Results of the 2012 Community Survey

Results of the 2012 Community Survey

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA . . . The results of the 2012 Community Survey were presented to the Board of County Supervisors today. The 2012 survey is the 19th resident survey conducted by Prince William County; the last survey was conducted in 2010. The Board decided to conduct the survey every other year, which allows the County time to implement changes based on the survey results and then survey the outcomes of those changes.

Of the residents surveyed:

•             85 percent feel they are getting good value for their tax dollars. This is up from 83 percent in 2010.

•             The majority is very positive about the overall quality of life in the community and feels it compares well to other communities – 54 percent said overall     quality of life meets/exceeds expectations and 39 percent says it strongly exceeds expectations; 92 percent said the quality of life in the County is the same, better or much better than other communities.

•             90 percent agree the overall quality of county services meets or exceeds their expectations.

•             90 percent agree that overall the County’s services are efficient and effective.

•             85 percent trust the County government to do the right thing. This is up from 63 percent in 2010.

•             The majority wants the County to keep both taxes and services the same (66 percent), while 10 percent want the County to increase taxes and services; and 20 percent want to decrease taxes and services.

•             92 percent agree that County employees are courteous and helpful.

•             93 percent feel safe in their neighborhoods and commercial areas.

•             84 percent feel that they easily get around by car in the County (up from 64 percent in 2010), compared to 75 percent feel that they can easily get around by car in Northern Virginia.

•             68 percent agree that transportation and road systems adequately support residential and business development. This up from 57 percent in 2010.

Prince William County does a community survey to assess resident perceptions of the overall quality of life in the County; to assess perceptions of County services; to identify subgroups which may be underserved; and to address specific and relevant topics of interest.

The survey was conducted between Aug. 28, 2012, and Sept. 23, 2012, by independent research firm ORC International. It represents a random address-based sample of 1,727 residents in the County.

More information about the survey is available at www.pwcgov.org/accountability.