Mesa County residents share priorities in 2026 Community Survey
More than 1,200 Mesa County residents shared their perspective on county services, community priorities and quality of life through the 2026 Community Survey, providing valuable feedback that will help inform County planning, services and decision-making. The results were presented during the Aug. 4 public hearing of the Board of Mesa County Commissioners.
The survey reflects Mesa County's commitment to listening to residents, sharing what was learned and using community feedback to help shape future priorities.
A total of 1,227 residents participated in the confidential survey, which was conducted by independent research firm Magellan Strategies between June 18 and July 6. The results were weighted to reflect the adult population of Mesa County. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 2.78%.
People who responded to the survey shared that their main concerns for the county were issues of homelessness, roads and construction projects, and the cost of housing.
"About 69% say that their current economic conditions are not satisfactory. That's a pretty high number, but that is something that's not unique to Mesa County. We're actually seeing that across the state," said Courtney Sievers, who presented the survey from Magellan Strategies.
County officials are also concerned about economic constraints.
"We're seeing relatively flat revenues, we're seeing reduced grants, and we're seeing costs go up as a result of [county] services. So, we're evaluating that closely, and this is going to be another tough budget year for us," said Todd Hollenbeck, County Administrator.
The last community survey was taken in 2024. Since then, conservation of water and the protection of Colorado water rights have become more of a priority to residents responding to the survey.
Mesa County 2026 Community Survey Presentation is a slide presentation of the results. Read the individual questions and see the text of the survey with the document Mesa County 2026 Community Survey Topline Results.
People who took the survey shared that financial responsibility is what they want most from county government. Confidence was low in whether government listens or plans ahead. Only 35% feel residents have a voice, and just 25% think officials understand and adapt to future opportunities.
Survey's key findings:
- Residents continue to rate Mesa County highly as a place to visit, live and remain for the long term.
- Housing affordability, economic conditions, growth and road conditions ranked among the community's top concerns.
- County employees and many County services received positive ratings from residents.
- Residents identified opportunities for Mesa County to continue improving transparency and community engagement.
Residents also expressed appreciation for many County services and employees while highlighting opportunities to strengthen engagement.
The survey results will also be incorporated into the County's strategic planning process to help track progress over time and find places for improvement. The results will also help identify opportunities to make sure residents stay informed and connected.
"At the end of the day, we don't view this as a pass or a fail type of grade. We view this as: what's working well and what can we continue to improve on," said Hollenbeck at Tuesday's public hearing.
"I think that as we go down through the results, you'll see some categories that are certainly within Mesa County's responsibility, that we want to take ownership for."
Mesa County thanks everyone who participated in the survey and encourages residents to review the full presentation and watch the Board's discussion to learn more about the findings and how they will be used.
Mesa County 2026 Community Survey Presentation (PDF)
Mesa County 2026 Community Survey Topline Results (PDF)
