The purpose of the community survey is to gather input from residents on City services and their priorities to inform decision-making and strategic investment. The survey data is compiled and analyzed by ETC Institute, one of the nation’s leading firms in the field of local governmental research. All individual responses to the survey remain confidential.
Community Survey Resources
Community Survey Dashboard
The Community Survey Dashboard facilitates easy access to the 2020 community survey results and shares information on resident perceptions and priorities. The survey data is compiled and analyzed by ETC Institute, one of the nation’s leading firms in the field of local governmental research. All individual responses to the survey remain confidential.
Learn more about other visualizations on the Transparency Hub.
Community Survey FAQs
What is the Community Survey and why is it important?
The City administers an anonymous community survey every two years to a statistically significant random sample of residents to better understand resident perceptions and priorities. The surveys are collected via mail, phone, and online. The purpose of the Community Survey is to help the City gather input from the community on a wide range of issues impacting the overall quality of life. The survey looks at City Services, as well as customer service, planning and innovation, and residents’ overall sense of health and well-being.
How are the community survey results shared? Can I see them?
The results from the community survey are shared on this web page and are also viewable on the City’s Open Data portal and the City’s Transparency Hub. The survey is managed by the City’s department of Innovation & Technology.
What is the City going to do in response to the Community Survey?
The City is eager to respond to the feedback residents identified in the survey. Based on benchmarks comparing resident satisfaction to peer cities in our region and cities nationwide, we need to improve.
As a first step, the City seeks to address issues identified with core city services and high resident priorities. For instance, residents identified streets quality as unsatisfactory and flagged streets infrastructure as a priority for further investment. In response, the City is starting a multi-year effort to improve streets and make streets quality equitable. You can read more at https://southbendin.gov/streetsplan. Survey responses will also influence future city planning and strategic spending. We anticipate that the survey will help shape the 2022 budget.
How many times has a community survey been conducted?
The City has conducted a statistically valid community survey twice, in 2018 and 2020. Results from all community surveys can be found on this page. Some important context to consider while reviewing the 2020 community survey results is that it was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may make these results difficult to compare with 2018 community survey results.
Is there benchmarking data available from other cities?
Yes. In the community survey results is benchmarking data from two data sources:
- National Benchmarks. A national survey that was administered by ETC to a random sample of more than 4,000 residents across the U.S.
- Regional Benchmarks. A survey administered by ETC to over 350 residents living in the Great Lakes Region (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan).