Noblesville residents think highly of their home according to the results of the 2013 Citizens Survey, which was conducted by the city in partnership with Vision Noblesville. Vision Noblesville Manager Cindy Benedict presented the results at the Feb. 11 common council meeting.
“Overall, our ratings were stable as compared to 2010. Noblesville residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life and have a positive attitude toward our economy,” she said. “Safety is an important factor here and was scored very high.”
Benedict said adult enrichment and a range of mobility issues from street repair and congestion to mass transit and bike paths were areas of concern.
“Residents would use alternative modes of transportation if they were available,” she said.
In the fall, 1,200 surveys were mailed to randomly selected households in Noblesville. Of those surveys, 327 were returned. While the numbers only represent 0.6 percent of the city’s 55,000 residents, Benedict was confident the results represent the overall feelings of Noblesville citizens.
“It’s an amazing science,” Benedict said. “The numbers are very true. There is good science behind it.”
The city also received 394 online survey results, which were not included in the summary but echoed the same results according to Benedict. Benedict said the margin of error was 5 percent – the same amount of the last community survey in 2010 when 361 surveys were completed.
General results of the survey include:
• 96 percent found the city to be a good place to live
• 94 percent found the city to be a good place to raise children
• 81 percent found the city to be a good place to retire
• 88 percent liked the overall appearance of the city
• 93 percent found the overall quality of life to be good or excellent
• 87 percent found the overall quality of city services to be good or excellent
• 76 percent liked the overall direction of city government
• 65 percent have confidence in city government
• 70 percent said city government officials are acting in the best interest of Noblesville
• 67 percent see a value of services for taxes paid
• 84 percent like the customer service from city government
• 28 percent felt positive about the services provided by the federal government
• 77 percent found the sense of a community to be good or excellent
• 95 percent would recommend Noblesville to others
• 92 percent will remain in Noblesville
• 40 percent responded that a single family home on at least a quarter-acre lot would be the site of their next home. Thirty-five percent responded that they plan to remain in their current home.
• 24 percent cited growth as the single biggest issue facing Noblesville over the next five years. Traffic and parking received 17 percent and schools had 10 percent.