By Shannon Lukens.
The 2022 Community Survey for Steamboat Springs has been released. It’s 238 pages and can be found at www.SteamboatSprings.net/survey The response rate to the survey was 36%, which is 635 households. Key findings include:
- Steamboat Springs remains a desirable place to live, raise children, and retire.
- Community affordability and housing continue to be a concern and a priority for residents.
- Ratings for city government performance generally remain positive, though a few aspects have declined.
- Steamboat Springs residents highly value the natural environment and the outdoor recreational opportunities available to them, and rates of use have increased.
Here’s more from the City of Steamboat Springs; Nov. 29, 2022.
2022 Community Survey Results Report Published
Bi-Lingual Questionnaire Pinpoints Community Vision and Values
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-November 29, 2022-The results from the 2022 Community Survey which looked to determine the community’s attitudes about city services, policy, and priorities was published. The results from the 238-page report as well as the supplemental benchmark report can be found at steamboatsprings.net/survey.
“The survey results provide a snapshot as far as what the community thinks is going well, what can be improved and how they believe the city should proceed forward on various matters in coming years,” said Special Project/IGS Manager Winnie DelliQuadri.
This past fall, 2,000 households were randomly selected from a list of full-time registered voters within city limits to participate in the survey. There was a total of 635 survey respondents, yielding an overall response rate of 36%. The survey was available in English and Spanish.
Key findings from the 2022 data highlighted that:
- Steamboat Springs remains a desirable place to live, raise children, and retire.
- Community affordability and housing continue to be a concern and a priority for residents.
- Ratings for city government performance generally remain positive, though a few aspects have declined.
- Steamboat Springs residents highly value the natural environment and the outdoor recreational opportunities available to them, and rates of use have increased.
The city contracted with Polco/National Research Center (NRC) to implement the 2022 survey, the seventh iteration of research. The first survey of residents was conducted in 1999, with subsequent implementations in 2002 and 2005. In 2015, the survey was refreshed, and several new questions were created. The 2017, 2020, and 2022 surveys continued a number of those existing trend lines while also incorporating new salient questions, which are primarily related to housing, transportation, tourism, and funding priorities.
Comparisons are made between 2022 responses and those from prior years, when possible. Steamboat Springs’ results are also compared to those of other communities with populations less than 30,000, as well as to resort communities with populations less than 30,000, each with data collected in the last five years.
Polco/NRC will present the 2022 Community Survey results to City Council as part of Community Reports during the December 6 meeting. The full agenda as well as the materials accompanying the community survey topic will be available at steamboatsprings.net/agendas.