Draper Wellbeing Survey Findings
May 2021
Summary
Draper City is one of 30 cities currently participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project and has been involved since 2020. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents and to provide information to city leaders to inform their general planning process. It is important to note that the 2021 survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was intentional as the last round of wellbeing surveys were conducted in 2020 prior to the pandemic. This allows us to assess changes at this unique period of time. Future surveys are anticipated to gauge recovery.
What is in this report?
This report describes findings from the 2021 Draper City survey with information on changes since 2020 and some comparative information with other project cities. Feedback from city leaders and planners is welcome. We will continue with analysis and reporting.
How was the survey conducted?
In January and February 2021, Draper City advertised the survey via an established survey panel and social media. All city residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 375 viable surveys were recorded in this 2021 survey effort with 89% complete responses.
- The 2020 survey had 355 responses and the 2019 iPad survey had 62 responses. The full Draper Wellbeing Survey reports from 2020 and 2019 are available on the Utah Wellbeing Project website.
- The adult population of Draper was estimated at 32,638 based on the 2015-2019 American Community Survey. The 375 survey responses in 2021 represent 1.1% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 5.03%.
Key Findings in Draper
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Community Wellbeing in Draper were above average among 29 study cities.
Highest Rated Wellbeing Domains:
- Living Standards
- Safety and Security
Most Important Wellbeing Domains:
- Safety and Security
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
- Living Standards
Red Zone Domain: (High Importance, Low Rating)
- Local Environmental Quality
Wellbeing varied within Draper by demographic characteristics. Those age 60+, females, and those with a college degree reported higher wellbeing ratings. Religion was also an influential factor.
COVID-19 had greatest impact on Social Connections, Cultural Opportunities, and Mental Health. Overall personal wellbeing declined in the last year for 46% of respondents. Community wellbeing was more likely to decline for males and those living in Draper more than 5 years.
Manufacturing and Extractive Industry have negative influences on wellbeing, though natural landscapes are highly positive.
Population Growth and the Pace of Economic Development in Draper are too fast according to most respondents.
Top concerns for the future of Draper were:
- Air Quality (87% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Roads and Transportation (77% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Water Supply (77% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Access to Public Land (69% Moderate or Major Concern)
- Public Safety (66% Moderate or Major Concern)
What do people value most about Draper?
Access to nature, abundant recreation, good location, and feelings of safety.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Full Time Residents of Draper | 99.5% |
| Part Time Residents of Draper | 0.5% |
| Length of Residency - Range | 0-81 years |
| Length of Residency - Average | 12 years |
| Length of Residency - Median | 10 years |
| Length of Residence 5 Years or Less | 29.2% |
Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents are compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey. As the table shows, 2021 survey respondents were not fully representative of Draper. People who have at least a 4-year college degree, have household incomes $150,000 or over, and are married were particularly overrepresented. People age 18-29 were particularly underrepresented. Not all respondents provided demographic information. Weighting was not used in any of the analysis for the findings presented below. Updates will be provided later in 2021 to account for weighting by demographic characteristics.
Table 1
Demographic Characteristics of Survey Respondents and U.S. Census Data for Draper
| Demographic Characteristics | iPad Survey | Online Surveys | American Community Survey 2016-2020 Estimates |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 (N=62) | 2020 (N=355) | 2021 (N=375) | ||
| Age 18-29 | 20.0% | 4.1% | 2.1% | 21.1% |
| Age 30-39 | 35.0% | 19.2% | 19.4% | 19.8% |
| Age 40-49 | 31.7% | 29.6% | 30.3% | 25.1% |
| Age 50-59 | 1.7% | 23.9% | 20.9% | 17.0% |
| Age 60-69 | 6.7% | 13.8% | 17.0% | 9.3% |
| Age 70 or over | 5.0% | 9.4% | 10.3% | 7.7% |
| Adult female | 86.7% | 62.3% | 52.3% | 47.9% |
| Adult male | 13.3% | 37.7% | 47.7% | 52.1% |
| No college degree | 36.7% | 27.0% | 21.4% | 76.6% |
| College degree (4-year) | 63.3% | 73.0% | 78.6% | 23.4% |
| Median household income | NA | NA | NA | $112,541 |
| Income under $25,000 | 8.5% | 1.0% | 0.3% | 6.6% |
| Income $25,000-$49,999 | 8.5% | 4.7% | 3.2% | 10.2% |
| Income $50,000 to $74,999 | 13.6% | 8.0% | 9.6% | 15.0% |
| Income $75,000 to $99,999 | 16.9% | 13.0% | 10.8% | 10.0% |
| Income $100,000 to $149,999 | 16.9% | 27.1% | 23.2% | 20.2% |
| Income $150,000 or over | 27.1% | 47.2% | 52.9% | 38.0% |
| Latter-day Saint | 62.5% | 47.6% | 51.2% | NA |
| Other religion | 12.5% | 21.7% | 21.9% | NA |
| No religious preference | 25.0% | 30.7% | 26.9% | NA |
| Hispanic/Latino | NA | NA | 3.7% | 7.3% |
| White | 94.9% | 91.6% | 94.9% | 87.6% |
| Nonwhite | 5.1% (incl Hispanic/Latino) | 8.4% (incl Hispanic/Latino) | 5.1% | 12.4% |
| Married | NA | 83.5% | 84.3% | 59.5% |
| Children under 18 in household | NA | 48.9% | 49.1% | 44.3% |
| Employed (combined) | NA | 73.4% | 70.2% | 65.9% |
| Out of work and looking for work | NA | 0.6% | 0.0% | 1.8% |
| Other | NA | 26.0% | 29.8% | 32.3% |
| Own home/owner occupied | NA | NA | 97.9% | 77.8% |
| Rent home/renter occupied/other | NA | NA | 2.1% | 22.2% |
Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Draper
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Draper. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from very poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Draper was 4.22 with 86% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in Draper was 3.89 with 70% of respondents indicating city wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.
