Later this month, the City of San Marcos will launch the National Community Survey to gather feedback from residents on an array of issues, including housing affordability, transportation, education, recreational opportunities and civic engagement. The survey will be available in two phases, first to a sample of households in the community beginning Sept. 29, followed by an open participation link, available beginning Oct. 27.
The survey, administered by Polco, will help the city assess the services it provides to residents and allocate future resources to best serve the community’s needs, values and desires. The National Community Survey is designed to be a comprehensive assessment of what it’s like to be a member of the San Marcos community.
The survey was last administered in San Marcos in 2022. The updated assessment will allow the city to track progress on key issues and determine next steps for identifying and addressing the community’s concerns and interests.
“We received a tremendous response the last time we conducted this survey, and we’re looking forward to reviewing feedback from our community again,” said City Manager Stephanie Reyes. “Everyone has a unique perspective and experience to share and we are committed to showing how your input leads to real changes that make our community and services even better.”
The random representative sample of San Marcos households will receive a notice in the mail requesting participation in the survey beginning September 29. Households that receive the survey are encouraged to follow the instructions included in the mailing materials and return the completed survey online or via prepaid postage.
Community members who did not receive the survey in the mail are invited to provide their feedback by completing the survey online beginning October 27. A link to the survey will be available at sanmarcostx.gov/survey.
The surveys provided during both phases are identical, available in both English and Spanish, and take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Survey submissions will be accepted through November 10.
“This survey is an opportunity for members of our community to provide direct input that will help shape our policies, priorities and decision making,” said Mayor Jane Hughson. “We encourage everyone to participate and make their voices heard.”
Individual survey responses are anonymous and confidential. The city expects to receive a comprehensive aggregate report detailing the combined survey results in December 2025. Community members will be invited to view the report online and at public meetings.
For more information visit sanmarcostx.gov/survey.
Polco is a Wisconsin-based company that specializes in providing integrated community engagement through survey outreach. The company’s researchers utilize scientific survey methods and demonstrated best practices to ensure survey validity. Information provided to Polco remains completely anonymous and confidential, as outlined in their Privacy Policy available online at https://info.polco.us/your -privacy.
