Results reflect 2024 priorities set by Nevada County Supervisors
Nevada County received favorable ratings for its desirability as a place to live and visit, its safety and its natural environment in the Nevada County Community Survey completed this fall. Wildfire preparedness, affordability, and inclusivity remain concerns.
The Board of Supervisors received a report on survey results at its March 26 meeting. "We appreciate residents taking the time to complete this survey and letting us know what community issues are most important to them," said Board of Supervisors Chair Hardy Bullock. "Our cities, Town, nonprofits and the County all make up our local landscape of community services. We make the best decisions when we have the most community input."
The survey identified four key findings:
- Nevada County continues to be a highly desirable and engaging community, yet participants emphasize the importance of fostering inclusivity.
- Residents experience a strong sense of safety in Nevada County but indicate concerns about wildfire preparedness.
- The local economy is strong but poses challenges to community affordability.
- The county’s natural environment and parks and recreational opportunities remain highly valued by residents.
Survey Results Reflect Board Objectives
Survey results reflect the priorities set by Supervisors over the last few years, which include wildfire preparedness, housing, economic development, recreation, broadband, climate resilience, and homelessness.
Emergency Preparedness & Climate Resilience
Although residents feel safe from crime, emergency preparedness continues to be top-of-mind:
- 94% are concerned with the ability to find or renew wildfire insurance.
- Only 32% feel safe from natural disasters such as fires or storms.
Housing & Homelessness
Cost of living, variety of housing options and availability of affordable housing continue to be challenging for residents. There is strong support for continued housing development and services:
- 91% support the development of workforce housing.
- 87% support the development of income-based affordable housing.
- 85% support services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Recreation
Nevada County residents are very positive about the quality of recreational opportunities, natural resources, and access to lakes, rivers, and beaches. Survey results point to recreation remaining a priority for residents:
- 89% rated the quality of natural environment as essential or very important.
- 76% rated the quality of recreation opportunities as essential or very important.
Economic Development & Broadband
92% rated Nevada County as a great place to visit, significantly higher than other communities. However, economic health and high-speed internet (or broadband) came up as key focus areas:
- 90% rated economic health essential or very important. However, 53% rated the overall economic health as excellent or good.
- 74% rated overall quality of businesses as excellent or good.
- 23% rated the quality of affordable high-speed internet as excellent or good.
About the Survey
The survey was taken by a representative sample of 518 residents contacted by mail between September 12 and October 24. An additional 1,270 residents completed the survey online.
The survey featured 44 questions on a range of topics related to livability and was developed by experts from the National Research Center at Polco, which conducted a similar survey of Nevada County residents in 2017.
The results of the survey can be viewed at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/CommunitySurvey.
