Survey results: BA a great place to live

At least eight in 10 residents believe Broken Arrow is a great place to live and would recommend living in the city to anyone who asks. Those were a few key findings of the Citizen Survey that was open to residents for 31 days in early 2024.

Brandon Barnett of Polco, the company the city contracted to conduct the survey, provided the results to the City Council at a special meeting on April 16.

Broken Arrow City Manager Michael Spurgeon expressed his appreciation for the residents who took the time to complete the survey.

"We think the people deserve to hear how we did, where we are strong, and where there is an opportunity," Spurgeon said.

The survey's results are now available for public review by accessing the Survey Results Dashboard.

The City of Broken Arrow will use the data from the survey to identify areas of opportunity to enhance the public services it provides and aid in strategic planning decisions as it approaches the next General Obligation Bond Election in April 2026.

"There are some areas where we're very, very strong, and there are still some areas where we can do better," Spurgeon said.

The survey monitors trends in residential opinion and measures governmental performance. It explores various topics such as public safety, the economy, governance, parks, and more.

Vice Mayor Christi Gillespie said the survey made her proud of her city.

"We serve on City Council because we love our city, but it is sure nice to have results that are so positive," Gillespie said. "There were a couple of areas for improvement, but overall, we're doing things pretty darn good in Broken Arrow!"

She says the challenge is to keep meeting and exceeding expectations.

"We have to keep that expectation of excellence in Broken Arrow, and I know we are up to the challenge," Gillespie said.

The non-probability, open-participation survey garnered 3,938 responses, with a less than five percent margin of error. Polco's benchmarking database compared Broken Arrow to more than 500 communities nationwide and represents the opinions of more than 50 million U.S. residents.

One of Broken Arrow's greatest strengths is Public Safety. Eighty-three percent indicated the city is safe to live, work, and raise a family. Customer Service by dispatch received an even higher 85 percent rating. Broken Arrow prioritizes providing first-class Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical services for its citizens, and it shows.

The economy, second only to public safety in its importance, according to the results, reflects the City's commitment to creating an environment that promotes private investment. Many items related to the economy scored higher than the national average, including Broken Arrow as a place to work, economic development, employment opportunities, and the variety of businesses and service establishments. Nearly nine in 10 rated the economy as "essential or very important" for leadership to continue its focus over the next two years.

Ease of travel by car garnered a 68 percent approval rating and traffic flow on major streets received a 40 percent positive rating, both of which are on par with the national average. The survey indicated a need for improved public transportation, with two out of 10 giving the City excellent ratings. Only three percent of the respondents have used public transit over driving within the last 12 months.

The City's Parks and Recreation programs also received high marks at a 76 percent approval rating. And more than 83 percent of the respondents support funding a new aquatic center. Other respondents were interested in new mountain bike trails and a new dog park.

Regarding Community Design, Broken Arrow ranked higher than the national average in six of 11 categories. It met the national average in five categories. Ratings for utilities are strong, but residents point to drinking water as an opportunity for improvement.

Ratings for governance are strong in Broken Arrow, contributing to the high quality of life experienced by residents. Sixty-four percent say they like the overall direction that the city is going.

More surveys will be conducted in the near future, with the goal to glean more information on specific facets of living in Broken Arrow. Stay aware for notifications from the City of Broken Arrow announcing when those surveys are open.

Watch this short walk-through video to help guide you through the interactive dashboard.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.