Quality of Life Index
This summer marks the completion of the Thurston Chamber’s second annual Quality of Life Index. The Index aims to measure residents’ evaluation of various aspects of life throughout Thurston County and to document changes in these evaluations over time.
For the last two years, a total of 500 residents, selected at random from a list of registered voters in the county, were interviewed by telephone and online during June. Survey respondents were asked to assess various aspects of life in Thurston County by giving letter grades “like they do in school.”
The overall rating remained unchanged between 2024 and 2025, with respondents giving it a “C+” as a place to live. The C+ grade was expected since it takes a significant event to move this kind of measure quickly. However, there were some measures that should be on the “watch list” to see if they are continuing trends.
Like last year, respondents graded 7 “community attributes,” and we found that all 7 received higher marks than last year. The top 3 attributes remained atop the list and include: the county as a place to raise a family (2.64 GPA), to grow old (2.50 GPA), and the “sense of community” (2.50 GPA). Three other attributes were significantly higher than last year, including “Housing affordability” and “Homelessness,” demonstrating that some progress is being made on these seemingly intractable issues.
Another interesting development is that the respondents are substantially more positive about growth and development compared to last year. Sixty-nine percent of respondents agreed that “All things considered, growth and development have been positive for my community” – compared to 59 percent last year. In addition, 55 percent said they would support “the construction of more housing in my neighborhood”– compared to 41 percent last year.
The Quality of Life survey was designed, administered, and analyzed by Elway Research. It is a resource for the community, helping to drive and frame discussions and debates. The year-to-year changes in survey results provide a measure of our progress. This helps hold us accountable for achieving the community we aspire to become. Please take a deeper dive into the survey by clicking here.