Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey Report - Walton Family

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Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey Report

Evaluation Unit December 2012

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Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction and Survey Overview ............................................................................................................. 11 Quality of Life in Northwest Arkansas ................................................................................................... 11 Defining and Measuring Quality of Life................................................................................................. 11 Survey Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Survey Administration and Content ........................................................................................................ 12 1.

General Perceptions about Overall Quality of Life......................................................................... 13 Foundation Investments .................................................................................................................. 13 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 17

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Foundation Investment Areas ......................................................................................................... 18 Amenities ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Investments ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 18 

Walton Arts Center ............................................................................................................. 19



Crystal Bridges.................................................................................................................... 20



Trails ................................................................................................................................... 21



Jones Center ........................................................................................................................ 22

Implications..................................................................................................................................... 23 NWA Education .................................................................................................................................. 24 Investments ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 24 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 26 Diversity Outreach .............................................................................................................................. 27 Investments ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 28 Environmental Programs .................................................................................................................... 29 Investments ..................................................................................................................................... 29 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 29 2

Implications..................................................................................................................................... 29 Economic Development and Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 29 Investments ..................................................................................................................................... 29 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 31 3.

Other Quality of Life Topics ........................................................................................................... 32 Crime and Safety................................................................................................................................. 32 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 33 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 33 Community Engagement .................................................................................................................... 34 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 35 Health .................................................................................................................................................. 35 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 35 Implications..................................................................................................................................... 35

Impact of Foundation Investments .......................................................................................................... 36 Limitations/Moving Forward .................................................................................................................. 36

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Executive Summary Quality of Life in Northwest Arkansas In the Home Region Focus Area, the Walton Family Foundation aims to measurably impact the quality of life for Northwest Arkansas residents through focused investments in five strategic areas: economic development and infrastructure, arts and natural amenities, education, diversity outreach, and environmental programs. The ultimate goal of influencing the quality of life for residents is to assist regional employers in their efforts to recruit and retain high-quality employees at all levels. WFF is in the midst of a five-year strategic plan, and family directed Foundation investments in Northwest Arkansas have totaled over $23.5 million1 to 36 organizations between January 2010 and August 2012.

Defining and Measuring Quality of Life A complete understanding of quality of life must include both quantitative and qualitative measures. While the Foundation has long tracked a number of quantitative quality of life indicators in the region related to economic prosperity – such as sales tax revenue, percent of residents with a bachelor’s degree, employment rates, and poverty levels – we have not previously collected related qualitative measures in a systematic way. The 2012 Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey, commissioned by the WFF Evaluation Unit in partnership with the Survey Research Laboratory (SRL) at Mississippi State University, is designed to fill that gap by gauging the extent to which residents are satisfied with life in the region and view Northwest Arkansas as “a great place to live.” Northwest Arkansas (NWA) was defined as Benton and Washington Counties for this survey, since this is the region that is the focus of the Foundation’s investments.

Survey Purpose and Method The 2012 Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey has two primary goals: 1) To evaluate the impact of Foundation giving in the Northwest Arkansas community, including establishment of baseline measurements to track changes over time; and 2) To inform strategic decisions about future grant making.

1

This figure excludes grants to CBMAA totaling $1.2B made in 2010.

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To accomplish these goals, residents were asked to provide their views on areas in which the Foundation invests directly and about areas commonly associated with quality of life in which the Foundation is not currently investing. SRL surveyed a representative sample of 815 residents in Benton and Washington Counties between the ages of 20 and 64. The 77 survey questions asked about overall perceptions of quality of life, resident perceptions in the five strategy areas in which the Foundation directly invests, and also topics that are commonly associated with life satisfaction but are not currently included in the strategic plan.

Key Findings: Overall Quality of Life In general, Northwest Arkansans are happy and think they have a high quality of life. Three questions focused on how happy residents were with life overall, how they would rate their quality of life, and whether they had a sense of pride in the way their community looks. Eighty percent or more of the residents answered favorably on these questions. Common themes about what most influences quality of life were jobs, income, and family. ES Figure 1: Resident Perceptions of Overall Quality of Life

94%

Happy with life overall

Rate quality of life as excellent or good

85%

83%

Have a sense of pride in the way my city looks

0%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100% % residents

These factors are in many ways outside of the influence of the Foundation; however, as discussed below, residents report satisfaction with aspects of life that the Foundation invests in (such as public education) and high levels of usage of amenities supported by Foundation investments (such as trails and the Walton Arts Center). The evidence below indicates that the Foundation is impacting positive perceptions of life in the region.

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Key Findings: WFF Family Directed Investment Areas Amenities WFF’s family directed amenity investments from January 2010 to August 2012 were $15.3 million2 to 11 organizations. Grantees include Crystal Bridges, the NWA Planning Commission (Razorback Greenway Trail), the Walton Arts Center, and the Jones Center. Amenities funded by the Foundation were used by between 40% and 63% of residents during the past 12 months. 

There was a positive relationship between visits and income for the Walton Arts Center, Crystal Bridges, and the trail network. This means that the usage rates increased with resident incomes—i.e. wealthier residents are more likely to use these amenities, even when the amenity is free.



However, the relationship between resident income levels and likelihood of usage was negative for the Jones Center; this finding is consistent with the intent of the Foundation’s grant to the Jones Center, which was to serve a lower income population.



