Neighborhood Survey Old West Durham 2009 Survey: Quantitative Results Thank you for completing the neighborhood survey. Below is a sample of the results. A total of 66 OWD residents completed the survey from April 28 through May 27, 2009. Not all of those completing the survey responded to each survey item. Following is a brief summary of the quantitative survey results. Background Data Regarding Survey Respondents Survey respondents reported living in OWD an average of just over 5 years, with more than half of residents living in OWD from 1 to <5 years. One survey respondent reported living in OWD one week, and another reported living in the neighborhood 25 years. Nearly two thirds of respondents reported having a graduate and/or professional school degree. Approximately 89% of respondents reported having a 4-year college degree or higher. The percentage of respondents with this education level is more than twice that for both the city and county of Durham, and more than four times that for the US as a whole. According to the US Census Bureau, the percentage of those aged ≥25 years with a bachelor's degree or higher is 41.8% in the city of Durham and 40.1% in Durham County (vs. 22.5% for the entire US). Source: United States Census Bureau; available at: http://www.census.gov/ Data regarding dependents should be interpreted with caution, as “dependent” was not defined in the survey, and some respondents seemed unclear about whether to count themselves and/or their spouses or significant others as dependents. Respondents reported both adult and child dependents. Nearly half of respondents reported no dependents.     All of those responding to the item regarding high-speed internet access reported that they had it, and 98% of those responding to the item regarding health insurance reported that they had it. However, one person did not respond to each of these items (data not shown). The vast majority of those responding (91%) indicated that they were on the OWD neighborhood association listserv. The survey did not request information regarding why those not on the listserv chose not to be on it; this may be an interesting item for a future survey.         Energy-efficiency Home Improvements Slightly more than half of respondents (37 of 66) indicated that they had made energy-efficiency improvements to their homes. click to view larger image click to view larger image All 37 individuals responding that they had made energy-efficiency improvements to their homes provided additional detail regarding those improvements. Many of these respondents reported having made more than one such improvement; the percentages in the following figure therefore sum to greater than 100%. The most popular type of energy-efficiency home improvement that residents had made was weatherizing (insulation, caulking, etc.). Nearly half of respondents reported adding rain barrel(s), and almost one third of respondents reported installing a solar or tankless water heater. Only one respondent reported installing solar panels. Use of Alternative Transportation to Commute or Travel Locally A total of 48 individuals responded to the item regarding use of alternative transportation to commute or travel locally, and many of these respondents reported using more than one mode of transportation. The percentages in the following figure therefore sum to greater than 100%. Nearly two thirds of respondents reported bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation. A slightly smaller percentage (60%) reported walking as an alternative mode of transportation. This is consistent with OWD’s “Walk Score,” which ranges from about 66 to 72. Note: The Walk Score rates areas based on urban characteristics that facilitate walkability (http://www.walkscore.com/); the walk score is 44 for Durham and 22 for zip code 27705. One quarter of respondents mentioned the bus, and 15% reported carpooling. Experience with Civic Organizations and Organized Neighborhoods Approximately 41% of respondents indicated that they are involved in civic organizations, and 28% of respondents indicated that they have experience with other organized neighborhoods. click to view larger image click to view larger image      — OWDNA, Community Action Committee