Northwest Arkansas Quality of Life Survey Report

Northwest Arkansas residents were recently asked to share their perceptions of satisfaction with life in the region. In the survey of over 1,000 residents in Benton and Washington counties, 95% reported being "very happy" or "fairly happy" with aspects of Northwest Arkansas life directly impacted by foundation investments in downtowns, cultural amenities, and the Razorback Regional Greenway trail system. The survey was commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation evaluation unit and was designed to gauge the extent to which residents are satisfied with life in the region and view Northwest Arkansas as a great place to live. The survey was first conducted in 2012 and then again in 2015 with the support of The Wolfgang Frese Survey Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University. The follow-up was conducted to determine if levels of satisfaction with the region's livability have changed over the past three years. Northwest Arkansas cultural amenities supported by foundation investments have seen positive shifts in usage since the 2012 survey. At Crystal Bridges alone, the number of residents who reported visiting the museum is up 21 percentage points. The increase in attendance at Crystal Bridges by Hispanic residents outpaces the overall attendance growth with an increase of 32 percentage points. The Walton Family Foundation's strategic focus on creating a regional sense of place is reflected in survey results with 69% of Northwest Arkansas residents reporting accessing trails in the last 12 months. Additionally, over one-third of residents reported an increase in visits to downtowns over the last year. The results of the quality of life survey will help the Walton Family Foundation and other regional organizations make strategic decisions moving forward. For example, residents expressed concern about the affordability of early childhood education and the need for more transportation options. These areas of concern present opportunities for the foundation as well as other entities that have a goal of improving quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. In addition to the initiatives backed by the foundation, there were other key learnings from the survey. A low crime rate, civic engagement and feelings of acceptance by the community were included as factors that lead to a happy life in Northwest Arkansas, and why people want to stay in the community