TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, Interim City Manager
FROM: Courtney Knox Busch, Chief Strategy Officer
SUBJECT:
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Reporting on 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey results.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Good Governance; Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe and Healthy Community; Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure; Strong and Diverse Economy; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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SUMMARY:
summary
The City of Salem conducts a regular community satisfaction survey to gauge perceptions of and satisfaction with City services. In September 2025, the City commissioned a Community Satisfaction Survey <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/salem-strategic-plan> to assess residents’ satisfaction with City services and communications, gather opinions on the value and distribution of City resources, and gauge residents’ sense of safety and livability. Insights drawn from the survey and other outreach activities help advance the City Council and community conversation about priorities for services. This year, with the City of Salem’s update to the 2021 Strategic Plan <https://www.cityofsalem.net/home/showpublisheddocument/5752/637804422145870000> underway, the Community Satisfaction Survey data is a critical input to help the City assess progress, refine priorities, and create a clear roadmap for the next five years. There will be more touch points in 2026, as the Strategic Plan begins to take shape, including opportunities for community input through a survey in February with Council consideration of a final draft anticipated for March 2026.
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ISSUE:
Information only.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
In September 2025, the City commissioned a Community Satisfaction Survey <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/salem-strategic-plan> to assess residents’ satisfaction with City services and communications, gather opinions on the value and distribution of City resources, and gauge residents’ sense of safety and livability. Attached to this report, are a summary report on the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey (Attachment 1) and analysis of the survey data (Attachment 2). Key findings from the survey include:
• About two thirds of Salem residents report satisfaction with City services overall (68%). Most residents are satisfied with fire and emergency services, street lighting, water services, parks and recreation, and the library. Satisfaction with most key services in Salem has increased since 2022.
• Homelessness and public safety are the most important issues for residents. Homelessness (43%) and public safety (19%) are the most important issues, cited by residents, for the City to address. The survey captured resident’s impressions of safety and livability, including:
• During the day, most residents feel safe in all parts of the city, and nearly all feel safe in their own neighborhoods. Daytime safety is high across all areas of the city.
• Residents' feelings of safety at night are more variable. Most feel unsafe in north/northeast Salem and downtown at night.
• Residents rate the livability of their own neighborhoods the highest. South and West Salem are most positively rated.
• Nearly 9 in 10 residents visited downtown in the past month. Those who have visited feel a greater sense of safety downtown during the day and at night.
• Areas for improvement. The highest levels of dissatisfaction are around access to affordable housing, growing local job opportunities, and city planning and development review. This decline in perception of job opportunities is consistent with negative economic sentiments nationally. Despite gains in satisfaction levels since 2020, residents are still largely dissatisfied with the value of city services for the taxes and fees paid. While residents believe their part of town receives its fair share of city services, many residents think resources are not distributed fairly across the city. And, while perceptions of the ease of interacting with the City has improved, residents still find many activities - like finding information needed to resolve an issue, or driving from one side of the City to another during peak hours - difficult.
About the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey. The 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey was conducted from September 9 to September 16, 2025 via cell and land-line telephone calls, with an online option to both English and Spanish-speaking Salem residents. DHM Research took measures to ensure survey responses accurately represented all areas of the City and the diverse backgrounds of its residents.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Salem conducts a regular community satisfaction survey to gauge perceptions of and satisfaction with City services. Insights drawn from the survey and other outreach activities help advance the City Council and community conversation about priorities for services. Survey data collected in 2025 can be used to track changes in opinion back to 2017, using several benchmarked survey questions from previous years’ surveys. The City’s current Strategic Plan, annual City Council Policy Agendas or work plans, and community satisfaction surveys are found on the ’Citys Strategic Plan web page <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/salem-strategic-plan>.
Courtney Knox Busch
Chief Strategy Officer
Attachments:
1. Summary report on the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey
2. Analysis of the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey data