San Jose, Calif. - MSA
The information in our study covers the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., 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 San Jose area, openness (how welcoming the place is), aesthetics (an area's physical beauty and green spaces) and education (local colleges and universities and K-12 public schools) are the most important factors emotionally connecting residents to where they live.
All three factors were perceived as community strengths. In aesthetics, parks, playgrounds and trails were rated highest with respect to the area’s beauty. In regards to openness, residents see the area as most welcoming to immigrants and least welcoming for seniors. There was also a significant drop in perceived welcomeness to college graduates in 2009. In terms of education, colleges and universities were ranked much higher than K-12 public schools.
Meanwhile, social offerings, close to being a top-three factor important in tying residents to the area, needs improvement. Within social offerings, residents rated San Jose most highly for being a good place to make friends, while residents' care for each other remains the lowest-rated aspect. There was also a significant drop in the ratings of nightlife by San Jose area residents in 2009.
Not surprisingly, ratings for the local economy were down in 2009, however the economy is still not a key factor emotionally connecting residents to their community.
The people most likely to be emotionally connected to San Jose are older, retired, lower-education and higher-income residents – though there was a significant decrease in attachment for higher-income residents over the years of study. Those least likely to be connected are ages 55-64, divorced, non-employed (including students) and lower-income residents.
