First Community-wide Survey Provides Data for Residents and City

During January, the City of Bloomington contracted with National Research Center, Inc. to conduct the 2017 Bloomington Community Survey. This was the first time a scientific citywide survey had been completed covering resident opinions on service delivery satisfaction by the City of Bloomington and quality of life issues. The survey captured the responses of 595 households from a representative sample of 3,000 residents of Bloomington who were randomly selected to complete the survey. An additional 1,435 residents completed an opt-in survey online.

According to the final report, “A majority of Bloomington residents commend the job city government is doing and are pleased with the quality of most city-provided services.” Nearly 9 in 10 residents rate Bloomington as an excellent or good place to live. Respondents’ ratings of the job Bloomington’s city government does at welcoming citizen involvement and the values of services for the taxes paid were higher than benchmark communities across the country.

Mayor John Hamilton said, “It’s great to finally have data to quantifiably inform us about how we view Bloomington’s strengths and weaknesses. The survey information identifying areas for improvement and possible future focus is incredibly valuable as we prioritize our work on behalf of residents every day. Survey data will be available for all to use and will serve as a baseline for future surveys so we can track both our progress and residents’ priorities over time.”

A public presentation of the survey results will be given at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St.

A complete report of the 2017 Bloomington results will be available beginning Wednesday at bloomington.in.gov/communitysurvey.  

About National Research Center, Inc. (NRC)

NRC is the leader in the field of public sector research and evaluation, with clients from across the country and around the globe. The firm is comprised of a skilled team of social scientists who support cities, counties, foundations and nonprofit organizations in using research to help communities thrive. NRC offers a suite of products designed to enhance the public voice and aid local decision-making.