Survey: Redmond residents’ top concern is affordability; crime fears on the rise

(The Center Square) – A recent survey showed that Redmond residents’ primary concern is overall cost of living and taxes. Concerns about crime are also on the the rise, according to the survey.

Survey respondents were asked an open-ended question about the most important problem facing the Redmond, a city in King County located 15 miles east of Seattle. Taxes, affordability and the cost of living were mentioned by 28% of respondents vote as their top concerns.

A total of 547 interviews were conducted between March 14 and April 14 by EMC Research.

Data from the survey showed that Redmond residents’ quality of life has been consistently steady. However, there has been a slight 3% drop over the last year, with 75% of Redmond residents having an overall positive view of their quality of life.

This is the first time since the survey began in 2014 that that affordability was the top concern. Last year, affordability tied growth, overdevelopment, and overpopulation, with each receiving 25% of votes. The latter dropped to 15% in this year’s survey.

Data also shows an increasing concern about crime in Redmond. Nearly a quarter of respondents, 24%, believe crime should be the city’s number one priority over the next two years. Despite this, 86% feel safe in Redmond.

Redmond City Councilmember Angie Nuevacamina expressed some concern regarding the 10% of respondents who said they felt unsafe when walking alone in the city.

“This doesn’t sit well with me at all,” she said during Tuesday’s city council meeting. “If we believe that the 550 crosscut of the upwards of 80,000, that’s 8,000 people in my city that completely feel unsafe.”

Redmond has a population of approximately 80,000 and the median household income is about $155,000, according to U.S. Census data.

The survey cost the city $51,000 in total, according to a memorandum.