What makes people satisfied with their Neighbourhoods? Exploring individual characteristics beyond sociodemographics in Scarborough, Ontario

Neighbourhood satisfaction is a key topic in urban planning due to its impact on well-being and inequality among urban dwellers. While determinants of neighbourhood satisfaction have been studied extensively, less is known about individual characteristics such as travel behaviour, political values, transport barriers, and aspirations, beyond traditional sociodemographics. Additionally, spatial modelling of neighbourhood satisfaction remains underexplored. This study utilizes the Scarborough Survey, a multidimensional dataset from Scarborough, Ontario, to investigate how travel behaviour, political values, transport barriers, and aspirations influence neighbourhood satisfaction. A spatial ordinal probit model was used, accounting for sociodemographics, subjective neighbourhood characteristics, and objective neighbourhood characteristics. Findings reveal significant impacts of these individual characteristics on neighbourhood satisfaction, with sociodemographics' effects mediated through these variables. Interestingly, no positive spatial autocorrelation was found for neighbourhood satisfaction after controlling for other factors, suggesting limited social bonds or interactions among neighbours in suburban areas. The results highlight opportunities for community events or local organizations to rebuild these connections and enhance satisfaction in suburban neighbourhoods. This work provides new insights into neighbourhood satisfaction and offers pathways for improving the living conditions of vulnerable suburban communities.