Last winter, the City of Marion contracted with Polco and the National Research Center, Inc. to conduct The National Community Survey™ (The NCS™). Approximately 2,700 households were invited to participate in the random sample survey.
The survey measures the overall livability of communities, taking into consideration the relationship between government entities, the private sector, community-based organizations and the residents of a geographic area.
For Marion, 92 percent of residents rated the community as an excellent or good place to live and 90 percent rated the overall quality of life positively. In the area of governance, overall customer service, value for services paid, confidence in city government and honesty all improved by more than 6 percentage points.
Marion’s ratings were compared to national benchmarks included from over 600 communities representing a wide geographic and population range. The results were also compared to a select subset of the database with similar characteristics to Marion; secondary cities (in a metro but not the primary city), similar in both population and annual household income.
Marion ranked well above the national and peer benchmarks with 92 percent of respondents indicating that Marion is an excellent or good place to raise children. K-12 education also ranked higher than both benchmarks at 89 percent, and 86 percent of residents positively rated the overall feeling of safety in Marion. Nine in 10 respondents would recommend living in Marion to someone who asked.
“These survey results reaffirm our status as the best place to raise a family and much of that has to do with the quality of life that we enjoy,” noted Marion Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly. “There’s still work to be done, but with a dedicated team and Marion’s collaborative nature we will continue on in a positive direction.”
In addition to the high marks for quality of life and a strong sense of safety in Marion, nine in 10 residents identified utility infrastructure as a priority. While several aspects of Marion’s economy showed improvement since the 2019 iteration of the survey, the economy continues to be a focus for residents. Health and wellness services received high ratings and mobility presents areas of opportunity for the City.
“Community feedback comes in many forms, and we appreciate all who took the time to participate in the National Community Survey,” said City Manager Ryan Waller. “The results are invaluable as we revisit our strategic plan and begin the fiscal year 2024 budget process. Having access to this data helps ensure we continue to fund projects, programs and initiatives that align with our community’s desires.”
The five-page survey was administered between December 2021 and February 2022 to a random sampling of 2,700 households. Five hundred forty-three responses were received, achieving a +/- 4 percent margin of error. The data was then weighted to reflect the demographic characteristics of the community. Toward the end of data collection, a web-based survey was available to all residents and 290 residents opted to complete the survey online.
View the full report of Marion's 2021 National Community Survey results. In addition, an online dashboard is also available.
This presentation was shared with Marion City Council on April 5, 2022. It highlights the areas that changed significantly, at least +/- 6 percentage points, since the last iteration of the survey in 2019.
Original source can be found here.
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