For Immediate Release December 2, 2004

For More Information Contact: Rich Schneider, 317-278-4564 rcschnei@iupui.edu

Indianapolis Residents Rate Quality of Life in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis residents who participated in a quality of life survey conducted by IUPUI gave their health, lifestyle, and the city, as a whole, high marks.

Some residents raised concerns regarding downtown Indianapolis , and some residents reported they did not feel a sense of community with others in their neighborhood.

The survey was conducted over a six week period in September and October by a team of faculty and students from the School of Physical Education and Tourism Management's Department of Tourism, Conventions and Event Management.

The purpose of the survey was to begin the process of measuring the quality of life in Indianapolis, said Sotiris H. Avgoustis, associate professor and chair of the department.

Indianapolis residents at least 18 years of age were asked up to 35 questions, depending upon their responses. The survey included questions about a wide range of topics, including age, income, race, health, well-being, lifestyle, leisure activities, community and neighborhood, litter, graffiti, air pollution, empty buildings, traffic problems, public transportation, sporting facilities, cultural venues, historic venues, and shopping.

People were asked to complete the survey at four downtown locations:  City Market, White River State Park, Monument Circle, and near the Arts Garden.  The downtown locations were selected for the survey, because people from across the city converge at those sites, Avgoustis said.

According to Avgoustis, 760 useable surveys were tabulated from people who provided a good representation of the city's residents.

Among the survey's findings:

• 79 percent of respondents said the quality of their overall health was good to extremely good.
• 63 percent of respondents rated their quality of life in terms of how healthy it was as healthy or very healthy.
• 79 percent of respondents said they felt happy a good bit of the time or always.

Survey questions probed respondents about their sense of belonging to a community with others in their neighborhood. Those questions produced a split opinion, with 23 percent of respondents saying they did not feel a sense of community with others in their neighborhoods, 27 percent saying they didn't have an opinion, and 44 percent saying they agreed or strongly agreed that they felt a sense of community with their neighbors.

When asked if they believed it was important to feel a part of their community, 58 percent of the respondents said yes.

Asked why they felt that way, respondents cited several reasons, including they were to busy, they were focused on their jobs and families, or they had little in common with their neighbors.

Downtown Indianapolis during the day was viewed as safe by an overwhelming margin, 81 percent of respondents. But when the sun goes down, those feelings change.  Only 46 percent of respondents said downtown was a safe place to live, work, and socialize at night.

A majority of respondents also expressed other concerns about downtown, including trash or litter on the streets (52 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), graffiti (44 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), car theft (55 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), dangerous driving, including drunk driving and speeding (72 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), traffic problems (62 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), air pollution (53 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem), and insufficient green spaces (57 percent see this as somewhat of a problem to a big problem).

However, most respondents said Indianapolis, as a whole, was a clean and tidy city that was attractive looking with many attractions, cultural venues, and historical venues.

Over 60 percent of survey participants have lived in Indianapolis at least 10 years.

Avgoustis said he plans to share the findings of the survey in a town hall style meeting early next year. ###