Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)


March 28, 2006 Tuesday

 

Survey says county residents satisfied with quality of life


Herman Wang

Staff Writer

 

Most residents of Hamilton County are "very satisfied" with their life in the Chattanooga area, a report released Monday by the Community Research Council found.

 

In a phone survey of 1,000 county residents last month, 57 percent said they are "very satisfied" and 34 percent said they are "somewhat satisfied." Five percent said they were "not too satisfied" and 3 percent said "not at all satisfied."

 

"I don’t think there are any big surprises here, but it’s important for decision-makers, both in and out of government, to know what residents are thinking about," said David Eichenthal, president and CEO of the council.

 

The survey was conducted by The Mellman Group as part of the Research Council’s State of Chattanooga Region report, to be released later this year. The survey has a 3.1 percent margin of error. The council is a Chattanooga-based nonprofit policy and research organization.

 

Eighty-six percent of respondents said "good quality of life" was either one of the most important factors or very important to create and attract jobs in Hamilton County.

 

J.Ed. Marsten, vice president of marketing and communication for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, said the area’s lifestyle factors significantly into the way the Chamber markets the region to business prospects looking to locate here.

 

"It’s always a question that’s asked of us, and we have a battery of information on the arts and leisure activities and other amenities Chattanooga has to offer," Mr. Marsten said. "We get a great deal of positive feedback as a result."

 

More than 75 percent of respondents also identified safety from crime, quality health care and hospitals, clean streets and neighborhoods, clean air, availability of jobs that pay a living wage and quality schools as "very important" factors that contribute to their quality of life.

 

E-mail Herman Wang at hwang@timesfreepress.com ON THE WEB More information about the State of Chattanooga Region Report can be found at the Community Research Council’s Web site at www.researchcouncil.net.