Back to Goal 4From Measures and Milestones 2002
p. 22-23, published 2002
The work of building strong, healthy communities belongs to us all. Certainly, government alone cannot solve the myriad challenges we face. A vibrant civic life characterized by high levels of trust among citizens, some researchers conclude, may be the essential ingredient that enables economic development and broad prosperity. Our survey findings show that only about one third of Kentuckians believed in 2002 that we were “making progress” toward this important goal. However, the number who felt we were losing ground was considerably lower than just two years earlier.
Table 1: Where Citizens Think We Stand
In several polls conducted by the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center in 1996, 1998, and 2000, the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center asked Kentuckians if they had volunteered time for civic, community, charitable, nonprofit, or church-related activities during the previous 12 months. A majority of survey respondents replied that they had indeed participated in such activities. Nationally, 44 percent of the population volunteered with a formal organization in 2000.
Figure 1: Percent of Kentuckians Who Volunteer for Community Activities
The same surveys asked respondents if they had made donations to charitable organizations during the previous 12 months. The percentage of Kentuckians who indicate that they have given to charities has steadily increased since 1996 and compares favorably with national rates. In 2000, 89 percent of households reported making charitable contributions at an average of $1,620 annually.
Figure 2: Percent of Kentuckians Who Make Charitable Contributions
When they were asked if they usually trust other people or are wary of them, more than 50 percent of Kentuckians who responded to the same surveys in 1996, 1998, and 2000 indicated that they are more likely to trust others. As in past years, these represent substantially higher average trust levels than those found around the country. A 2000 survey by the National Opinion Research Center showed that only 35 percent of Americans say that “most people” can be trusted.
Figure 3: Percent Who Say They Can Usually Trust Others, Kentucky and the U.S.
We also find that Kentuckians tend to express high levels of pride in their communities, based on the results of these three surveys. These findings suggest that the public perception of a lack of progress of this goal may partly be attributable to the perception of already considerable community strength. Indeed, the percentages of those expressing pride remained quite high compared to those who said they felt no pride at all. Kentuckians, however, are not alone in expressing positive feelings about their communities. A nationwide survey by the Census Bureau in 1999 found that 94 percent of American households rated their neighborhood a 6 or higher on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best). Moreover, 25 percent of the sample rated their overall opinion of their neighborhood at 10—the highest possible rating.
Figure 4: Levels of Civic Pride in Kentucky
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