Social Cohesion: Summary and Implications

We've measured Social Cohesion in six areas — general connection to others, connection across communities/social isolation, economic isolation, crime, geographic isolation and economic connection. Each chart or graph on these pages was assigned a rating based on how the Kansas City region compared to its peers or, in the case of indicators only available for the Kansas City area, on how favorably they reflected on the region. The ratings are shown in the chart below:

Average Rating: 1.22

One of the region's biggest issues is its relative lack of social cohesion across communities. Many are able to ignore this, because there is actually a high degree of social cohesion within their communities.

In fact, much of the region's population and household movement to new areas can be described as a search for a community with greater social cohesion. Unfortunately, this tends to result in communities more segregated by income, age and race.

Consequently, the Kansas City area has relatively high rates of poor minorities living in concentrated poverty, the breeding ground for violent crime. People of all races move away from such areas.

The ability to move to a better place has some positive consequences, for while racial segregation remains high in Kansas City relative to its peers, it nonetheless is declining. In addition, blacks have a relatively high homeownership rate here. But mobility, as the primary way people improve their quality of life, often leaves problems in its wake.

The isolation of concentrations of poor minorities in the urban cores of Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., complicates redevelopment efforts and requires the region to spend more on policing than elsewhere.

As people move farther and farther apart, their linkage to a common economy becomes less immediately clear. This makes it more difficult to achieve the region-wide consensus necessary to launch a significant strategic initiative aimed at increasing the region's economic competitiveness.

What can we do to improve as a region? Read our policy recommendations, and let us know what you think.

Next set of indicators: Strategic Decision Making Capacity
"Social Cohesion" main page | Indicators main page