Comparing 2020 and 2021 survey data from Draper, the average personal wellbeing score decreased slightly from 4.24 to 4.22 and the community wellbeing score decreased from 3.97 to 3.89. Note that the number of respondents differed between years and there is no tracking of individuals from one year to the next.
In 2019, a 1-10 scale was used for personal and community wellbeing.
Draper’s 2019 scores:
Overall Personal Wellbeing 7.95
Community Wellbeing in Draper 7.77
Converted to 1-5 scale, Draper’s 2019 scores:
Overall Personal Wellbeing 4.17
Community Wellbeing in Draper 4.07
We don't include these in the graph because there is uncertainty in the conversion of scales.
Perceived Changes to Wellbeing in the Last Year
The COVID-19 pandemic dominated much of 2020. Survey respondents were asked if their overall personal wellbeing or community wellbeing had changed in the last year. Survey findings show that 46% of respondents indicated that their personal wellbeing declined in that time and 45% of respondents indicated that wellbeing in Draper declined as well.
Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns classifies Draper as an Established/Mid-Sized City (and we have combined this with Cities of the 1st and 2nd Class). Within this cluster of cities, Draper is the highest in terms of the average overall personal wellbeing score and second highest in terms of average community wellbeing score. Draper is statistically significantly higher than Layton, Logan, and Tooele in terms of overall personal wellbeing and South Ogden, Logan, and Tooele on overall community wellbeing.
Wellbeing Domains in Draper
According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. In this survey, respondents rated ten domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent, suggesting how their wellbeing was doing well in each area. They were also asked to indicate the importance of each domain to their overall personal wellbeing on a 5-point scale from not at all important to very important. The top four highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Draper were Living Standards, Safety and Security, Physical Health, and Connection with Nature. The four most important wellbeing domains were Safety and Security, Mental Health, Physical Health, and Living Standards.
Wellbeing Matrix for Draper
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from Draper. Living Standards, Safety and Security and Physical Health were highly important and rated above average among the domains. Local Environmental Quality fell in the “red zone” of high importance, but lower ratings. Mental Health approaches this red quadrant, as it had a higher-than-average importance score, but was rated close to the average of domains.
How did the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact Wellbeing Domains?
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact was most strongly felt regarding Social Connections, Cultural Opportunities and Mental Health. Improvements were reported in Connection to Nature for 26% of respondents and Leisure Time for 20% of respondents.
The following relationships were found in Draper between demographic variables and declines due to COVID-19 pandemic:
- Community wellbeing was more likely to decline for males and those living in Draper more than 5 years.
- Living Standards were more likely to decline for those without a college degree or those living in Draper longer than 5 years
- Mental and physical health were less likely to decline for those age 60+.
- Safety and security were more likely to decline for those without a college degree.
The graphs below show how the domains were rated in 2020 and 2021 by Draper residents. Note that the survey method was different in 2019 (with iPads in public places) and the number of respondents changed over time.
How are Demographic Characteristics Related to Wellbeing?
The demographic variables age, gender, college degree, religion, income, and length of residence were found to have varying relationships with wellbeing perspectives among Draper respondents as shown in the table below based on a multivariate generalized linear model with unweighted data (significance based on p < 0.1). The +/- sign indicates whether the demographic group was statistically significantly higher or lower than others in that category. Strongest relationships are in color (p< .05).
