Richard Florida and Andrew Small, The Atlantic; CityLab
Why quality of place matters
Publication date: December 2016
Ranking: useful
The article highlights two research studies. First a recent study that assessed 23 variables of the quality of place from cultural amenities to crime rates and housing costs. Also included were population diversity and university enrollment rates. The article notes from its American writer’s perspective, that the quality of the urban environment in smaller towns and places has often been overlooked.
A second study in Social Science & Medicine by Michael Hogan et al. looks at the connection between quality of place and happiness. It is based on a large-scale survey of 5000 people in 2007 of people between the ages of 25 and 85 in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, and Berlin. It noted quality of place mattered more to younger people. In the writer’s words:
“As the study notes, “the happiness of younger residents is a function of having easy access to cultural, shopping, transport, parks and sport amenities and the attractiveness of their cities.” Meanwhile, older residents’ happiness with their city correlated more with their feelings toward government performance on issues such as schools, healthcare, and safety.”
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