The relationship between generalized community satisfaction and residential social status

ABSTRACT. Three sets of suburbs in the metropolitan region of Adelaide, South Australia, differing widely in socioeconomic status, were compared with respect to the satisfaction residents felt with their suburb. Contrary to adaptation theory, in each of the four age groups, mean satisfaction, as assessed by the General Community Satisfaction Scale (Vreugdenhil & Rigby, 1986), was significantly greater for residents in the higher status suburbs. In addition, variability in community satisfaction tended to be greater in the lower status suburbs. Generally, occupational status and age of the residents were unrelated to community satisfaction; the exception was in the lowest status set in which the younger residents were significantly less satisfied with their suburb.