Springdale Wellbeing Survey Findings 2024
By Dr. Courtney Flint and Team

Contact Information
Dr. Courtney Flint
courtney.flint@usu.edu
435-797-8635
Summary
Springdale is one of 51 cities and towns participating in the Utah Wellbeing Survey Project in 2024. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of residents and to provide information to city and town leaders to inform general planning processes. Additional analysis is underway and this report may be updated over time.
We are grateful to all those who took the survey and to our city partners who helped to make this possible. We are grateful to a number of entities for funding: the Utah League of Cities and Towns, USU Extension, USU’s Institute for Land Water and Air, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, and the cities and towns of Alpine, Cedar Hills, Draper, Millcreek, Nephi, North Salt Lake, Ogden, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Providence, Springdale, Tremonton, West Bountiful, and West Valley City.
This report describes findings from the 2024 Springdale survey and comparative information with other project cities and towns. In March 2024, Springdale Town advertised the survey for residents largely through email, social media, newsletters, flyers, and town meetings. All town residents age 18+ were encouraged to take the online Qualtrics survey.
How many people responded?
- 123 viable surveys were recorded in this 2024 survey effort.
- The adult population of Springdale was estimated at 407, based on the American Community Survey by the U.S. Census. The 123 survey responses in 2024 represent 30.2% of the adult population and have a conservative margin of error of 7.39%.
Survey Respondent Characteristics
| Resident Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Full Time Residents of Springdale | 76.4% |
| Part Time Residents of Springdale | 23.6% |
| Length of Residency — Range | 0.4-77 years |
| Length of Residency — Average | 14.6 years |
| Length of Residency — Median | 10 years |
| Length of Residency 5 Years or less | 32.8% |
Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were compared below with U.S. Census information from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. In the graph below, gray bars indicate differences between the American Community Survey estimates and the Utah Wellbeing Project surveys. The wider the gray bars, the larger the differences. Also note that estimates for religious affiliation, adult non-conforming or non-binary gender, disability, and chronic conditions are unavailable from the census data. There can also be a variable margin of error in the American Community Survey estimates, and caution should be used when comparing estimates. Not all respondents provided demographic information. As the graph shows, 2024 survey respondents were not fully representative of Springdale. People who have at least a 4-year college degree, have an income $75,000 to $99,999, and are married were overrepresented while those who are age 40-49 and do not have a college degree were underrepresented.

Overall Personal Wellbeing and Overall Wellbeing in Springdale
Survey participants were asked about their overall personal wellbeing and overall community wellbeing in Springdale. These wellbeing indicators were both measured on a 5-point scale from poor (1) to excellent (5). The average personal wellbeing score in Springdale was 4.21 with 89% of respondents indicating their wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale. The average score for community wellbeing in Springdale was 3.68 with 65% of respondents indicating community wellbeing at a 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.


Comparing Wellbeing Across Utah Cities
The Utah League of Cities and Towns clusters cities and towns into five different categories based on size and growth rates. We utilize these clusters in our analysis. Springdale is classified as a Rural Hub/Resort Community (and we have combined these with the Traditional Rural Communities). Some cities and towns may fit within more than one cluster.
Within the Rural cluster, Springdale was above the average overall personal wellbeing score and slightly above the average overall community wellbeing score.


Wellbeing Domains in Springdale
According to national and international entities that track wellbeing, there are a number of common dimensions or domains of wellbeing. Survey respondents rated twelve domains on a 5-point scale from poor to excellent. 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 highest rated wellbeing domains for respondents in Springdale were Connection with Nature (94%), Safety and Security (91%), and Mental Health (84%). The most important wellbeing domains were Mental Health (100%), Physical Health (97%), Local Environmental Quality (95%), Connection with Nature (95%), Living Standards (94%), and Safety and Security (94%).

Wellbeing Matrix for Springdale
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the average rating and the average importance of wellbeing domains for survey respondents from Springdale. Connection with Nature, Leisure Time, Living Standards, Local Environmental Quality, Mental Health, Physical Health, and Safety and Security were highly important and rated above average among the domains. No Domains fell in the “red zone” of higher importance and lower ratings.

Community Connection in Springdale
Survey participants were asked about how connected they feel to Springdale on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5), and the average score of all respondents was 3.5.

No clear relationship was found between individuals’ community connection and overall personal wellbeing or with mental health.


