NEWS

 

Every two years, the Town of Davidson has worked with the National Research Center (NRC, now Polco) to offer the National Community Survey to a segment of the Davidson population. The data from the National Community Survey is helpful in providing a benchmark for Davidson against other communities, as well as gauging progress on important data points over time.

The National Community Survey (NCS) report is about the “livability” of Davidson. The NCS captures residents’ opinions considering ten central facets of a community:

Economy • Mobility • Community Design • Utilities • Safety • Natural Environment • Parks and Recreation • Health and Wellness • Education, Arts, and Culture • Inclusivity and Engagement

It is important to note that benchmarking data was collected prior to the pandemic, and the survey was updated in 2020, as well, to include new and refreshed items, which may impact trends over time.

As a result of the systematic sampling process, surveys were mailed to 2,700 randomly selected households in the Town of Davidson. The Town received 628 completed responses, which brought the overall response rate to 24%.

A few major highlights identified from the survey results include:

• Davidson residents award exceptional ratings to the Town as a place to live and raise children.
• Ratings for government performance are strong and outshine national averages.
• Economy ratings in Davidson are also robust. • Mobility ratings have improved since 2019, with some of these changes as a likely result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there were just under 30 areas of “statistically significant” increases (indicating more than six percentage points of difference between surveys), there were five areas of statistically significant decrease. Custom question results show some general consistency year over year in the Town of Davidson with regards to quality-of-life priorities but show increasing support for affordable housing initiatives.

More information about the National Community Survey, the full 2021 Community Survey report for the Town of Davidson, and previous surveys are all available at www.townofdavidson.org/citizensurvey .

Related Town of Davidson Goals

Strategic Plan Alignment Operational Excellence: Provide superior services in an efficient and fiscally responsible manner to our entire community through a professional and committed workforce.

Equity and Inclusion: Work together to create a culture of belonging, address our past inequities, provide opportunities for all, treat everyone with respect and dignity and recognize every voice.

Core Values Citizens are the heart of Davidson:  Town government will treat all people fairly, with courtesy and respect. Open communication is essential to an engaged citizenry, so Town government will seek and provide accurate, timely information and promote public discussion of important issues.

Link to the online report (75 pages):

https://www.ci.davidson.nc.us/DocumentCenter/View/11370/The-NCS-Report—Davidson-NC-2021