Almost everyone who lives here likes it

The Columbus Dispatch – August 29, 1988

An overwhelming majority of Franklin County residents believe living in the Columbus area is just fine and dandy, according to a Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce survey.

The telephone survey of 403 registered voters found 96 percent are ”very satisfied” or ”somewhat satisfied” with the Columbus area as a place to live.

The standard margin of error in a survey of that many people is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

”CONSIDERING everything, how satisfied are you with Columbus as a place to live?” the voters were asked.

Sixty-one percent said very satisfied, and 35 percent responded somewhat satisfied. Three percent said they are not too satisfied. No one said he or she is totally dissatisfied, and 1 percent gave no answer.

Columbus drew rave reviews as a place to buy a home, work, raise a family and attend college.

People are less satisfied with recreation and entertainment in Columbus and with the ease of getting around for work and errands.

Fifty-two percent believe Columbus is growing at just the right pace. Thirty-seven percent said it is growing too fast, and 7 percent said growth is lagging.

THE POLL, conducted by Saperstein Associates, will help the chamber decide whether to endorse tax issues on the Nov. 3 ballot, chamber spokesman Cathy Mayne Lyttle said.

The quality-of-life issues were among 50 questions asked in the survey. Lyttle said the total results will not be discussed publicly until the chamber makes endorsement decisions.

”These are strong numbers,” Lyttle said. ”They show a lot of people are happy here and can go to school here. From a marketing standpoint, it’s great for us.”