Published Research Reports

Project Overview:

Bridgewater State College’s Institute for Regional Development, contracted by the Town of Barnstable, designed and administered a citizen telephone survey of Barnstable residents during the month of February 2003.  The data was collected through a random sample of Barnstable’s adult residents from February 3-11, 2003.  The purpose of this survey is to obtain information and citizen perceptions about Barnstable to assist in planning for the future. 

Some of the highlights of the survey are as follows:

• Over eighty five percent of residents (85.4%) rate the quality of life in Barnstable as excellent or good in this year’s survey.  This is very similar to the findings in 2002 (88.8%).

•  More than eighty-seven percent of the respondents (87.3%) are very or somewhat satisfied with the town services they receive in relation to town taxes; this has increased by 2.6% from 2002 (84.7%).

•   Two thirds of the respondents (66.6%) oppose the proposal to place 170 windmills in Nantucket Sound to generate electricity. 

•   Over eighty percent of the respondents (80.9%) are very or somewhat satisfied with the amount of information from the town about the issues and problems facing Barnstable and its citizens. 

•  More than eighty percent of the respondents (83.3%) find the town’s website as a resource for town related information very helpful or somewhat helpful.

•  An overwhelming majority of respondents (75.2%) report that the town of Barnstable offers residents just the right amount of services/programs.

•  Nearly half of the respondents (49.4%) favor a tax override that would be used to support municipal and school services.