Montgomery County government recently released the results of the biannual, independent survey on the “livability” of the county. The survey found that 90% of the respondents rated the county as an excellent or good place to live. 86% rated the overall quality of life in the county as excellent or good.
The survey, conducted by National Research Center (NRC) in Boulder, Colorado, attempts to measure residents’ opinions on ten central aspects of community: economy; mobility; community design; utilities; safety; natural environment; parks and recreation; health and wellness; education, arts, and culture; and inclusivity and engagement.
NRC administered the County’s 2007, 2009, 2017, and 2019 surveys. Surveys were not done in the years between 2009 and 2019 due to budget contraints brought on by the national economic recession.
The first phase of the survey was conducted between Nov. 29, 2021, and Jan. 17, 2022. The survey was mailed to a random sample of 5,000 county households. A total of 565 surveys were completed and returned, according to a news release. As a contrast, 1,075 surveys were completed in 2017 and 954 surveys in 2019.
County officials made the survey available online to all residents from Dec. 22, 2021 through Jan. 17 for the second phase of the survey. 5,246 responses were collected. As this was not a random sample, the results from this sample are reported separately.
“The last two years have been very tough for our residents and County employees,” County Executive Marc Elrich released in a statement. “We worked hard to keep people safe from COVID-19 while delivering essential services to our residents during the pandemic. The results of this survey are reassuring that our efforts had a positive impact on people’s lives. The findings of the survey are particularly encouraging since the research was conducted right in the middle of the Omicron variant surge. The increases in favorable responses to questions about the County’s livability and quality of life are a testament to the role our government has played in supporting and protecting our residents through these challenging times.”
Comparison Over Time
Below is a highlight from the survey of the overall rating comparison between 2017 and 2021:
| % Rating Positively (excellent/good) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2019 | 2021 | |
| Montgomery County as a place to live | 88 | 90 | 90 |
| The overall quality of life in Montgomery County | 82 | 85 | 86 |
| Recommend living in Montgomery County | 87 | 88 | 89 |
| Remain in Montgomery County for the next five years | 83 | 84 | 86 |
| Overall image and reputation of Montgomery County | 80 | 84 | 82 |
To view the full report in its entirety, click here.
