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Liberty Lake releases 2025 community satisfaction survey; trust rises, economic-opportunity ratings slip
Summary
City staff presented findings from the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey (226 household respondents). Overall life-satisfaction remained high; trust in city government rose while current economic-opportunity ratings fell and traffic management ranked low among services to watch.
City staff presented results of the city’s 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey at the May 6 council meeting, saying 226 households responded to an online-only invitation and that staff will post a final report online.
"In 2025, we received responses from 226 households," a staff member said. The presentation noted that with an average household size of about 2.8 people, the responses represent roughly 700 residents; staff cautioned the sample size translates to a wider margin of error than a full-population poll.
Key findings: - Overall quality-of-life satisfaction remained very high, essentially unchanged from 2024. - Perceptions of safety remained high but dipped slightly from 2024. - Trust in Liberty Lake city government rose sharply in the survey sample, from about 22% indicating trust in 2024 to roughly 43% in 2025. - Responses on current economic opportunities fell compared with 2024, while optimism about opportunities over the next 12 months improved. - When asked which city services should receive the most attention over the next 12 months, respondents prioritized law enforcement, planning and zoning, and street maintenance; traffic management, planning and zoning and council meetings scored poorly on service satisfaction.
The staff presentation stressed methodological changes from 2024: the city broadened the invitation base from about 660 households last year to roughly 3,200 this year and used a single online-only invitation, which likely changed the respondent mix and increased the number of "don't know" answers on some questions. "We only sent 1 invitation and it was online only," staff said, noting the approach produced more responses overall but left some uncertainty about repeat respondents and representativeness.
Councilmembers responded to the results by noting the survey is a valuable tool but not the only measure the city should use to guide policy. Councilmember Spencer and others linked the survey’s emphasis on safety and traffic management to priorities for law enforcement and street maintenance.
Staff said the final report will be posted to the city website and that the survey results will inform the 2026 budget process.
