Albany Residents Satisfaction Survey

From June 12 through June 26, 2009, the City of Albany conducted a random survey of 2,000 households to gather resident satisfaction information on the City and many services that residents receive. The questions contained in the survey generally parallel questions in the National Citizens Survey, which is used by some governments across the nation.

This survey had three different components. The first was “strength of sentiment” questions designed to measure how people feel about Albany. The second was a “rating” component to rate specific services that people receive. Lastly, there was a “demographic” component to compare the profile of the people who responded to the survey to a city profile available through the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey.

A total of 183 responses were received by July 6, 2009

• Confidence interval of +/- 7.21%

• Completion rate of 97.27%

• Response Rate of 9.15%

Question 24 [“How many people 17 years of age or under live with you?], was not properly configured so that the data is easily viewed. Using a separate statistical package for analysis yielded the following information:

0 children 65.8%
1 child 14.6%
2 children 17.1%
3 or more 2.5%

Survey Characteristics

2,000 household addresses were sent mail, out of 19,026 within the city limits taken from the City Geographic Information System. Two separate mailings were made, the first with an oversize post card and a second follow-up reminder with a standard size post card.

Of the 2,000:

2 Unclaimed
7 No Such Street
135 Vacant
16 No Mail Receptacle
42 No Such Number
18 Not Deliverable as Addressed
8 Insufficient Address

228 Returned Cards = 11.4% of Total Mailing, 1,772 households reached.

Total Number Web Responses: 150
Number of Spanish Web Responses: 1

Total Number Paper Requests 34
Number of Spanish Paper Requests: 2

Total Number of Paper Responses: 33

Grand Total Responses: 183
Confidence Interval: +/- 7.21%
Completion rate of surveys started: 178/183 = 97.27%

Response Rate: 182/2,000 = 9.15%.

Potential factors that could have affected the response rate:

Lack of interest.
Timing of follow-up reminder.
Not enough follow-up reminders.
Postcards were not effective.
The time period allotted was not long enough.
Having to access the Web or call for a paper survey was deemed too inconvenient.

Questions 1 through 6 measures the strength of agreement using a 5 point scale where the middle value represented a neutral position. A rating average above 3 shows the strength of agreement with the statement. Ratings below 3 show the strength of disagreement.

Question 9 looks at how often people participate in various activities.

Questions 10 through 18 ask for ratings of services received, again using a 5 point scale with the middle value of “average”. There is also a ratings average provided for these items, however, the ratings average ignores those who chose the Not Apply/No Answer option. Please see the Service Rating Response Adjustments link for further information.

Questions 19 through 35 gather demographic information.

Question 24 was not configured properly and collected individual responses instead of reporting average details.

Survey Cost for this in-house performed survey: $2,250.27 plus an estimated $68 in photocopying/mailing costs for requested paper surveys.

Survey Cost for the 2008 professionally contracted survey: $9,714.61.

cityofalbany.net