Wichita, Kan. - MSA
The information in our study covers the Wichita, Kan., 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 Wichita area, social offerings (fun places to gather), openness (how welcoming the place is) and basic services (community infrastructure) are the most important factors in connecting residents to where they live.
Basic services and education continue to be community strengths. Health care was the highest-rated basic service, highways and freeways continue to be the lowest-rated basic service, with ratings significantly lower in 2009. Residents continue to rate colleges and universities higher than K-12 public schools.
Social offerings continues to be an area of needed improvement. So does openness, as the study found a significant drop in the perception of welcomeness to college grads in 2009, and aesthetics (particularly the natural setting).
Not surprisingly, ratings of the local economy were down significantly in 2009, however the economy is still not a key factor emotionally connecting residents to their community.
The Wichita area did see a significant drop in community attachment since last year. This isn’t due to any one factor, but is driven by declines in several key drivers for community attachment.
Residents who feel a strong emotional connection to the area are most likely to be older, long-term, retired, full-time employed, suburban-dwelling, higher-education and higher-income residents. Those least likely to have a strong emotional connection are younger, single, non-employed (including students), lower-education, renting and lower-income residents.
