Residents “Highly Satisfied” with Key County Services, Survey Finds

Published on June 17, 2026

Residents of Arlington County are highly satisfied with Arlington’s core services and quality of life and report positive experiences with County staff, according to the most recent Resident Satisfaction Survey. 

More than 1,600 individuals participated in the seventh such survey, with 82% of respondents satisfied with the quality of services provided by Arlington County. That represents a 4% increase compared to the previous survey, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. In addition, participation increased by about 300 people from the 2022 survey.

View the complete Resident Satisfaction Survey Report

Satisfaction has rebounded meaningfully across several service areas since 2022, with notable gains in police services (increased 8% from 2022), human services (13%), and the quality of public schools (7%). Satisfaction for the quality of Parks and Recreation programs and facilities nearly matched 2018 levels, while that for arts and cultural programs jumped 9%, surpassing 2018 levels.

“I’m proud of these results, as it shows the hard work we do every day direct impacts the community we serve,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz. “I am thankful to those who took the time to point our areas we have an opportunity to improve. This survey – and the answers provided by residents – will help inform our decisions and provide a strong foundation on which to continue building.”

Among the responses, 70% indicated they were satisfied with the service received from the County by phone, and 69% in person. Overall, 76% were satisfied with the quality of customer service received from the County, up 8% from 2022.

Among areas for improvement, Enforcement of County codes and ordinances (43.4%) and management of traffic on County streets (45.9%) were the two lowest rated County services. Additionally, overall satisfaction with the transparency of the County’s decision-making process was low (36%).

Additional Survey Highlights

• 81.9% of residents indicated they were satisfied with the overall quality of services provided by the County and 79.5% with the overall image of Arlington.
• The quality of library services was highly regarded with 89.4% satisfaction.
• Residents had a positive perception of the quality of fire and emergency medical services, with data showing 89.1% levels of satisfaction, which was also the highest ranked area of importance among residents (57.2%).
• Parks and Recreation is one of the strongest performing sections in the entire survey, with satisfaction ratings consistently high across all the surveyed items. Walking and biking trails received the highest satisfaction rating in the section at 86.0%, the largest share of strong positive responses among all parks and recreation items.
• 63.8% of participants agreed that they trusted the information provided by Arlington County.
• Opinions on the equity in the County’s housing options varied, with 42.5% of respondents saying they were satisfied and 27.9% saying they were dissatisfied.
• Residents expressed lower levels of satisfaction regarding the availability, accessibility, and quality of affordable childcare, which received the lowest rating (39.8%).

View the Resident Satisfaction Survey Presentation

Methodology

The statistically valid survey was conducted by Zilo International Group, a strategic management consulting firm that provides advisory services to public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

The 2026 Arlington County Resident Survey employed a rigorous and inclusive methodology designed to capture diverse resident perspectives across neighborhoods, demographics, and service experiences. A multi-modal distribution strategy, extensive in-person outreach, and partnerships with community-based and faith-based organizations helped broaden participation and improve representation, particularly among traditionally underrepresented populations. The survey, which was also translated into Spanish, was available both online, on paper, and by phone.

The survey, conducted Feb. 16 through March 31, 2026, was designed to collect feedback on County services, programs, and community conditions.

This marked the seventh Countywide, statistically valid community survey to understand the community’s satisfaction with County services and programs, as well as overall perceptions of the local government.