Grand Rapids earns high marks from residents in 2026 Community Survey

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Results of Grand Rapids’ 2026 National Community Survey™ (The NCS™) show that residents continue to view the city as a desirable place to live, while also identifying important opportunities for improvement in safety, transportation, communication and other core services.

The statistically valid survey was conducted between March 9 and April 20 by Polco’s National Research Center – a nationally recognized civic engagement firm. The report reflects the opinions of a representative sample of 381 Grand Rapids residents. The margin of error is 5%, and results were weighted to match the demographic profile of adults living in the city as well as compared against both national and peer-cities performance. 

“These results show that people value our community and believe in its future,” City Manager Mark Washington said. “Residents continue to tell us that Grand Rapids is a great place to live, work and visit. We are grateful for that trust, and we remain focused on keeping Grand Rapids a place where everyone can thrive.”

Mayor David LaGrand reacted to the presented results saying, “It’s encouraging to see the positive trends reflected in this year’s survey, and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and ideas. Their feedback helps us understand what’s working and where we have opportunities to improve. We’ll continue working together — across City departments and with our community — to build on this progress, address areas where we can do better and strengthen the quality of life for everyone who calls Grand Rapids home.”

Polco presented the results to at the City Commission’s Committee of the Whole meeting and explained that The NCS measures resident opinions across 10 facets of community livability: Economy, Mobility, Community Design, Utilities, Safety, Natural Environment, Parks and Recreation, Health and Wellness, Education, Arts and Culture, and Community Connection.

Key strengths noted in the 2026 survey include:

• Quality of life and community commitment. Eight in 10 residents rated the overall quality of life in Grand Rapids positively. More than 9 in 10 said they would recommend living in the city, and 83% said they are likely to remain in Grand Rapids for the next five years.
• Safety. Residents’ perceptions of safety continue to move in a positive direction. Ratings for crime prevention and overall feelings of safety both reached their highest levels since the survey began in 2019, reflecting continued progress in how residents experience safety in Grand Rapids.
• Economy. Residents continue to express confidence in Grand Rapids as a place to visit and experience. The city outpaced its peer communities in ratings for being a Place to Visit, reinforcing Grand Rapids’ growing reputation as a destination for residents and visitors alike.
• Parks, recreation and cultural opportunities. Residents rated parks, recreation programs, fitness opportunities and paths/trails positively, with several results aligning with or exceeding comparison benchmarks. Opportunities to attend arts, cultural and music activities also ranked highly, as did community support for the arts. Public library services received near-universal positive ratings.
• Education, arts and culture. Overall opportunities in this category again scored among the highest across all facets, continuing a multi-year trend of strong resident support.

“This year’s survey highlights both what we are doing well and where we need to improve,” Washington said. “Strong ratings for our parks, arts and cultural offerings show the value of long-term investment. At the same time, feedback on safety, transportation and core services reminds us that steady, intentional work is still needed.”

The survey also included custom questions regarding construction and roadwork communication. About 6 in 10 respondents rated the quality of information positively, while many expressed interest in more timely and clear updates. Most residents said they prefer to receive construction notifications through direct mail, email or text alerts.

The feedback provided through The NCS will help inform upcoming updates to the City’s Strategic Plan, which will guide future budget proposals and departmental priorities. The City has conducted this biannual survey since 2019. Results are shared publicly through the City’s website, neighborhood engagement efforts and future editions of the We Are GR newsletter. 

Complete survey results may be found on the City’s website: https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/communications/national-community-survey/.

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