The residents of Madison have spoken.
The recently completed community survey results show that hundreds of Madison residents offered opinions about what they like about Madison and their concerns about its future.
Sean P. McKinley and Elizabeth Miller of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which has over 50 years of experience in polling and community and political surveys, put together the survey and compiled its results.
Between May 10 and Aug. On 28, 364 Madison residents completed the survey, including 303 who completed it online and 61 who completed it on paper.
Fifty-seven percent of those who took the survey identified women, and 43 percent identified men. Eighty-one percent said they were over 50 years of age, and 36 percent were college graduates.
Seventy-one percent of those responding were white, and 15 percent were Black. Twenty-seven percent said they have lived in Madison for more than 30 years, while 22 percent have lived there for less than five years.
Fifty-four percent of respondents said their annual household income was above $100,000, with 22 percent earning less than $50,000.
A quarter of residents said they have struggled to afford basic necessities like food, clothing, and electricity over the past 12 months.
Six in 10 Madison residents rate the value of the services they receive for the city taxes and fees as very good (28 percent) or good (31 percent).
Twenty-six percent rate the value as fair, 14 percent rate the value as poor, and 10 percent rate the value as very poor.
Four in 10 residents believe Madison's taxes are higher than those of other cities in the area, while 34 percent believe they are about the same.
Just over half of Madison residents rate the overall cost of living in Madison as very good. Fifteen percent rate the cost of living as poor.
Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of responding Madison residents typically feel very safe in downtown Madison, while 24 percent feel somewhat safe.
Only about three percent felt safety concerns, and only about five percent said they believe crime is higher in Madison than in other similar-sized cities.
Seventy-two percent of Madison residents rate the services provided by the Madison Police Department as very good.
Eighty-four percent of responding Madison residents rate the quality of the city’s parks and green spaces as very good, while only four percent rate them as poor or very poor.
A similar proportion of residents rated the city’s water/ sewer service, fire department, historic preservation department, and garbage and recycling.
Three in 10 residents are very or somewhat concerned about the possibility of their homes being impacted by flooding or poor road drainage.
Half of the Madison residents who responded believe the city government is doing a very good job guiding economic growth and development in Madison. Twenty-eight percent feel that the city’s performance in this task has been fair, while 14 percent feel it has been poor.
When asked to choose between the two options, more than two-thirds of responding Madison residents say that the city should prioritize maintaining its rural and historical character over further economic development.
A quarter of responding Madison residents believe the city government is doing a very good or good job providing affordable housing, while 30 percent think it is doing a fair job. Twenty percent feel it is doing a poor job.
When asked what changes to downtown Madison would make them spend more time there, residents most mentioned having more restaurants and reduced traffic.
Madison's quality of life, beauty, pace of life, and overall safety received high marks.
“I am deeply appreciative of our citizens who took the time to be heard,” Madison Mayor Fred Perriman said. “I join every member of the council in thanking you for your participation and am firmly committed to working to realize your wishes for the future of our great city.”
The community survey was first proposed by city manager John Klimm last year.
“We owe it to the residents to offer opportunities for citizen input,” Klimm said. “The survey allowed residents to weigh in on various community issues. We are blessed with citizens who care about this community and want to see it preserved for future generations to enjoy.”