Special to IFN
To better understand residents’ perspectives of county services, quality of life and future priorities, Iredell County hired ETC Institute to conduct the county’s first comprehensive community survey.
The survey was conducted between May and July. With a goal of 600 respondents, the five-page survey was mailed to a random sample of 4,500 Iredell County residents with 630 households responding.
ETC Institute representative Robert Heacock presented the results to the Board of Commissioners during the board’s pre-agenda meeting on Tuesday, September 16.
Key Findings
• Overall quality of life: 79% of residents rated Iredell County as an excellent or good place to live, and 70% rated it as an excellent place to raise children.
• Top-rated services: EMS (77%), 911 services (77%), Sheriff protection (76%), and library services (68%) received the highest satisfaction of listed County services.
• Priorities for the future: Residents identified K-12 school facilities, public safety and healthcare access as top areas needing investment over the next two years.
• Community concerns: While 15% of respondents believe quality of life is improving, 51% expressed concerns it is getting worse, highlighting the need for ongoing engagement and proactive planning.
• Communication: Respondents emphasized a desire for greater public involvement in decision-making and more transparency from County government.
County Manager Beth Milton said the results would be a “critical tool” as county officials plan for the future.
“It gives us direct insight into what our residents value most, where we’re doing well, and where we must improve. These results will guide our planning and help ensure we are responsive to the needs of our growing community,” Milton said.
“The good news is, based on this survey, we are really headed in the right direction,” she added.
Survey comparisons show Iredell County scored higher than national and regional averages in several key areas including safety, EMS and quality of life, while highlighting opportunities for improvement in public transit and communication with residents.
LEARN MORE
The full survey is available on the County’s website at iredellcountync.gov.