Inflation, traffic and homelessness are the top concerns for North Texas residents, according to a survey conducted by the University of Texas at Dallas.
The William Short Annual Quality of Life Survey, conducted by researchers with the Institute for Urban Policy Research at UTD and the North Texas Quality of Life Initiative, also measured how satisfied North Texas residents are with their local government, how well they know their neighbors, and what the most important issues facing their community are.
About 2,900 residents from Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties participated in the 20-minute survey, which was available in English and Spanish. Dallas County was divided into Northern and Southern Dallas Counties.
Tim Bray, director of the institute, said having access to data on where resources should be allocated and what type of policies will improve the quality of life for North Texas residents is important as the region grows.
Of survey respondents, 51.4% identified as female and 48.6% as male. Roughly half of respondents were under the age of 45.
By race and ethnicity, just under 50% were non-Hispanic white, while 27.4% were Hispanic or Latino. About 17% were Black, and 8% were Asian.
The initiative focused on local issues and how government and policies affect the daily lives of residents.
Satisfaction was highest in Collin and Denton counties, with 53% and 51%, respectively, reporting the government performed somewhat or very well. That’s compared with 44% reporting government performance as well or very well in Northern Dallas County, 42% in Tarrant, and 38% in Southern Dallas County.
White respondents reported higher satisfaction levels than others, while Black respondents reported lower levels.
Almost one in four respondents identified inflation and prices as the most important issues. Just over one in 10 identified traffic congestion. More than 5% identified homelessness, crime and gun violence as other issues.
About 29% of respondents said they had complained to a department, official representative or both. The rest of the respondents said they did nothing. Respondents in Southern Dallas County were the most likely to take action, with 40% engaging local officials in one or both manners.
The survey also examined voting participation and civic engagement. Half of North Texas residents strongly agree voting is a civic duty and 76% at least agree.
Respondents aged 18 to 29 were most likely to disagree, with 17% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with voting as a civic duty.
Another question looked into attitudes regarding the effort required to engage in local politics.
About 38% of North Texas respondents agreed or strongly agreed being involved in local politics required too much effort or money. This sentiment was slightly higher in Northern Dallas County, where 43% agreed or strongly agreed.
The North Texas Quality of Life Initiative plans to conduct another survey next spring. The goal is to conduct the survey over several years to see trends and compare numbers.
Results are available on an online dashboard. Anyone can access the data and filter by a variety of options, including gender, race, religion, political views and state. Users can save and download their filtered data.
For more information on the initiative, visit the North Texas Quality of Life Initiative website.