Community survey

2025 community survey - launching August 28

Once again, the city has partnered with Polco to conduct our 2025 National Community Survey (NCS). Through the survey, 3,000 randomly selected households will receive an invite to participate. If you are selected, please take the time to complete it as your feedback will help guide decisions that impact the community. 

If you aren't selected during this initial phase, don't worry, you can still provide feedback! Starting September 25, the survey will open to all residents. Register at polco.us/shoreviewmn to be notified of when it opens.

Once the survey closes, Polco will compile the results into a report and present it to the city council later this fall. 

The NCS:

  • Is endorsed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
  • Is used by more than 500 local government agencies around the country
  • Offers benchmark database comparisons to other communities
  • Uses a questionnaire developed by survey researchers and local government experts
  • Is designed to provide comprehensive feedback about the community’s quality of life and quality of local government services
  • Allows Shoreview to track historical trends across 10 key facets of livability and hundreds of individual questions

Past community surveys

Since the 1980's, the city has conducted a community survey every three to four years. These are used to determine resident satisfaction levels with various city services and programs.

In 2022, Shoreview worked with Polco to complete its community survey. The survey was mailed out to 2,800 households. The selected households were able to complete the survey either online or via mail. The city received 727 responses (26% response rate). The city also opened the survey to all residents for two weeks in September and received 139 responses from that.

Below is a quick snapshot of the survey (% rated excellent or good). View the full results here.

  • Quality of life - 95%
    • This places Shoreview has the top city in 20 of its local peer cities that Polco has surveyed 
  • Shoreview as a place to live - 98%
  • Overall feeling of safety - 93%
  • Shoreview outperformed the national and local benchmarks in the below areas:
    • Treating residents with respect – 89%
    • Being honest – 84%
    • Treating all residents fairly – 82%
    • Generally acting in the best interest of the community – 82%
    • Overall confidence in Shoreview government – 80%
    • Being open and transparent to the public – 79%
    • Overall direction that Shoreview is taking – 78%
    • Value of services for taxes paid – 75%
    • Job Shoreview government does at welcoming resident involvement – 72%
    • Informing residents about issues facing the community – 69%
  • The following services scored much higher (more than 20 points) than the national benchmarks:
    • Recreation centers or facilities – 96% 
      • Also rated much higher among the local peer cities
    • Water resources – 94%
      • Also rated much higher among the local peer cities
    • Availability of paths and walking trails – 93%
    • K – 12 education – 92%
    • Ease of public parking – 90%

View past surveys here.

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