J.D. Power and Associates Reports: While Satisfaction Among Residents in Mid-Sized U.S. Cities Is Notably Low, Having Contact With Community Services Boosts Satisfaction

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents in mid-sized cities throughout the United States indicate they have particularly low levels of satisfaction with their city's services, according to the J.D. Power and Associates National Citizen Satisfaction Benchmarking Study(SM). However, perception of these services may be lower than the actual services rendered. Among city residents who have had contact with their city's police or fire departments or school systems, satisfaction is considerably higher than that of residents who have not had contact with these services.

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The study, conducted for the first time in 2010, examines satisfaction with city services among residents of 111 cities throughout the U.S. that range in population between 100,000 and 500,000. The study finds that satisfaction among residents of these cities is lower, on average, than customer satisfaction in a variety of private sector service industries. In particular, residents indicate they are less satisfied with their city's police department and school system and tend to be more satisfied with the fire department and emergency medical services.

"When it comes to city-provided services, perceptions may not accurately reflect reality," said Todd Markusic, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates. "Some citizens may hold a negative view of their city's services initially, but after having contact, there is typically a substantial positive lift in their satisfaction with that service. Exposing citizens to the services their city offers is a great way to improve overall citizen satisfaction."

The National Citizen Satisfaction Benchmarking Study provides the basis for the J.D. Power Citizen Satisfaction Program. The J.D. Power Citizen Satisfaction Program surveys residents of participating cities regarding perceptions of their city's image and 12 city-provided services. These results are compared to the national benchmarks established in the annual National Citizen Satisfaction Benchmarking Study.  Cities participating in the J.D. Power Citizen Satisfaction Program have the ability to use this comparison to identify key strengths and weaknesses. Findings from the program are designed to allow city leaders to make more informed decisions about which improvement efforts will have the greatest impact on resident satisfaction.

The study finds that residents surveyed in the benchmark study indicate relatively low levels of loyalty to their cities. Nearly one-half of residents (47%) indicate that they are unsure if they will still live in their current city one year from now. More than one in 10 residents (11%) indicate that they "definitely will" or "probably will" leave their current city within the next 12 months.

"The economic constraints on cities today make understanding the voice of the citizen more important than ever," said Markusic. "Improving citizen satisfaction may help boost resident loyalty and their likelihood to maintain residence in their current city, which has critical implications for the city's tax base."

The study also finds the following trends:

• Citizen satisfaction is highest in western U.S. cities and lowest in the northeast region, on average.
• Residents of small cities (population between 100,000 and 149,000) are notably more satisfied than residents of larger cities (population between 250,000 and 500,000).
• Approximately 14 percent of citizens say they "strongly agree" that their city is committed to being environmentally friendly.

Benchmark study findings are based on responses gathered in June 2010 from more than 3,200 residents in 111 cities across the United States that range in population between 100,000 to 500,000. For a list of cities included in the benchmark study, click here. Visit the J.D. Power Business Center for additional information on J.D. Power's programs for government agencies.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction.  The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually.  For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.  

J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts:

John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 312-4119; [email protected]

Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103; [email protected]

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates