Fort Worth’s most recent community survey reveals overall satisfaction with city services decreased in 2023 compared to 2021, but overall satisfaction remains higher than that of residents in other major cities.
Street maintenance, traffic, police and cleanliness are top priorities of Fort Worth residents. Over half of respondents listed public safety and street maintenance as their first, second or third highest priority.
Fort Worth’s approval ratings are notably above the national average in areas like customer service, water and sewer services, and libraries. The city fell furthest behind other major cities in the areas of traffic and street maintenance.
The survey is a decades-old biannual process led by consultant ETC Institute. The survey’s questions remain fairly consistent over time so the city can track trends in the data, Amethyst Sloane, strategy and performance manager with the FWLab, previously told the Report.
About 1,725 Fort Worth residents completed the survey this year, and 1,858 completed the survey in 2021. ETC Institute sent the survey to homes and also used social media to market the survey, a first for Fort Worth, in an attempt to get a more representative sample of respondents.
Satisfaction decreased in a majority of areas assessed in the survey. Residents rated overall quality of life in the city 7% lower in 2023 compared to 2021.
“Although satisfaction has decreased, most of the residents have a favorable impression of the city,” Chris Tatham, CEO of the ETC Institute told council members Tuesday.
Fort Worth is also above the national average for overall satisfaction, Tatham said. Residents were asked to rate their satisfaction in 97 areas of city services, Fort Worth residents’ satisfaction in city services fell by about 4%, the national average fell by 6%.
The areas that saw the greatest decrease in satisfaction among residents since 2021 were traffic law enforcement, street lighting, school safety, visibility of police, pavement markings and litter. Satisfaction improved in the areas of mowing, customer service and accessibility of city staff.
Levels of overall satisfaction are geographically equal across the city, but satisfaction is dramatically different depending on people’s age. Residents 18 to 34 years old rated overall city services 20% lower than residents 65 and older.
“Oftentimes geographic differences by council district, race or other factors can be a driving factor that can polarize a community. This year we’re finding that age is one of the most differential factors in the survey results,” Tatham said.
Most respondents were very supportive of the mayor’s green space initiative and the city’s efforts to expand internet service through broadband.
Most Fort Worth residents said they would like to live in a suburban subdivision far from downtown, however a significant percentage, 79%, listed a walkable, suburban development such as Clearfork as their first or second choice for housing.
Rachel Behrndt is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at rachel.behrndt@fortworthreport.org or via Twitter.
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