Quality of Life in Ann Arbor Remains Strong, According to 2015 Citizen Survey

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 1, 2015 - During September, the City of Ann Arbor conducted The National Citizen Survey™ (NCS), which is administered as a collaborative effort between National Research Center Inc. (NRC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The statistically valid survey captured opinions of a representative sample of 785 residents of the City of Ann Arbor.

According to the NCS Community Livability Report, "Overall quality of community life represents the natural ambience, services and amenities that make for an attractive community. How residents rate their overall quality of life is an indicator of the overall health of a community. In the case of Ann Arbor, 94% rated the city as an "excellent" or "good" place to live. Respondents' ratings of Ann Arbor as a place to live were higher than ratings in other communities across the nation. At least 9 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the feeling of safety in Ann Arbor, as well as to feelings of safety in their neighborhoods and the city's downtown. In addition, about 4 out of 5 residents gave an "excellent" or "good" rating to the overall quality of services provided by the City of Ann Arbor. Survey participants also were especially pleased with drinking water, natural area preservation, city parks, recreation programs, health services and public libraries; all of these services were rated higher than the national benchmarks (Technical Appendices Appendix B)."

The survey and its administration are standardized to assure high quality research methods and directly comparable results across the NCS communities. The NCS has administered the survey nearly 700 times in 350 different municipalities throughout the United States. The survey captures residents' opinions within three pillars of a community: Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation and across eight central facets of a community, including Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement.

Previous survey results (2007, 2008, and 2013) reports are available on the city's website at www.a2gov.org. The 2015 survey results include the following reports:

• Community Livability Report: This report is the most universal and summarizes all the results and key findings. This report captures what makes a community livable, attractive and a place where people want to be.
• Dashboard Summary of Findings: A summary of resident ratings across eight facets and three pillars of a livable community.
• Trends over Time: This report compares 2015 ratings to previous survey results.
• Technical Appendices: Complete survey responses, benchmark comparisons, detailed survey methods and survey materials.

The National Citizen Survey™ is an instrument for government entities, developed by NRC Inc. and International City/County Management Association. Advantages include the organization's proven credibility, affordability and the opportunity to compare City of Ann Arbor results to national norms, among the other 350 participating municipalities.