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Rockville Scores High Marks in 2016 Community Survey

Ninety-two percent of Rockville residents who responded to the city’s ninth biennial community survey once again described the city’s overall quality of life as excellent or good. Eighty-six percent of respondents rated the city’s overall quality of services as excellent or good.

Results from the 2016 community survey were presented to the Mayor and Council at their March 27 meeting. The scores help identify areas where the city can better serve its residents.

“It is through continuous course correction that the Mayor and Council and city staff can ensure the work of the city meets the expectations of the Rockville community,” a staff report on the survey states.

In a change from previous surveys, a majority of residents said they preferred to receive information about Rockville through its website, www.rockvillemd.gov. In past years’ surveys, “Rockville Reports,” the city’s newsletter, has been the top-rated preference for residents, with the website second.

The 2016 survey, which was conducted by the National Research Center, randomly selected 3,000 residents to receive survey forms, 1,000 more residents than in prior years. The larger sample makes the survey more accurate.

About 37 percent (1,066) of the surveys were returned. In 2014, 41 percent of surveys were received. In general, response rates for mailed resident surveys range from 25 to 40 percent.

The 2016 survey results are broken down by six distinct geographic areas of the city to allow for a more detailed analysis that will help the city address issues specific to those areas: King Farm/Fallsgrove, middle and north of MD 28, east and north of 28, east and south of 28, middle and south of 28, and west of Interstate 270.  Previous surveys identified only three areas of the city.

For more details and to see the 2016 survey and surveys from previous years, go to www.rockvillemd.gov/survey.

Benchmarks

The National Research Center, which conducted the 2016 community survey for Rockville, compares survey scores to results from 500 other jurisdictions nationwide as a benchmark. Those jurisdictions include other Maryland municipalities, such as Gaithersburg, College Park, Annapolis and Takoma Park.

The 2016 survey indicated some positive changes over 2014’s benchmarks:

Higher > Much Higher

  • Crime prevention.
  • Pleased with Rockville’s direction.
  • Visited/used a recreation facility.
  • Visited/used a park.

 

Similar > Much Higher

  • Traffic enforcement.

Similar > Higher

  • Rockville 11 (cable channel 11) programming.Much Higher than Benchmark (new this year)

  • Rockville’s overall image/reputation.
  • Use of public transportation rather than driving.

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Rockville Reports is the official publication of the City of Rockville, published at City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850-2364.