Proximity also appeared to play a role in whether residents used a particular amenity. For example, Bentonville residents were more likely to visit Crystal Bridges, and Springdale residents were more likely to visit the Jones Center. However, all amenities were used by significant percentages of residents in all the metro areas.

ES Figure 2: Reported Amenity Usage Rates by Residents: High Levels of Amenity Usage Park Local trail Other cultural arts offering Crystal Bridges Jones Center WAC or AMP Other recreational center or fitness club Other museum or cultural institution Golf course WFF Investment Area

78% 63% 44% 42% 41% 40% 36% 25% 17% 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Includes some WFF investments

% of residents who accessed this amenity at least once in the past 12 months 2

This figure does not include the $1.3 billion invested in Crystal Bridges.

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The survey also asked residents about their desire for new amenities. The top three responses, which were noted by 60% or more of the sample, were: 1) outdoor amphitheater, 2) recreational facilities, and 3) mass transit. A desire for more performing arts venues was noted by approximately 60% of residents outside of Fayetteville. Education in Northwest Arkansas – Quality, Pre-K Affordability, and School Choice Foundation Home Region education grantees include the University of Arkansas Foundation (Razorback Writers3), Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Bentonville Child Care and Development Center, and 12 public charter schools. Overall, investments between January 2010 and August 2012 were $3.5 million in seven organizations. Overall, 68% to 77% of respondents perceived the quality of elementary school through higher education to be of good or very good quality. However, only 52% perceived Pre-K offerings in the region as high quality, and only 21% believed Pre-K to be affordable. ES Figure 3: Resident Perceptions of Educational Quality and Pre-K Affordability in NWA: Relatively High Satisfaction Rates, with the Exception of Pre-K4

77%

Higher Education

72%

Elementary schools

71%

High Schools

68%

Junior High/middle schools 52%

Quality of Daycare Services Affordability of Daycare Services is good or very good

21% 0%

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

% residents

In addition, 50% of residents thought more school choice would improve their community, 26% neither strongly agreed nor disagreed, and 21% disagreed or strongly disagreed (4% had no opinion or refused to answer)5. 3

Razorback Writers is a literacy project designed to provide tutoring to students in middle and junior high school. Residents could select a “does not apply option” on the question of quality schools. The number of respondents on the school quality questions and Pre-K affordability ranged from 517 to 711. 4

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Diversity Outreach Grantees include the Hispanic Women’s Organization, Credit Counseling of Arkansas, the ALPFA Institute, and the Literacy Council of Benton County. From January 2010 through August 2012, the Foundation invested $1.5 million in nine organizations. People overwhelmingly reported feeling accepted by the local community, regardless of race and ethnicity, which may indicate low racial and ethnic tensions. The only group reporting feeling a lack of acceptance in the community was lower income residents. In addition, 60% of respondents said that different lifestyles and cultures make Northwest Arkansas a better place to live; these respondents tended to be people who have lived in Northwest Arkansas for fewer than 30 years. Environmental Programs Key environment investments made by the Foundation include the Beaver Watershed Alliance, Illinois River Watershed Partnership, Northwest Arkansas Land Trust, and the Watershed Conservation Resource Center. WFF investments in eight organizations totaled $800,000 over three years. Most respondents believe water quality is good or very good (68%), and most respondents (85%) believe water pollution is not a problem. In addition, 86% of respondents believe air pollution is not a problem. Economic Development and Infrastructure The Foundation’s two primary economic development and infrastructure grantees are Downtown Bentonville, Inc. and the Endeavor Foundation (supporting projects recommended by the NWA Council). Foundation investments to three organizations over three years totaled $2.4 million. 

A considerable majority of residents thought there was too much traffic on their way to work or school (70%) and when running errands (64%). Only 43% thought there was too much traffic in their neighborhoods.



Regarding the airport and flights o Only 49% of residents said that the airport provides adequate routes, 16% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 18% disagreed.

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Not all percentages will add to 100%. In some instances, this is due to rounding; in other cases, it is due to the fact that some survey participants refused to answer or answered that they “did not know”.

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o Only 43% said that flights were at convenient times, 16% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 12% disagreed. (Fayetteville residents were more likely to say that flights were at inconvenient times.) o Only 27% said that flights were affordable, 15% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 34% disagreed. (Higher income residents were more likely to say that flights were not affordable.) 

While 60% of residents expressed support for mass transit as a desired amenity, only 50% said that they would use public transit if it were frequent and widely available. Those who said that they would use mass transit tended to be younger, have a commute time of less than 30 minutes, and make less than $35,000 annually.

Key Findings: Other Quality of Life Areas Not Funded By WFF Crime and Safety Northwest Arkansas residents generally do not view crime as a problem, with over 95% reporting feeling safe at home, in the their neighborhoods, and in downtown areas during the day. This perception is consistent with the fact that Northwest Arkansas actually has relatively low crime rates. The only issue that residents cited as an issue was dangerous driving where 49%; younger residents (ages 20 to 29) in particular thought that this was a problem. Community Engagement Four of the community engagement measures in the Northwest Arkansas poll are identical to those in the General Social Survey, an annual survey conducted nationally by the University of Chicago. Northwest Arkansas was comparable to the national average in terms of volunteerism in charitable work and with religious organizations. The national averages were 37% and 34%, respectively, compared to Northwest Arkansas rates of 34% and 35%. Northwest Arkansas was statistically lower than the national average in terms of participating in voluntary activities outside of church and charitable work (24% compared to the national average of 37%) as well as activity in political activities (8% compared to the national average of 10%). Health Questions about health care reveal some concerns about access to care. While 72% of residents reported positive perceptions about the quality of care they receive from their local doctors and 64% reported that their health care providers could see them when needed, that leaves nearly 30% of residents with concerns in these areas of quality and access. As a point of context, the ratio of residents to primary care physicians is lower than the ratio in peer regions (1:960 compared to 1:596). These ratios appear consistent with the problem of access identified by residents.