Relationship Between Demographic Characteristics and Wellbeing Domains in Draper
| Domains Rated | Demographic Variables | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Higher Income | Resident 5 Years or Less | |
| Wellbeing Ratings | ||||||
| Overall Personal Wellbeing | + vs 40-59 | + | + vs A/A/NRP | |||
| Wellbeing in Draper | + | + | + | |||
| Connection to Nature | + | + | + | + Over $150,000 > under $75,000 |
||
| Cultural Opportunities | + |
|||||
| Education | + | + | ||||
| Leisure Time | + | + | + |
+ Over $150,000 > under $75,000 |
||
| Living Standards | + | + | + | |||
| Local Environmental Quality | – vs A/A/NRP | + | ||||
| Mental Health | + | + | + | – vs A/A/NRP | + Over $150,000 > under $50,000 |
|
| Physical Health | + vs 40-59 | + | + | |||
| Safety & Security | – vs A/A/NRP | |||||
| Social Connections | – vs A/A/NRP | |||||
| Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Higher Income | Resident 5 Years or Less | |
| Domain Importance | ||||||
| Connection to Nature | + | + | + vs A/A/NRP | |||
| Cultural Opportunities | + vs 18-39 | + | + | |||
| Education | – |
+ | + | + | ||
| Leisure Time | + vs A/A/NRP | |||||
| Living Standards | + vs A/A/NRP | + | ||||
| Local Environmental Quality | + | + vs A/A/NRP | + Over $150,000 > $75,000-$99,999 |
|||
| Mental Health | – vs 18-39 | + |
+ | + Over $150,000 > $100,000-$149,999 |
||
| Physical Health | + | + vs A/A/NRP | + | |||
| Safety and Security | + | + |
||||
| Social Connections | + vs 18-39 | + | ||||
Community Action & Connections in Draper
Survey participants were asked about community actions and community connection in Draper. Both questions were scored on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5). When asked about the degree to which people take action together in response to local problems or opportunities in Draper, the average score was 3.21. When asked about the degree they feel connected to their community, the average score was 3.10.
Those identifying as Latter-day Saints had lower levels of community connection and perceptions of local action than those indicating they were Agnostic/Atheist/No Religious Preference. Those age 60+ reported higher levels of community connection. This is based on a multivariate generalized linear model with unweighted data (significance based on p < 0.1). Color indicates the strongest relationships (p< .05).
Demographic Characteristics and Community Questions
| Community Questions | Age 60+ | Female | College Degree | Latter-day Saint | Higher Income | Resident 5 Years or Less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do people in Draper take action? | – vs A/A/NRP |
|||||
| Do you feel connected to your community? | + vs 18-39 |
– vs A/A/NRP |
A/A/NRP = Agnostic/Atheist/No Religious Preference
A significant, positive relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing.
Comparing Community Action and Connection Across Cities
The graphs below show how Wellbeing Project cities compare on the degree to which people take action in response to local problems and opportunities and how connected people feel to their city as a community. Draper is in the mid-range on perceived community action and community connection based on the number of people indicating a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale.
Participation in Community Activities
Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in seven different activities and a community activeness score was calculated by adding activities. The average community activeness score for Draper was 2.41. Church group activities (55%) were the most common activities for respondents.
Influence of Landscape on Wellbeing
Survey participants were asked about the influence of landscape features on their wellbeing. Natural landscape including mountains, trails, rivers and streams, and city parks were found to have an overwhelmingly positive influence on wellbeing. In terms of development and industry in the landscape, respondents were more divided. There was a particularly strong negative perception of extractive industry among Draper respondents.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
The majority of Draper survey respondents indicated they felt population growth was too fast (72%), followed by 22% indicating it was just right. The majority also felt that the pace of economic development was too fast (59%), followed by 34% indicating just right.
The graphs below show how Draper compares to other participating cities in the Wellbeing Project on these perceptions of population growth and economic development.
Concerns in Draper
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Draper. Air Quality, Roads and Transportation, and Water Supply were top concerns with 77-87% of respondents indicating these were moderate or major concerns.
Other concerns were raised by 57 respondents who filled in the “other” category.
Other Concerns Mentioned |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic, roads, road conditions (9) | High density housing (8) | ||
| Overdevelopment and growth (5) | Geneva mine, dust (4) | ||
| Public official communications, need to listen to residents, unresponsive public officials (3) |
Covid-19 (2) | ||
| Lack of hiking trails in favor of mountain biking trails, cutting too many trails (2) | Need restaurants in south end of Draper, restaurant diversity (2) | ||
| Overcrowding in schools, public education quality (2) | Zoning, rezoning frenzy (2) | ||
| Air quality | Animals dying on high elevation roadways | ||
| Burka mandate | City budgets | ||
| Cleanliness | Fiber internet | ||
| Goverment trying to do too much rather than sticking to the basics | Increased traffic and congestion with development of prison site | ||
| Infrastructure | Nature views | ||
| Need off-leash dog opportunities on trail system | People being kind and not entitled | ||
| Police enforcement | Politics | ||
| Property tax increases | Public transportation | ||
| Recycling scam | Sidewalks | ||
| Social cultural diversity (lack of) | Standard of living | ||
| Too many large business complexes | Trax taking thousands of dollars and bringing in homeless,crime, and threatening safety and security |
||
| Water quality | Widening wealth gap | ||
| Woke/PC culture | |||
Summary of Open Comments
The survey provided opportunities for respondents to share their ideas about Draper with one question on what they value most about their city and another for any additional comments on wellbeing. A summary of values is below. Analysis is ongoing regarding all additional comments and a summary will be added to the report later in 2021.
Key themes in response to “Please tell us what you value most about living in Draper”
Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
On This Page
The Utah League of Cities and Towns is a collaborator on this project and the following people have contributed to this effort in many ways: Casey Trout, Rachel Sagers, Madison Fjeldsted, Jordan Hammon, and Sarah Wilson.
Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and is committed to a learning and working environment free from discrimination, including harassment. For USU’s non-discrimination notice, see equity.usu.edu/non-discrimination.