The county’s 2021 biannual community survey taken last fall showed that 90% of residents rate Montgomery County as an “excellent” or “good” place to live, the same percentage as the 2019 survey, according to a press release.
“The last two years have been very tough for our residents and County employees,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in the release. “The findings of the survey are particularly encouraging since the research was conducted right in the middle of the Omicron variant surge. The increases in favorable responses to questions about the county’s livability and quality of life are a testament to the role our government has played in supporting and protecting our residents through these challenging times.”
Some of the other highlights of the survey include:
- 86% of respondents consider Montgomery County as excellent or good when asked about the county’s overall quality of life
- 89% said that they are very or somewhat likely to recommend living in the county
- 86% said that they are very or somewhat likely to stay in Montgomery County for the next five years
- 82% feel that the overall image and reputation of Montgomery County is excellent or good, and
- 57% of respondents rated the overall direction that Montgomery County is taking as excellent or good.
In addition, “public safety services such as fire protection, ambulance/EMS, fire prevention and education received praise from 90% of respondents and three quarters are pleased with the sheriff/police services and animal control,” according to the release.
Residents also praised education, arts and culture, while areas such as safety, housing affordability and mobility showed room for improvement.
The complete results of the survey, including an explanation of the methodology and comparisons to earlier surveys, is available online.
Montgomery County graphic