The research led by members of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences will engage individuals in four North Texas counties: Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant. Dallas County will be split into northern and southern portions, said Timothy Bray, director of the UT Dallas Institute for Urban Policy Research.
What you need to know
Surveys are expected to go out in spring 2024, Bray said. The online survey will be sent to about 3,000 residents within the four counties with between 85 and 90 questions about life satisfaction, opportunity, civic engagement and mobility, and a pressing topics section.
Per the news release, the pressing topics section will vary by the geographic areas pertaining to the specific county.
“The annual survey will be a cornerstone of the larger effort to bring decision-makers the actionable information they need to shape the most dynamic region in the country,” Bray said.
What else?
Results of the survey will be released to the public in late June or early July, Bray said. One of the primary goals is to help portray the juxtaposition between what the actual data says about the quality of life in the five geographic areas surveyed and residents’ perceptions of where they live.
“One of the challenges we often have is communicating success among our institutions,” Bray said. “Oftentimes, there are common perceptions about how things play out, but the data doesn’t support it.”
According to the news release, members of the research team will also release an annual report to the public, which will be compiled with the help of both undergraduate and graduate students.
“One of the values this project brings is for students to get some hands-on data and explore the world around them,” Bray said.
He added that secondary data will be made available alongside survey data to allow individuals to compare responses to corresponding figures.
