The 2019 National Community Survey results show Walnut Creek residents love their downtown, schools, open spaces and general quality of life, and don’t like traffic congestion.
The National Community Survey was carried out in 240 U.S. cities in summer 2019. About 550 Walnut Creek households responded to the survey by the Colorado-based National Resource Center. Walnut Creek respondents said
they are also pleased with their local government and city services, but find it difficult to drive around, park, use public transportation, bicycle around the city, or find affordable housing.
City Manager Dan Buckshi recently gave a presentation on the survey to the Walnut Creek City Council.
The survey addressed eight facets of local living — safety, mobility, natural environment, “built” environment, economy, recreation and wellness, education and enrichment, and community engagement.
More than 90 percent of those surveyed rated Walnut Creek as an “excellent” or “good” place to live.
Also scoring at 90 percent approval or higher on the overall survey were the city’s overall image, its neighborhoods, the city’s overall appearance and as a place to raise children.
Nine out of 10 survey respondents gave positive ratings about their overall safety, the city’s natural environment (cleanliness, air quality, open spaces, preservation) and its overall health and wellness. The economy was also viewed as a strength, as were the city’s educational and other personal enrichment opportunities.
“Ninety-one percent of residents in Walnut Creek believe the quality of life is excellent or good, which is almost unheard of in local government,” Buckshi said. “We are the benchmark in terms of those ratings for other communities.”
K-12 education, special events, cultural/arts/music activities, and adult education all rated between 81 and 88 percent, but childcare opportunities scored only 59 percent.
Walnut Creek’s downtown, once a person is there and has found parking, got great marks from locals. Ninety percent of survey respondents praised Walnut Creek’s vibrant downtown, and 93 percent the city’s shopping opportunities.
City parks, recreation centers and programs and special events all scored at 86 percent or higher.
Perhaps not surprisingly, scores were generally lower on the “getting there” piece. Survey scores on traffic- and transit-related issues, including traffic flow, travel by car or bicycle, public parking and public transportation all rated at under 50 percent among those surveyed.
Buckshi said such well-known congestion-related issues are symptomatic of a city people want to visit and where they want to work and live.
“From my perspective, these are great challenges to have — it means Walnut Creek is in demand,” he said. “People want to be here, either to live, to visit, to shop, to dine and to work.”
The downside of prosperity can be high costs, and only 14 percent of survey respondents said Walnut Creek has sufficient affordable housing.
This was Walnut Creek’s fourth time being part of the National Community Survey. The city also participated in 2007, 2015 and 2017.
The results are used by city staff to guide resources to “challenging” areas. Only a few areas rated lower in 2019 than in 2017, mostly those involving traffic and affordable housing.
Have lived in Walnut Creek for 37 years and Have never been part of any survey.
I wonder how the people who have their feeder schools with low scores feel about education in Walnut Creek.
Our child was once asked by a Concord resident if our child had pleaded to get into Northgate, because the Concord resident lived in Limeridge and they thought our address in Walnut Creek fed into the ‘other’ high school.
The Mayor knows who should fill out the survey. I Agree with you, have lived here over 35 years and
NO survey to fill out.
Limeridge should not be included in Northgate… They were all the troublemakers back in the 90’s.I.m sure it’s the same, to worse now.
Too much overpriced housing downtown and they keep on building as the residents suffer with construction and noise, 4am leafblowing never able to enjoy their living spaces.
I went to Northgate couldn’t stand it because it’s actually not a good school, at least not while I was there 1990s, ended up at Olympic High school because of the over-population at Clayton Valley HS.
Went to DVC, went to Cal State, earned a computer science degree. I truly wish I didn’t have to waste any time at Northgate High School, it was awful while I was there. Hopefully they’ve changed A LOT since then.
The Mayor of Walnut Creek pretends to promote being a green city, as toxic Gas leaf blowing is out of control eveywhere.. Other cities have already banned the poisonous health hazards, but the mayor likes to feel her power and doesn’t give a toot about the air and climate, Keep blowing pollen, dirt and particulates for residents to breathe
Luv my gas leaf blower.
If they keep on developing that approval rating is going to go down by the way most of us that have been around Walnut Creek area despise what you have done to the downtown area with the apartments cramming people down there was a big mistake thanks a lot greedy counsel who we all know is in cahoots with contractors getting kickbacks like the movie Shawshank redemption it’s obvious to anybody with a brain. Don’t think too highly of Northgate poster above the reason they have good numbers is they kick out anybody who doesn’t meet the requirements like the movie pump up the volume. Walnut Creek was a lot cooler back in the day when it was more working class the second Arbolado Hill and all the yuppies started taking over it went downhill. By the way the new Safeway they put over there on Ygnacio is mediocre and the parking lot there is atrocious same with the whole foods parking lot – bad design. Just wait everybody before you know it that open space on Ygnacio Valley Road going towards Concord is going to be developed with all sorts of cookie-cutter homes you thought traffic was bad now just wait till then. I will give credit where credit is due for Castle rock Park is nice and Heather Farms Park is nice also.
my guess is the smash and grabs on broadway were not counted
nor the bum camp near ross
or the DA jumping from the 3rd not 4 th story of the parking garage
I wonder by these standards why Oakland was not towards the top as well
Random Task,
You know that was the CONCORD city attorney that jumped off the garage right?
@bill cutting
It’s Heather Farm Park, no S after farm.
What ‘back in the day’ are you speaking of?
Actually Heather Farm used to be really cool when it had more trees and open space.
Just pass out those surveys again if that proposed homeless ‘encampment’ materializes on Oakland Blvd. (17 yr. resident/property owner here who also didn’t get/see survey)