First results of the 2020 municipal citizen survey

The City of Chemnitz has published the first results of the third annual municipal citizen survey, which was conducted in November/December 2020.

For the survey, 6,000 randomly selected Chemnitz residents were contacted and asked for information about their living environment. The range of topics covered a broad spectrum of questions on personal life satisfaction, problem areas in the city, satisfaction with infrastructure services, health, housing, relocation intentions, use of leisure facilities, transport, use of public transport, shopping, perception of safety and civic participation. Participants could return the questionnaire by post or answer it online.

The initial analyses of the response from the 2,058 people who took part in the survey are available as a quick report, which can be viewed and downloaded at www.chemnitz.de/buergerumfrage.

Some key statements

Life satisfaction and future expectations

Four out of five respondents are (very) satisfied with their own lives. In addition, the majority are positive about their personal future (63 per cent). While people continue to view their own economic situation as predominantly positive, the economic situation in the city is generally perceived as worse compared to the 2019 survey.

Living conditions and infrastructure in the city

As in 2019, the areas of construction sites/diversions, medical care, safety/crime, car parks and road conditions were the five most frequently mentioned problem areas in the city in 2020. The availability of green spaces and parks as well as the supply of desired living space were perceived more positively compared to the 2019 survey. In contrast to previous years, the respondents' positive assessments of the range of playgrounds and care homes also predominate. Only when it comes to earning opportunities and youth leisure facilities do the dissatisfied participants predominate.

Occupational and income situation

The average personal net income of the survey participants is EUR 1,362 (without weighting). During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, one in four people in full-time employment were affected by short-time working. A further four per cent of respondents were affected by redundancy, company insolvency or the loss of a job opportunity. 39 per cent of respondents also stated that they had suffered a loss of income since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Significant losses were recorded more frequently in the lower income brackets than in the higher income brackets.

Health

When asked to assess their current state of health in November and December, 71 per cent of participants stated that they would describe it as at least good. People who described their own state of health as (very) poor were significantly less satisfied with the availability of GPs. Overall satisfaction with the range of GPs and specialists has deteriorated slightly compared to the 2018 survey.

Housing

Two thirds of respondents live in rented accommodation. Important location factors for the choice of flat or house are green spaces, the landscape and nature as well as access to the road network. Proximity to cultural and educational facilities (including schools), on the other hand, played a subordinate role for the majority of respondents. The main reasons for moving within Chemnitz are, on the one hand, a desire to increase the size of their home and, on the other, health reasons. In contrast, respondents who plan to leave Chemnitz in the next two years cite the purchase of a home and their job or education as the main reasons for doing so.

Mobility/shopping behaviour

Despite the criticism of roadworks and diversions, most respondents favour a car with an internal combustion engine for the majority of their journeys. The main reasons given for rarely using local public transport were unfavourable connections and excessively expensive tickets. When shopping for food, cosmetics or personal care products, most respondents stay in their own neighbourhood. By contrast, respondents mainly buy clothes, shoes and electrical appliances in the city centre or in shopping centres on the outskirts of the city.

Safety and order

Compared to previous years, the respondents' perception of safety has developed positively. Every second respondent is of the opinion that the number of criminal offences has risen in the last five years. Compared to the 2018 survey year, however, this proportion has fallen by 15 percentage points.