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Additionally, there may be an issue of residents being underinsured. While the uninsured rate in Northwest Arkansas is about 20%, which is already one of the highest in the state, a greater percentage (31%) of the residents said they were not able to afford needed medical care.

Impact of WFF Investments and Survey Implications Perceptions about the overall quality of life in Northwest Arkansas are high. While top reasons are related to family and income, the Foundation is playing a key role in contributing to positive perceptions about life in the region. Foundation investments are affecting some of the issues residents have concerns about, such as the quality of Pre-K (through the grant to the Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center) and traffic during commute times (through the grant to support the work of the NWA Council). In addition, with high usage rates between 40% and 63%, the amenity investments made by the Foundation are truly valued by local residents.

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Introduction and Survey Overview Quality of Life in Northwest Arkansas In the Home Region Focus Area, the Walton Family Foundation aims to measurably impact the quality of life for Northwest Arkansas residents through focused investments in five strategic areas: amenities, education, diversity outreach, environmental programs, and economic development and infrastructure. The ultimate goal of influencing the quality of life for residents is to assist regional employers in their efforts to recruit and retain high quality associates at all levels. Defining and Measuring Quality of Life To measure quality of life for Northwest Arkansas residents, we must first define the concept. The definitions and the indicators used have varied considerably depending on the level of analysis (international, national, local) and available information. But, regardless of context, a complete understanding of quality of life must include both quantitative and qualitative measures. For example, in the international context, quality of life is largely operationalized through quantitative measures; these include health indicators such as infant mortality rates, economic indicators such as per capita GDP, and social indicators such as democratic engagement. However, such studies may also include qualitative measures of a population’s feelings about their well-being and life satisfaction, or happiness. While the Foundation has long tracked a number of quantitative quality of life indicators in the region related to economic prosperity, such as sales tax revenue, percent of residents with a bachelor’s degree, and poverty levels, we have not previously collected related qualitative measures in a systematic way. The 2012 Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey, commissioned by the WFF Evaluation Unit, is designed to fill that gap by gauging the extent to which residents view Northwest Arkansas as “a great place to live.” We have defined Northwest Arkansas (NWA) as Benton and Washington Counties for this survey, since this is the region that is the focus of the Foundation’s investments. Survey Purpose The 2012 Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey has two primary goals: 1) To evaluate the impact of Foundation giving in the Northwest Arkansas community, including establishment of baseline measurements to track changes over time; and 2) To inform strategic decisions about future grant making.

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To accomplish these goals, we asked residents to provide their views on areas in which the Foundation invests directly and about areas commonly associated with quality of life in which the Foundation is not currently investing. Survey Administration and Content In August 2012, the WFF Evaluation Unit partnered with the Mississippi State University Survey Research Laboratory (SRL) to administer a telephone survey to a representative sample of 815 working-age Benton and Washington County residents (ages 20-64). The survey script was developed in collaboration with Foundation staff and included 77 questions as follows: Table 1: Survey Content Category

Overall perceptions of quality of life

Number Sample Question of Questions 10 Overall, how would you rate your quality of life? Would you say… (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, Don’t Know)

Explore resident perceptions of their satisfaction in the five strategy areas in which the Foundation directly invests

36

Northwest Arkansas is becoming home for an increasing number of people with different lifestyles and cultures from different countries. How does this change Northwest Arkansas as a place to live? Would you say it makes it… (Much better, Better, Neither better nor worse, Worse, Much Worse, Don’t Know, Refused)

Probe topics commonly associated with life satisfaction that are not currently included in the strategic plan but are commonly used in domestic and international quality of life research

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Example: Have you voted in the past 12 months? (Yes, No)

With the exception of five questions that mirror questions asked in the General Social Survey conducted by the University of Chicago, the content of this survey is not directly comparable to other local or national quality of life surveys. These differences occur because: 1) it was important to include content specific to the Northwest Arkansas region; and 2) international quality of life surveys ask different questions or ask questions about similar themes in different ways that are helpful for international comparisons. Benchmarking these responses to other locations would require conducting additional surveys in select regions. 12

Both landline and cellphone users were contacted, and interviews lasted approximately eight minutes. The cooperation rate was 73%, and the Foundation was not explicitly identified unless the respondents asked.

Results The next three sections provide the results from the survey. They are organized as follows: 1. General perceptions about overall quality of life in Northwest Arkansas 2. Foundation investment areas o Arts and Natural Amenities o Education o Diversity Outreach o Environmental Programs o Economic Development and Infrastructure 3. Other quality of life topics o Crime and Safety o Community Engagement o Health Each section begins with an overview of Foundation investments related to the relevant survey results. Then survey results are presented in a variety of formats. Finally, each section concludes with a discussion of implications based on the findings.

