Staff report
Bloomington, Ind. – July 27, 2023
The latest results from the fourth biennial city-wide survey were unveiled at the Bloomington City Council meeting on July 26, according to a press release from the City of Bloomington.
Conducted between March and April of this year, the scientific survey provided residents with the opportunity to share their feedback on various aspects of life in Bloomington. Mayor John Hamilton initiated these city-wide surveys in 2017 to foster public engagement, increase transparency, gauge public opinion, and collect data to aid in decision-making and resource allocation, according to the City of Bloomington.
The complete report of the 2023 community survey can be accessed here.
https://bloomington.in.gov/communitysurvey
According to Mayor John Hamilton, the data from the survey reveal a consistent perception of Bloomington’s excellent quality of life and its cherished aspects. Simultaneously, the data also shed light on the challenges that continue to demand attention. He emphasized that the survey data could be instrumental in identifying community needs and guiding the allocation of resources to address them effectively. Over the course of four cycles, the city has amassed a dataset. The Mayor expressed pride in the high regard residents have for the dedicated City employees.
The key findings of the 2023 survey are as follows:
- Bloomington residents continue to have a positive outlook on their quality of life.
- The overall educational opportunities available in Bloomington contribute significantly to the perceived quality of life.
- Homelessness remains a pressing challenge for the City.
- Some safety-related rankings have experienced a decline since 2021.
- Community engagement in Bloomington continues to be robust.
- Establishing city-wide high-speed internet access stands out as a top priority.
- Ratings for government performance have shown a decline since 2021; however, residents remain highly satisfied with the City’s staff.
- Local online news and media outlets are the primary sources of information for residents.
To gather the survey data, the City of Bloomington collaborated with the National Research Center (NRC) at Polco, which conducted the survey among a representative sample of 3,000 randomly selected households in March 2023. The response rate for this random sample survey was 13%, with 367 surveys completed. Additionally, the City publicized a non-scientific open participation survey with identical questions, open to all Bloomington residents. This supplementary survey received 557 responses, and its results were compiled separately for review.
