Soul of the Community

The information in our study covers the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Fla., 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 Bradenton area, social offerings (fun places to gather), aesthetics (an area’s physical beauty and green spaces) and openness (how welcoming a place is) were the most important factors emotionally connecting residents to where they live.

Aesthetics, social offerings and education are perceived as community strengths. In particular, residents rated the area’s natural setting (although parks, playgrounds and parks were rated significantly higher in 2009) and local colleges and universities highly. The Bradenton area was rated significantly higher by residents in 2009 as a good place to make friends.

The area’s openness and basic services (community infrastructure) are seen as areas for improvement. While residents perception of welcomeness to seniors eclipsed all other groups thanks to a significant jump in 2009, Bradenton continues to be perceived by residents as being least welcoming to college grads. With regards to infrastructure, residents ranked healthcare highest and highways and affordable housing lowest (though affordable housing was rated significantly higher in 2009.)

In 2009, Bradenton saw a significant increase in residents’ passion and loyalty for their community. This improvement resulted in Bradenton having the highest emotional attachment of all communities studied in 2009. The increase was driven by a rise in ratings of the three key factors that tie residents to where they live - namely, social offerings, aesthetics and openness.

Not surprisingly, ratings of the local economy dropped significantly in 2009, however the economy still was not an important factor in determining residents’ emotional connection to place.

Residents who feel a strong emotional connection to the area are most likely older, long-term, retired and higher-educated residents. Those least likely to have a strong emotional connection are younger, single and non-employed (including students). Notably, however, there were significant jumps in passion and loyalty to the Bradenton area for many demographic groups, including higher-educated, higher-income and new residents.