Quality of life in Palm Beach 'extraordinarily high,' according to new community survey

Palm Beachers are overwhelmingly satisfied with the quality of life in their town and don't plan on moving any time soon, according to a new community survey.

Ninety-five percent of residents who responded to a digital inquiry commissioned by the town last summer said they expect to remain on the island for at least five years, while 96% rated the quality of life on the island as “good” or “very good.”

That percentage is "extraordinarily high," for a community survey, Assistant Town Manager Carolyn Stone told the Daily News.

Conducted in July and August by Community Data Platforms of Bethesda, Maryland, the survey was designed to examine issues related to quality of life, environmental resilience and economics.

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The results will be used to develop the town’s updated strategic plan, which is due next spring.

The town's eight-member Strategic Planning Board, which is chaired by Mayor Danielle Moore, is tasked with writing the new long-range plan for the town.

Results of the community survey were presented to board members last month by Community Data Platforms founder and CEO Alan Worden and demographer Thomas Herrmann.

More than 1,500 people responded to the survey, which was open to residents and town employees ages 18 and older.

That response rate “is proportionally one of the strongest response rates we’ve seen,” Herrmann said. "It's very impressive."

The median age of survey respondents was 67, with women accounting for just more than half of those responding, Herrmann said.

Two-thirds of respondents are full-time residents of Palm Beach, with 44% living in midtown, 32% in the North End and 24% in the South End. The median length of time they have lived on the island is 17 years.

Of the one-third of survey respondents who are not full-time residents, 17% live here part-time, 12% are non-residents who work in Palm Beach, and remainder do not live in town, but come here "most frequently for leisure."

More than 90% of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the safety of their neighborhood; its proximity to stores and restaurants; and access to public parks, the beach and Lake Trail.

Eighty-one percent of respondents rated their access to health care and pharmacy services as “very good” or "good," while 74% said the quality of emergency medical services is "very good" or "good." Ratings for police and fire services are higher, according to the survey.

More than 60% of respondents said they had experienced traffic delays when traveling in town, and had trouble finding parking spaces in a public area. However, 66% of respondents said they are usually able to find a public parking space after looking for less than 10 minutes. Another 14% of respondents said it takes them at least 14 minutes to find a spot.

“Having tight parking sometimes is a testament to people wanting to be in the town," Herrmann said.

Respondents also weighed in on their exercise habits and use of sports facilities, transportation modes and services, environmental concerns, online news consumption, frequency of social media use and trusted sources of clean drinking water.

More than two-thirds of respondents said they use grocery-store or bottled water, while nearly half have a home filtration system. Approximately one in four said they drink tap water.

Asked why they chose to move to Palm Beach, nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said it was because of the town's natural environment, beauty and public safety.

For those who chose to stay in Palm Beach, more than three-quarters of respondents cited the town's natural environment, beauty and public safety as their top reasons.

"People have a perceived notion of Palm Beach," Town Manager Kirk Blouin told the Daily News. "We're attracting them to move here because of safety, security, a high level of service, and aesthetic beauty. Our residents felt even more strongly about those perceptions after they moved here."

To view survey results, visit townofpalmbeach.com/civicalerts.aspx?aid=1896.

The Strategic Planning Board will hold its next meeting at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Town Hall.

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Survey: Palm Beachers extremely satisfied with quality of life in Town