1. General Perceptions about Overall Quality of Life Foundation Investments The Home Region Focus Area is in the midst of a five-year strategic plan (2010-2014) that outlines the strategies and initiatives covered in the quality of life survey. From January 2010 through August 2012, the Foundation invested $23.5 million6 in 36 organizations in Northwest Arkansas through the family directed budget administered by the Home Region Focus Area.

6

This figure does not include the $1.3 billion invested in Crystal Bridges.

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Results In general, Northwest Arkansans report being happy and think they have a high quality of life. Three questions focused on how happy residents were with life overall, how they would rate their quality of life, and whether they had a sense of pride in the way their community looks. Eighty percent or more of the residents answered favorably on these questions. Figure 1: Resident Perceptions of Overall Quality of Life

94%

Happy with life overall Rate quality of life as excellent or good

85%

Have a sense of pride in the way my city looks

83%

0%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100% % residents

The survey team also compared the responses of Northwest Arkansans with a national sample of participants in the General Social Survey conducted by University of Chicago; this national survey asked a similar question about happiness with life. Though the overall percentage point difference is small, Northwest Arkansans (94%) are happier on average as a group compared to the nation as a whole (91.5%). 

Key Quality of Life Drivers:

Common themes about what most influences quality of life were jobs, income, and family. Below is a comparison of responses between the most important influences on quality of life and reasons why people moved in the last five years. Table 2: Most Important Influences on Quality of Life Compared to Reasons for Moving to NWA Most important influences on quality of life (n=815 or 100% of the sample)

Why people moved to Northwest Arkansas in the last five years (n=148 or 18% of the sample)

Family, spouse, children (23%) Income, financial stability (12%) Work, career (12%) Health (10%)

Job, salary, career (55%) Friends and family (16%) Good place to live (8%) 14

The main forces driving quality of life for most people are outside the scope of Foundation investments. However, one of the top 3 reasons why people move here is that it is a “good place to live.” Residents also provided the following information on other quality of life questions: 4. Quality of Life Changes in the Past 12 Months: Only 16% of residents said that their quality of life had decreased in the past 12 months. 5. Not Enough Money to Meet Basic Needs: 25% said that they did not have enough money to meet their everyday needs. Table 4 compares this 25% of residents to the average of the population in the region overall on relevant characteristics. The figures indicate that the residents reporting having insufficient money have less education, are more likely to be unemployed, and have lower incomes. Table 3: Comparison of Characteristics Between Those Without Enough Money to Meet Daily Needs and the Population Average in the Region Of the 25 %

Region Overall

Have a bachelor’s degree

11%

27%

% Women

51%

50%

Unemployed

22%

6%

% White

83%

78%

<$20,000 annual HH income

52%

23%

Have children younger than 18

60%

Not available

6. Those Planning to Leave: When asked if they planned to leave Northwest Arkansas in the next five years, 76% said “no”. Of the 19% who said “yes”, the top three reasons identified for leaving were: 1) job, salary (37%); 2) friends and family live elsewhere (16%); and 3) quality of schools (15%). A comparison of the two groups on relevant characteristics is in Table 4 below. The figures indicate that people planning to stay tend to be older, have lived in the area longer, and have higher incomes. To provide additional context, net migration to Northwest Arkansas over the past three years was 9,392 people or an increase of 2%. 15

Table 4: Comparison of Characteristics of NWA Residents Planning to Leave in the Next 5 Years and Those Who Plan to Stay Those Who Plan to Stay (76%, n=615) 41

Average Age

Those Who Plan to Leave (19%, n=155) 34

Median Age

41

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Average Years Lived in NWA Median Years Lived in NWA Median HH Income Range % with a BA degree

21 20 $35,000-$50,000 27%

14 13 $25,000-$35,000 27%

The following two graphs provide some additional information about people who reported intending to stay and those intending to leave, based on more detailed information on their characteristics. The first graph (Figure 2) shows residents who are planning to leave by income bracket, with a drop in plans to leave among those making $100,000 to $150,000 and an increase in plans to leave for those making $150,000 to $200,000.

% respondents

Figure 2: Percent of Residents in Each Income Bracket Reporting Intent to Leave NWA 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

n=155

22%

35%

30%

32%

27% 21%

14%

24% 17%

11% 6%

HH income, in thousands

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The second graph (Figure 3) shows the percent of residents in each age bracket who anticipate leaving Northwest Arkansas in the next five years, with a downward trend until residents reach the ages of 55 to 64. Figure 3: Percent of Residents in Each Age Bracket Reporting Intent to Leave NWA 40% 35%

35%

% respondents

30% 23%

25%

20% 20% 15% 12% 10% 8%

5% 0% 20 to 24 n=155

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

age of respondents

Implications There are a number of clear patterns in how Northwest Arkansas residents view their quality of life and their intent to remain in the area or not. The most important factors driving quality of life, influencing decisions to move here, and influencing decisions about staying in the area vary in their order, but are consistently: 1) family and friends; and 2) salary/career prospects/financial stability. These factors are in many ways outside of the influence of WFF; however, residents report satisfaction with and high levels of usage of WFF investments (as reported in the following sections). Our overall interpretation of survey responses is that residents see the lifestyle in the area as appealing, and results in the following section suggest that this is, in part, due to Foundation investments in the five strategic areas, particularly in amenities. At the same time, it is also fair to say that there are likely other factors, such as low crime rates, smaller town feel, and good social ties that contribute as well.

