Community Survey – State of Vibrancy in Elkhart County
We asked you in 2021, 2023, and most recently in 2025 to share how you feel about where you live, and the results are consistently positive across the years. After getting feedback from hundreds of people in our communities, we see high confidence in Elkhart County communities. We are also hearing, just like in 2021, that you love where you live!
Elkhart County residents see the strength of our area and believe in the opportunity that exists here to succeed. We will continue to do this research and ensure that you have an opportunity to share your thoughts about Elkhart County! For now, below are some results from the 2024 Vibrancy Survey.
Five Dimensions to Measure Community Vibrancy
The Vibrancy Survey used Community Satisfaction, Neighborhood Satisfaction, Attachment, Resilience, and Opportunity collectively to measure the current state of Community Vibrancy. The survey asked residents to evaluate their experience living in Elkhart County with questions that related to the five factors. The results were tallied on a scale of 1–5.
Community Satisfaction
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Community Satisfaction is a measure of belonging and pride. measures the extent to which residents enjoy and are happy with the community beyond their specific neighborhood.
Sample question from the survey for this topic: How strongly do you agree or disagree with the statement, “My community is a very good place for me?”
Neighborhood Satisfaction
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Neighborhood Satisfaction measures resident expectations/perceptions are about respect for people, property, safety as well as shared beliefs and actions.
Sample question from the survey for this topic: People who live near me are willing to help each other.
Attachment
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Attachment indicates the emotional connection to a place that transcends satisfaction, loyalty, and even passion..
Sample question from the survey for this topic: How would you rate the availability of outdoor parks, playgrounds and trails in your town?
Resilience
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Resilience is a measure of the sustained ability of a community to utilize available resources to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations.
Sample question from the survey for this topic: Average people can influence what happens in our community.
Opportunity
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Opportunity in a community is based on employment and economic opportunities.
Sample question from the survey for this topic: There are training and skill development opportunities in this community.
Survey Details
This report offers a summary of the findings from the 2025 Elkhart Vibrancy Survey. In conclusion, here are the principal take-aways.
First, not all dimensions of vibrancy are created equal, so to speak. In general, the Elkhart County residents surveyed are relatively satisfied with their neighborhoods and are proud of and feel at home in their communities but have some concerns about the levels of opportunity and resilience in their cities/towns.
Second, after some very small, but across the board decreases in community vibrancy scores from 2021 to 2023, vibrancy either stayed the some or increased slightly in 2025. As with past results, because of inherent limitations in the representativeness of the survey samples, we should be cautious about this interpretation. An equally valid interpretation is that the level of vibrancy has stayed about the same, overall.
A closer look at specific questions may offer a better way to interpret how residents’ experiences and perceptions may have changed. For example, the following indicate areas where satisfaction dropped more than five percent.
- There is money to start a new business (-7.9%)
- There is help to start a new business (-6.4%)
- Average people can influence what happens in our community (-8.9%)
- Everyone in the community has access to healthcare (-5.7%)
- You can find reasonably priced housing in this community (-5.3%)
And the following represent areas of improved scores:
- The availability of community events, such as festivals, parades, and street fairs (+4.9%)
- The quality of internet service (+7.9%)
- My family and I feel safe in our neighborhood (+5.9%)
- I know the people who live nearby (+5.3%)
- The quality of public schools (+8.6%)
- The availability of retails stores and shops in your town (+9.2%)
- The availability of community events such as festivals, parades, and street fairs in your town (+4.9%)
- Elkhart County is a good place for families with children (+5.7%)
- Elkhart County is a good place for individuals with disabilities (+7.0)
Third, it is notable that the average score for Social Offerings (things like arts, festivals, restaurants, retail shops, and parks) – an area where Vibrant Communities has focused much of its efforts – saw a 6.1% percent increase since 2023, and a 4.4% increase since 2021.
What’s Next
Findings from this survey offer real optimism. Surveys like this are funded by people and organizations interested in the common good and motivated by a desire to positively change their communities. They recognize the positive qualities of the places where they live and strive to make them even better. Such residents are not alone. A substantial majority of the diverse group of more than 430 county residents who took this survey are proud of where they live and 21 hopeful about the future of Elkhart County.
In fact, 67% said they are proud of where they live and more than 68% feel like their community is a good place for them. A place where so many feel they belong has a bright future indeed.
