Study: Race, socioeconomic status impact how GR residents rate city

Eighty percent of Grand Rapids residents say they would give the city a grade of ‘A’ or ‘B’ as a place to live, according to the results of a city-wide survey and study by the Johnson Center for Philanthropy. However, the new research show that differences in race, geography and socioeconomic status account for wide disparities in how respondents rank the city on many factors.

‘A’ ratings vary from 20 percent from residents of the city’s southwest side to 36 percent on the northeast side, and from 14 percent for Hispanic/Latino residents, to 17 percent of black residents, and 36 percent of white (non-Hispanic) residents.

These insights and many more are drawn from the 2014 VoiceGR survey that researchers at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy’s Community Research Institute (CRI) conducted last fall, seeking input from city residents  about the city, safety, work, health care, economy, ability to meet basic needs and more. 

The Johnson Center research indicates that while the city thrives as a whole, there is a critical need to address disparities between subgroups of the population. Results show that different demographic, geographic and socioeconomic groups have very different experiences within the same city.

Some key findings from the report include:

• 41 percent of survey respondents said they feel very safe in their neighborhood, and 31 percent said their neighborhood is very safe for children. 

• 76 percent of respondents said they can afford to meet their needs very or fairly well based on their current income, though this statistic ranges greatly by race and education level. 52 percent of Hispanic/Latino respondents said they can afford their needs, compared to 83 percent of Asian or Pacific Islander respondents. By education level, 53 percent of those with less than a high school education report being able to meet basic needs compared to 88 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. For those who can’t meet their basic needs, top concerns include: utilities (28 percent), food (21 percent), shelter (20 percent) and health care (17 percent).

• 42 percent of respondents report owning the place where they live, while 44 percent rent. Respondents with a high school diploma or GED are more than twice as likely to report having ever experienced homelessness as those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

• While 25 percent of VoiceGR respondents report not having a primary care physician (often called a “medical home”), breaking this down by race shows vast differences: 42 percent of Hispanic respondents, 32 percent of black respondents and only 19 percent of white respondents do not have a medical home. Similarly, 35 percent of those with a high school diploma or GED do not have a medical home compared to 18 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. 72 percent of respondents who earn less than double the poverty line do not have a medical home.

• 11 percent of respondents said racism is very much an issue in their community and 33 percent said it is somewhat of an issue. 33% report feeling discriminated against in the last year. 

• 27 percent of respondents said the economy and jobs should be the top area for improvement in their community. 24 percent said crime and public safety should be the top area for improvement and 23 percent said transportation.

Full results from the report are available online at VoiceGR.com