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2. Foundation Investment Areas Amenities Investments The Foundation’s family directed amenity investments from January 2010 through August 2012 were $15.37 million in 11 organizations. Grantees include Crystal Bridges (CBMAA), the Northwest Arkansas Planning Commission (Razorback Greenway Trail), the Walton Arts Center (WAC), and the Jones Center. As Figure 4 below shows, between 40% and 63% of NWA residents reported using these amenities at least once in the past 12 months. Figure 4: Amenity Use in the Past 12 Months Park

78%

Local trail

63%

Other cultural arts offering

44%

Crystal Bridges

42%

Jones Center

41%

WAC or AMP

40%

Other recreational center or fitness club

36%

Other museum or cultural institution

25%

Golf course

17%

WFF Investment Area

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Includes some WFF investments

% of residents who accessed this amenity at least once in the past 12 months

Results In addition to reporting on residents’ overall rates of visitation and use of area amenities, the survey team also analyzed usage patterns of Foundation funded amenities by income, race, ethnicity, and metro area. There was a statistical difference in usage rates by income across all four amenity investments. As Figures 5, 7, and 8 show below, there was a positive relationship between visits and income for WAC, Crystal Bridges, and the trail network. The rate of usage for WAC, Crystal Bridges, and trails increased with resident incomes—i.e. wealthier residents are more likely to report 7

This figure does not include the $1.3 billion invested in Crystal Bridges.

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using these amenities. However, the relationship between resident income levels and likelihood of usage was negative for the Jones Center (Figure 9); this finding is consistent with the intent of the Foundation’s grant to the Jones Center, which was to serve a lower income population.  Walton Arts Center There was no difference in visitation rates for WAC by metro area, ethnicity, or race, but there was a statistically significant difference in visitation rates by resident income level. Wealthier residents were more likely to report attending performances.

% of residents

Figure 5: Relationship between Resident Income Level and Patronage Rate of the Walton Arts Center/AMP: Wealthier Residents More Likely to Attend WAC/AMP 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

HH Income, in thousands

Visited 1 or more times in the past 12 months

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 Crystal Bridges Similar to WAC attendance, wealthier residents were more likely to report visiting Crystal Bridges. However, there were also differences in attendance by resident education level (Figure 6), resident ethnicity, and resident geographic residence (Table 5). Of Hispanic residents, 30% reported having visited the museum compared to 43% of non-Hispanic residents.

% of residents who have visited at least once

Figure 6: Relationship between Resident Income Level and Rates of Crystal Bridges Visitation: More Educated Residents More Likely to Visit Crystal Bridges

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

63%

65%

46% 27%

HS Degree or Less

Some College

Bachelor's Degree

Advanced Degree

% of residents

Figure 7: Relationship between Resident Income Level and Crystal Bridges Visitation Rates: Wealthier Residents More Likely to Visit Crystal Bridges 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

HH Income, in thousands Visited 1 or more times in the past 12 months

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Table 5: Relationship NWA Residents Geographic Location and Crystal Bridges Visitation Rates: Residents who Live Closer to Crystal Bridges are More Likely to Visit and to Visit More Frequently Metro Area At least 1 visit > 3 visits Bentonville 54% 26% Rogers 50% 17% Springdale 41% 13% Fayetteville 30% 8%  Trails While wealthier residents were more likely to report using the local trail system, there were high rates of trail use reported among all income levels. There was also a difference in reported trail use based on metro area. Springdale residents were more likely to report using the trail system over 25 times in the past 12 months, and Hispanics (77%) were more likely to report using the trails than non-Hispanics (61%)

% of residents

Figure 8: Relationship between Trail Usage Rates and Resident Income Levels: High Rates of Trail Use at All Income Levels; Wealthier Residents More Likely to Use 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

HH Income, in thousands

Used the trail 1 or more times in the past 12 months

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Table 6: Frequent Resident Trail Usage Percentages by Locality: Residents in Springdale Most Likely to Use Trails Frequently

Springdale Rogers Fayetteville Bentonville

Used > 25 times 22% 15% 14% 12%

 Jones Center Consistent with the Jones Center’s mission, lower income residents are more likely to report using the center. In addition, Hispanics (45%) are more likely to report accessing the Jones Center compared to non-Hispanics (40%), and residents in Springdale are more likely to report accessing the center more than 3 times the past 12 months.

% of residents

Figure 9: Relationship between Resident Income Level and Jones Center Usage Rates: Lower Income Residents More Likely to Use Jones Center 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

HH Income, in thousands Visited 1 or more times in the past 12 months

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The next graph (Figure 10) shows the amenities most desired by residents. The top three desired amenities, chosen by at least 60% of the residents, were: 1) an outdoor amphitheater; 2) recreational facilities; and 3) mass transit. Additional performing arts theaters were desired by 57% to 62% of the residents in Bentonville, Springdale, and Rogers, compared to 39% of residents in Fayetteville, where the Walton Arts Center’s main performing spaces are currently located. Figure 10: Percent of Residents Who Would Like to See More of These Amenities 67%

Outdoor amphitheater

62%

Recreational facilities Mass transit

60%

Professional sports teams

53%

Trails/parks/greenspace

53%

Opportunities to view or learn more about art

52%

Performing Arts Theaters

52% 46%

Dance Restaurants Shopping Opera

39% 36% 31% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% % residents

Implications The high reported usage rates of Foundation amenities indicate that these amenities matter to residents across the region. In particular:   

Trails are used by 63% of residents. With 41% of residents taking advantage of the facility, Jones Center use is comparable to Crystal Bridges and the Walton Arts Center. The survey also confirms that the Jones Center is serving the population for which the Foundation’s grant was intended—lower-income residents and Hispanics. The Jones Center is widely used by all residents across the region. Not surprisingly, 56% of Springdale residents have used the Jones Center at least once in the past 12 months, but 41% of Fayetteville residents, 38% of Bentonville residents, and 31% of Rogers residents have also visited the center. 23

 

Resident income level does appear to affect visitation rates to amenities, even to Crystal Bridges and trails, which can be accessed for free. Proximity also appears to matter in terms of frequency of visits. For example, Bentonville residents are more likely to have visited Crystal Bridges three times or more, and Springdale residents are more likely to have visited the Jones Center three times or more.

