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Snohomish County Counts

 
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The Process

The current assessment is comprehensive and multifaceted. For more than a year, working committees have been compiling many types of data to clarify our community strengths and identify critical community issues. Committees have:

  • Collected data in eight categories: demographic, economic, education, health, leisure activities, safety, transportation and housing.

  • Developed a database of community assets including associations, private businesses, labor unions, public institutions and non-profit agencies.

  • Contracted with Gilmore Research Group to conduct a random-sample telephone survey of county residents and surveys of community leaders and non-English speaking residents.

  • Held 27 focus groups of special populations that might not have participated in the general population survey. These groups include senior citizens, youth, shelter residents and intravenous drug users.

  • Begun the discussion to assist in the development of a community action plan.

Survey Area

To ensure all the areas of Snohomish County were fairly represented, the assessment team divided the county into three main regions by ZIP code: Everett, Marysville and Highway 99 corridor; the north and east areas; and the west and south-central areas. These regions reflect different geographies, population densities, urbanization and poverty levels.

Sept. 11 Impact

The national tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, was a defining moment in our country's history. The Snohomish County Counts survey was scheduled to begin the very next day. The assessment team was concerned that respondents might be influenced by 9/11, so we delayed the survey one week. When asked if 9/11 would influence their responses, most of the respondents said there was no effect on their answers. However, survey experts caution that people tend to minimize exterior influences on their perceptions.

For more detailed information on the process you can download a PDF on the methodology used.

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