The graph below shows how Wellbeing Project cities and towns compare on feelings of community connection based on the percentage of respondents who answered 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale from “not at all” to “a great deal” connected to their city or town. Springdale ranked 7 out of the 51 cities that participated.

Participation in Recreation and Nature-Related Activities
Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they participated in various activities in the last 12 months. The most popular activities were walking or biking in your neighborhood or city (100%), using trails in or near your city (98%), and recreating in parks in your city (92%).

None of the recreation activities above were significantly related to higher ratings of personal wellbeing or community wellbeing.
Participating in city recreation programs was significantly related to higher ratings of community connection.
Perspectives on Population Growth and Economic Development
Respondents in Springdale were split between opinions that population growth was too fast (44%) and just right (36%). For the pace of economic development, the majority of respondents indicated that it was too fast (69%).


The graphs below show perceptions of population growth and economic development for Springdale compared to other participating cities and towns in the Rural cluster.


The graph below illustrates how many respondents perceived the pace of economic development as too slow, just right, too fast, or had no opinion, with additional breakdowns for the number of respondents who provided comments.

The 10% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too slow” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they would like to see more of in Springdale. Most comments focused on wanting more restaurants and shopping options in Springdale. Respondents also mentioned a desire to revive the town in general – address empty buildings, add trails, improve infrastructure, and increase housing options.
Additionally, the 69% of respondents who rated the pace of economic growth as “too fast” were further asked what aspects of the local economy they feel are growing too quickly in Springdale. Many respondents commented on the lack of diverse businesses and a number of them feel that there are too many e-bike rental shops. On a similar vein, many people mentioned that growth is targeted to benefit tourists more than locals, in both retail and in housing. The most common complaint was that there are too many nightly rentals and transient lodging places but not enough affordable housing options for those who live in Springdale.
Transportation in Springdale
Respondents were asked to indicate all of their primary modes of transportation on a regular basis in Springdale. The most popular modes of transportation were personal car (99%) and walking (67%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the most common barriers to transportation in Springdale. The most problematic barriers were Travel time (50%) and Cost (27%).

Respondents were asked to indicate the importance of a set of possible transportation developments in Springdale. The most important development to respondents were Improving walkability (56%), Enhancing safety (55%), and More trails (55%).

Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently various activities take them out of Springdale to another city or town. The most commonly indicated reasons for traveling to another city or town at least sometimes or once a month were Groceries (99%), Friends and Family (65%), Health/Medical Care (63%), and Eating Out (63%).

Concerns in Springdale
Survey respondents indicated the degree to which a number of possible local issues were a concern as they look to the future of Springdale. Traffic (88%), Water Supply (88%), and Water Quality (86%) were the top concerns.

Open Comments
All open comments collected in the survey were shared with city leaders. General observations and themes are shared here.
What Respondents Value Most in Springdale
Survey respondents were asked to comment on what they value most about Springdale. The most common words and phrases from all city comments are included in the word cloud below. It is possible that negative or unrelated words may appear since these words have been taken out of context, and they may not indicate the respondent’s intended meaning. In Springdale, respondents indicated that they value their proximity to natural amenities and beauty above all else in their community. The social climate was also highly noted as a point of what resident’s value most and small town feel was often used to describe Springdale.

Local Environmental Quality in Springdale
The 25% of respondents who rated the Local Environmental Quality domain as 1, 2, or 3 (Poor, Fair, or Moderate) were further asked if there are specific aspects of local environmental quality that they feel are problematic. Traffic and congestion in Springdale were mentioned as well as expressed desires for city leaders to take more initiative when it comes to managing tourism and conserving wildlife and natural amenities in Springdale.
Improving Wellbeing in Springdale
Survey respondents were asked if there is anything that could be done to improve wellbeing in Springdale. Springdale residents noted growth and development impacts related to transportation and recreation and tourism as points of needed improvement. Congestion through the town was said to affect alternate modes of transportation threatening the safety of bikers and pedestrians. Comments calling for improvements surrounding recreation and tourism focused mainly on how high the levels of tourism have risen and that residents would prefer fewer tourists and better management.
Additional Comments
Respondents were also asked if they had any additional comments on wellbeing in Springdale. Growth and development and recreation and tourism were common themes related to wellbeing. Short term rentals and housing developments were mentioned as decreasing the local feel and bringing in more tourists. Comments suggested that levels of tourism have increased causing congestion in traffic with impacts on locals’ daily life.