NWA Education Investments Foundation Home Region education grantees include the University of Arkansas Foundation (Razorback Writers8), Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Bentonville Child Care and Development Center, and 12 public charter schools. Overall, investments between January 2010 and August 2012 were $3.5 million in seven organizations. Results Overall, 68% to 77% of respondents perceived the quality of elementary school through higher education to be of good or very good quality. However, only 52% perceived Pre-K offerings in the region as high quality, and only 21% believed Pre-K to be affordable. Figure 11: Respondent Perceptions of Local Schools, Including Pre-K Affordability9 77%

Higher Education

72%

Elementary schools

71%

High Schools

68%

Junior High/middle schools

52%

Quality of Daycare Services

21%

Affordability of Daycare Services…

0%

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

% respondents who thought schools were of good quality

8

Razorback Writers is a literacy project designed to provide tutoring to students in middle and junior high school. Residents could select a “does not apply option” on the question of quality schools. The number of respondents on the school quality questions and Pre-K affordability ranged from 517 to 711. 9

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This perception of quality schools in Northwest Arkansas is 15 to 20 percentage points higher than the 53% of residents in a statewide Arkansas poll who thought local schools were doing a good job (Tarrance Group, July 2012). As a point of comparison, surveys conducted in other K12 education reform investment sites showed less favorable perceptions of local schools among community residents. Figure 12: NWA Schools Have Higher Favorable Ratings Than Arkansas Schools and Other K-12 Investment Sites 70%

NWA

54%

Denver (OnMessage Inc.)

43%

Los Angeles (OnMessage Inc.)

53%

Arkansas Statewide (Tarrance Group)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

% residents who had favorable perceptions of local schools



Perceptions of Daycare

Fewer respondents (52%) thought daycare services were of good or very good quality, and an even lower percentage (21%) thought daycare services were affordable. Further analyses of the respondents who thought daycare services were not of high quality revealed no statistically significant differences by metro area, race, or ethnicity. As a point of reference, according to the statewide Better Beginnings rating system only 32% of daycares in Northwest Arkansas were rated high quality in 2012. There were differences among the respondents who thought that daycare was not affordable. Hispanic residents were more likely to believe services are affordable, and white residents were more likely to believe that services are not affordable. There were also differences in perception of affordability by metro area, ranging from 31% in Rogers who believed that daycare services are not affordable to 50% in Bentonville.

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

Perceptions of School Choice

50% of residents agreed or strongly agreed that having school options would be good for the community, and only 21% disagreed or strongly disagreed. An additional 26% said they neither agreed nor disagreed. In addition, the following groups tended to view choice more favorably: women, residents with kids in grades K-12, and residents with higher incomes. There was no statistical difference by race or ethnicity. Springdale (55%) had the highest percentage of residents who supported more school choice followed by Bentonville (51%), Fayetteville (49%), and Rogers (46%).

% residents

Figure 13: Percent of Residents Who Support School Choice 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

50% 26% 21%

Different K-12 options would be good for my community. Agree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Disagree

Implications The region’s residents widely view local schools as providing a high-quality education, with a few notable exceptions. First, a small percentage (between 3% to 6% depending on the question) of all residents saw school quality as a serious problem, which may influence their decisions to leave the region. Second, 50% of residents also thought more K-12 school choice options would benefit the community. A noteworthy concern of respondents was Pre-K, which only 52% thought was high quality and only 21% thought was affordable. Bentonville residents (50%), in particular, believed that Pre-K was not affordable. This perception reinforces the importance of the Foundation’s investment in quality Pre-K for the region, which has contributed to an increase in the percentage of daycare centers receiving quality ratings from Better Beginnings over the past three years (19% to 32%). 26

Diversity Outreach Investments Grantees include the Hispanic Women’s Organization, Credit Counseling of Arkansas, the ALPFA Institute, and the Literacy Council of Benton County. From January 2010 through August 2012, the Foundation invested $1.5 million in nine organizations. Results For the two primary questions that addressed this investment area: 1. 85% of residents said they felt accepted by people in the local community; there were no differences among ethnic or racial groups. 2. 60% of residents said different lifestyles and cultures and the region’s increasing diversity make Northwest Arkansas a better place to live.

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When residents were asked why diversity makes the region a better place to live, answers were almost equally divided among: “better sense of community”, “makes you appreciate different cultures”, “makes the region more vibrant and interesting”, and “good to learn about other cultures”. The top two reasons for why diversity makes the region a worse place to live, which was only asked of residents who held this belief (15% of 121 participants) were “not enough jobs” and “too many undocumented immigrants.” Figure 14: Perceptions of How Diversity Helps or Hurts NWA Why does diversity make NWA a better place? Better sense of community

18%

Makes you appreciate different cultures

17%

Makes the region more vibrant or… Good to learn about other cultures

Why does diversity make NWA a worse place to live?

