Results from a National Community Survey held earlier this year show residents are even less happy with Durango’s economy than they were during the last survey in 2023.
Respondents remain highly satisfied with the city’s natural environment, parks and recreation opportunities and sense of safety, but the economy remains a major pain point.
Of 525 residents who responded to surveys sent to a randomly selected pool of 3,000 residents, 97% of respondents rated the natural environment as “excellent” or “good.” Ninety percent of respondents rated parks and recreation very favorably, and 85% of respondents rated safety highly.
By comparison, 45% of respondents rated the economy as “excellent” or “good.” The next lowest-rated categories from a list of 10 were community design at 62% favorable and utilities at 63%.
Respondents also rated natural environment, economy and utilities in that order as the top three highest priorities for residents.
In Durango’s first National Community Survey conducted by Polco in 2023, 94% of respondents rated natural environment favorably, while another 90% of respondents rated parks and recreation opportunities favorably. The city improved and maintained the same rating in those respective categories this year.
But 54% of 2023 survey respondents rated Durango’s economy favorably – meaning the city slid backward by nine percentage points this year.
Polco Senior Project Manager Grace Arneson broke down survey results at a City Council meeting earlier this month. She said about 93% of respondents rated Durango as a place to visit positively, and 70% rated the overall quality of businesses highly.
But 41% of respondents rated Durango as a place to work positively, and just 16% rated employment opportunities positively. Only 5% of respondents rated the cost of living positively, Arneson said.
“The affordability component remains a big priority for our residents,” said José Madrigal, city manager, in an interview.
Madrigal said the survey results will be useful for the city’s cross-functional teams – about 65 employees from every city department – as they consider new initiatives to tackle the city’s strategic plan.
The survey shows residents are “very dissatisfied” with the economy, which means they aren’t going to look favorably upon any initiatives that increase the cost of living, he said.
He said the results are helpful for the city’s Prosperity Office – a department focused on housing solutions, tourism management and economic development – in particular.
Madrigal said one modest but noteworthy percentage shift in survey results was community increased trust in the city of Durango as a government.
Survey results showed an increase across the board in categories such as honesty, transparency, the value of services for taxes paid to the city and overall confidence in Durango government.
No category under government performance surpassed a 61% positive rating (“treating residents with respect”). But Madrigal said the results – in the bigger picture of government across the country – are good.
“With everything that’s been going on in the community and in the country, to even see an increase in trust in government is a big thing,” he said. “For me, that’s a big celebration.”
Arneson said the survey was provided to residents in English and Spanish. The 525 completed surveys represent an 18% response rate with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3%. The 2023 survey had a response rate of 12%.
The results were also compared to about 400 other communities nationwide to provide a national benchmark of where the city sits in comparison to others. A custom benchmark comparing Durango to 27 other communities – many in Colorado – was also provided.
In the categories of mobility, natural environment, health and wellness, parks and education, the city performed above the national benchmark.
In safety, utilities, community design, community connection, education, and arts and culture, the city performed right around the national benchmark.
The only major livability category where the city performed lower than the national benchmark was the economy.
cburney@durangoherald.com
