As the Northland and the nation struggle to grow the economy, a new study suggests that the Duluth-Superior region can create jobs and income by improving perceptions of openness, social offerings and other “softer” community attributes.

The Soul of the Community study, a three-year survey of residents in the Duluth-Superior region and 25 other communities nationwide, was conducted by pollster Gallup Inc. for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and presented by the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, Knight’s local affiliate.

Survey results in Duluth-Superior and the other communities found that the “usual suspects”—jobs, the economy and feelings about public safety—surprisingly rank low when it comes to creating emotional bonds between people and where they live. Instead, perceptions about social offerings, a community’s degree of inclusiveness and an appreciation for a region’s physical beauty rank high in creating community attachment.

Importantly, regions with the highest levels of community attachment show the strongest rates of growth in local gross domestic product, the study found, suggesting that more work to improve community attachment can fuel further economic growth.

“This report shows what we have suspected all along: How residents feel about where they live and work affects a community’s economic health,” said Holly C. Sampson, president of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

“Just as employees who feel good about where they work are more productive and committed to the success of their companies, residents who feel connected to their communities contribute to stronger overall growth. And talented newcomers want to move there and bring businesses there.”

For nearly a decade, the Community Foundation has supported research that has found a connection between economic health and the creative economy, inclusivity and building an environment that is attractive to young adults.

Gallup’s 2010 survey of 403 residents in St. Louis, Douglas and Carlton Counties found that, as in other communities studied, three factors rank highest in creating community attachment:

•    Social offerings, including places for people to meet and a sense that neighbors care about each other
•    Openness, or how welcoming a community is to different kinds of people
•    Aesthetics, such as a region’s parks, green spaces and other physical offerings

Duluth-Superior area residents ranked their region near the top in perceptions of aesthetics among the nine smaller metropolitan areas studied. But residents were more negative about social offerings and perceptions of openness. The region ranked especially low in openness, with fewer residents saying Duluth-Superior is a good place for racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants and talented college graduates seeking work.

Improved perceptions in all three categories are the strongest drivers of economic growth, the study found. The report also suggested that amplifying perceptions of local K-12 and higher education offerings was an additional tool for improving growth.

“We clearly have much to be proud of in our region,” Sampson said, “but this report also shows we have work to do. By improving areas where we’re strong and focusing attention on areas that need improvement, we all can enjoy the benefits of a healthier economy.”

The Community Foundation invited more than 200 local civic, business and thought leaders to spend much of the day Wednesday discussing the report and proposing ideas to improve perceptions in the key areas.

Several leaders joined Sampson at a news conference to present the study with Katherine Loflin, a nationally recognized expert in social issues who analyzed the Gallup data for all 26 communities surveyed. The Knight Foundation selected the areas because the Knight brothers owned newspapers in the 26 communities through Knight Newspapers Inc. and Knight Ridder Inc. Knight Ridder was the longtime owner of the Duluth News Tribune.