Not enough jobs

2%

Too many undocumented immigrants

9%

18%

Other

17%

4%

0% 10% 20% % respondents

0% 10% 20% % respondents Total n=599

Implications People overwhelmingly reported feeling accepted by the local community, regardless of race and ethnicity, which may indicate low levels of racial and ethnic tension. The only group reporting feeling a lack of acceptance in the community was lower income residents. In addition, 60% of respondents said that different lifestyles and cultures make Northwest Arkansas a better place to live; these respondents tended to be people who have lived in Northwest Arkansas for fewer than 30 years. These data provide a fairly positive picture of the community’s perceptions of the region’s increasing diversity and establish good baselines to track over time. From an employee recruitment standpoint, the survey does not provide information about people who choose not to move to the region because of a lack of diversity.

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Environmental Programs Investments Key environment investments made by the Foundation include the Beaver Watershed Alliance, Illinois River Watershed Partnership, Northwest Arkansas Land Trust, and the Watershed Conservation Resource Center. WFF investments in 8 organizations totaled $800,000 over three years. Results Most residents believe water quality is good or very good (68%), and most residents (85%) believe water pollution is not a problem. In addition, 86% of residents believe air pollution is not a problem. Implications Water quality is currently not a concern for most residents, with 68% responding that water quality was high. The issue of nutrient reduction in the Illinois River Watershed is still primarily a municipal and corporate concern, as water users have not yet been financially affected. Public opinion on air quality is validated by comparisons to peer regions and national averages that show Northwest Arkansas had better air quality than 90% of the counties in the U.S. in 2012.10

Economic Development and Infrastructure Investments The Foundation’s two primary economic development and infrastructure grantees are Downtown Bentonville, Inc. and the Endeavor Foundation (NWA Council). Foundation investments over three years totaled $2.4 million and were given to 3 organizations. The survey questions primarily addressed infrastructure adequacy, including perceptions of traffic, mass transit, and the airport.

10

According to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a website dedicated to providing current health data at the county-level.

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Results

Traffic Residents thought there was too much traffic on their way to work or school (70%) and when running errands (64%). Only 43% thought there was too much traffic in their neighborhoods. These responses did not differ by metro area, with the exception of traffic in neighborhoods. Rogers and Bentonville had higher rates of neutrality on the question of neighborhood traffic than Fayetteville and Springdale. Figure 15: Residents Think There Is Too Much Traffic, Especially During Commutes

On way to work or school

70%

When running errands

In neighborhood

64%

43%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% % residents

Mass transit Mass transit was identified as a desired amenity by 60% of residents, with no difference among residents by income, race, or ethnicity. However, only 50% of residents said that they would use public transit if it were frequent and widely available. Residents who reported being more likely to use public transit tended to be younger, have a commute time less than 30 minutes, and make less than $35,000 annually. Despite the general favorability to mass transit, all metro areas had more residents who strongly disagreed than strongly agreed that they would use mass transit if it were available.

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Airport and Airlines In addition to traffic and mass transit, the survey also asked questions about the airport in terms of adequate routes, flights at convenient times, and flight affordability. Results show: o Only 49% of residents said that the airport provides adequate routes, 16% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 18% disagreed. o Only 43% said that flights were at convenient times, 16% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 12% disagreed. (Fayetteville residents were more likely to say that flights were at inconvenient times.) o Only 27% said that flights were affordable, 15% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 34% disagreed. (Higher income residents were more likely to say that flights were not affordable.) Figure 16: Minority of Residents Think Airport Provides Adequate, Convenient, and Affordable Flights

The airport provides adequate routes

49%

The airport provides flights at convenient times

43%

The airport provides affordable flights

27%

0%

10%

20% 30% 40% % residents

50%

60%

Implications Residents expressed concerns about traffic during daily commutes and affordability of flights to and from Northwest Arkansas. These traffic concerns support the Foundation’s investments in the work of organizations like the Northwest Arkansas Council, which advocated for the passage of the most recent highway funding initiative. This recently passed initiative will result in the widening of I-540 from four lanes to six lanes. In addition, among six peer regions identified by

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the Northwest Arkansas Council as economic competitors11 , Northwest Arkansas had the second greatest share of long commutes (between 45 and 84 minutes) ,which may contribute to concerns about traffic congestion.

3. Other Quality of Life Topics In this section we asked residents for their perceptions on three issues—Crime and Safety, Community Engagement, and Health—that are related to quality of life and are often included in similar surveys. These three areas are not currently the focus of any WFF grant making. We included these topics to see if there were any major issues not in the strategy that were important to residents and that the Foundation may wish to address.

Crime and Safety Safety questions explored how safe residents felt in different locations such as their home, their neighborhood, and their closest downtown metro area during the day and at night. The survey also included questions about types of crime activity such as graffiti and car theft and whether residents perceived these as significant problems in the community.

