Four Dimensions of Quality of Life
Measuring the quality of life components in a neighborhood is a very complex assignment. In
communities such as Chesapeake where neighborhoods are diverse and continually changing, the
task is made even more difficult. Because individual Neighborhood Statistical Areas (NSAs)
have such varied circumstances, it is helpful to assess their strengths and weaknesses from a
variety of perspectives.
Recognizing that each community is unique, this study measures quality of life across a wide
array of variables. The factors used in the analysis were derived based on quality of life priorities
identified by local stakeholders. They ranged from social measures of community health to
environmental quality criteria. Within this diverse set of information, the common element is
how an individual variable impacts the quality of life in Chesapeake. The importance attached to
a variable will vary based upon community attitudes and interests. Ultimately, one use of this
study will be to allow City staff and neighborhood residents to identify the relative importance of
a key variable or set of variables to improving the livability of a Chesapeake neighborhood.
The 26 variables used in the analysis were organized across four areas. These are social, crime,
physical and economic dimensions. This grouping scheme puts together variables that are related
and work together in affecting neighborhood-scale quality of life. Often times, these factors are
interrelated. Thus, separating the effects of a particular factor from other factors may be difficult.
Consequently, the combining of similar variables into dimensions helps to mitigate this
measurement problem. Table 2 lists the variables and their associated dimension. The following
sections provide additional detail on each dimension, including a map of the High Priority NSAs
for each.
November 2014
27
