gulfport-Biloxi, M.S., Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In each community, the Soul of the Community Study identified factors that emotionally bond residents to where they live. Some of these community characteristics were rated highly by residents, and are therefore community strengths while others were rated lower, making them opportunities for improvement. This information can provide communities a roadmap for increasing residents’ emotional attachment to where they live, which the study found has a significant relationship to economic vitality.
In the Biloxi area, social offerings (fun places to gather), openness (how welcoming a place is) and aesthetics (an area’s physical beauty and green spaces) are the most important factors emotionally connecting residents to where they live.
Social offerings and education are perceived as strengths. In particular, resident said Biloxi was a good place to make friends and meet people, however there was a significant drop in the perception of residents caring about each other in 2009, making it the lowest-rated aspect of social offerings. K-12 public schools continue to be rated slightly higher than local colleges and universities.
Openness and aesthetics are seen as areas needing improvement – even though ratings of the area’s natural setting were significantly higher in 2009. In terms of openness, the area continued to be rated as most welcoming for seniors, least for college grads, and saw a significant drop in being welcoming to immigrants in 2009.
Not surprisingly, ratings of the local economy are down in 2009, however the economy is still not a key factor affecting residents’ connection to place. Perception of aesthetics were up significantly in 2009.
Residents most likely to be emotionally attached to the Biloxi area are older, long-term, home owning and less educated residents. Those least likely to be emotionally attached are younger, married or divorced, full-time employed and highest income residents.