11

Regional Development Plan, NWA Council 2011

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Results Overall, over 80% of residents reported feeling safe in a variety of situations. Not surprisingly, men are more likely than women to feel safe walking alone in their neighborhood after dark or in a downtown area after dark, but there were no discrepancies by race, education, or metro area in any of these categories. The largest crime and safety problem identified by residents was related to dangerous driving. Forty-nine percent felt that dangerous driving was a problem. While there were no differences in response by gender, income, or ethnicity, there was a difference in responses by age group. Those ages 20-29 were more likely to see dangerous driving as a problem. Figure 17: Perceptions of Community Crime and Safety Feel safe in your home during the day

98%

Feel safe walking in the nearest downtown during the day

97%

Feel safe in your home after dark

97%

Feel safe walking alone in your neighborhood after dark

84%

Car theft has not been a problem

84%

Graffiti has not been a problem

80%

Feel safe in the nearest downtown after dark

79%

Vandalism has not been a problem

77%

People who make you feel unsafe because of behavior, attitude, or appearance have not been a problem

76%

Alcohol or drugs have not been a problem Dangerous driving is not a problem

62% 51% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% % residents

Implications NWA residents generally do not view crime as a problem, and this perception is consistent with the fact that Northwest Arkansas has relatively low crime rates. Specifically, Northwest Arkansas has less property and violent crime compared to peer regions identified by the Northwest Arkansas Council (312 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 residents compared to a peer region average of 507 per 100,000 residents). 33

Community Engagement Quality of life surveys typically measure social cohesion by asking questions related to civic engagement. In this survey, residents were asked about their level of volunteer work with charitable, political, and religious organizations, as well as whether they voted in the past 12 months. Results  Volunteer Work Four of the community engagement measures in the Northwest Arkansas poll are identical to those in the General Social Survey. As a point of comparison, Northwest Arkansas was comparable to the national average in terms of volunteerism in charitable work and with religious organizations. The national averages were 37% and 34%, respectively, compared to Northwest Arkansas’s rates of 34% and 35%. Northwest Arkansas was statistically lower than the national average in terms of participating in voluntary activities outside of church and charitable work (24% compared to the national average of 37%) as well as activity in political activities (8% compared to the national average of 10%). 

Voter Participation and Local Government Perception

The region’s voting rates (41%) within the past 12 months are higher than the national turnout in the federal election in 2010 (38%). The majority of residents (53%) also expressed confidence in local government decision-making.

Figure 18: Level of Community Engagement 34%

Voluntary activity in religious and church-related activities

35% 37% 34%

Voluntary activity in charitable activities

37%

Any other kind of voluntary activities (e.g. schools, advocacy orgs.)

24% 10% 8%

Voluntary activity in political activities 0%

National Sample from the General Social Survey (GSS) NWA Sample

10%

20%

30%

40%

% respondents

34

Implications Overall, community engagement in Northwest Arkansas is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, national averages. For example, the region’s voting rate (41%) exceeds the national rate (38%) by approximately three percentage points. The questions about community engagement provide a solid baseline for tracking responses over time.

Health Health was one of the major influences on respondent perceptions of quality of life. The quality of life survey included several questions related to perceptions of the quality of health care in the region as well as access to medical care. Results As noted in the graph below, 72% of residents believed they received high quality care from their local doctor, but 31% indicated that they were not able to afford needed medical care. Figure 19: Perceptions of Healthcare: Some Problems with Access and Affordability

High quality of care provided by local doctor

72%

Health care provider is able to see me when I need medical care

64%

High quality of care provided by my local hospital

62%

Good number of local opportunities to improve fitness and health

57%

Not able to afford needed medical care

31% 0%

50%

100%

% residents

Implications Questions about health care reveal some concerns about access to care. While 72% of residents reported positive perceptions about the quality of care they receive from their local doctors and 64% reported that their health care providers could see them when needed, that leaves nearly 30% of residents with concerns in these areas of quality and access. As a point of context, the ratio of residents to primary care physicians is lower than the ratio in peer regions (1:960 compared to 1:596). These ratios appear consistent with the problem of access identified by residents.

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Additionally, there may be an issue of residents being underinsured. While the uninsured rate in Northwest Arkansas is about 20%, which is already one of the highest in the state, a greater percentage (31%) of the residents said they were not able to afford needed medical care.

Conclusion Impact of Foundation Investments Perceptions about the overall quality of life in Northwest Arkansas are high. While top reasons are related to family and income, the Foundation is playing a key role in contributing to positive perceptions about life in the region. Foundation investments are helping to address some of the issues residents have concerns about, such as the quality of Pre-K and traffic during commute times. In addition, the amenity investments made by the Foundation have high usage rates, with between 40% and 63% of residents reporting visiting an amenity supported by the Foundation. Limitations/Moving Forward The Northwest Arkansas quality of life poll was designed to provide a broad overview of residents’ perceptions of quality of life in the region, with particular attention to the Foundation’s five investment strategies. In most cases, the results provide evidence that the Foundation’s strategic investments are making a difference and provide good baselines that can be used for future comparisons. For example, the Foundation has presumed that creating and improving access to regional amenities would help make the area a desirable place to live. The fact that residents are using Foundation-funded amenities at such high rates and are reporting such high levels of life satisfaction may indicate a relationship between the two. In other cases, the results point to problems that the Foundation has already identified. For example, the quality of Pre-K offerings matters to residents, and the Foundation has made some efforts to impact this concern through the support for the Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center. Other topics identified by residents as problems or areas of concern may be worth further study. For example, the survey identified some concerns related to affordability of flights. The survey does not indicate how residents interpreted affordability, what options are available, and what role philanthropy might play in addressing this problem.

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