The City of DeSoto released the results of its 2025 Community Survey on Monday, July 21, revealing high levels of resident satisfaction in key service areas and laying the foundation for future planning through its “Mapping DeSoto’s Future” strategic initiative.
Conducted by the nationally recognized ETC Institute, the survey collected statistically valid feedback from more than 300 households using a randomized sampling method.
Among 38 service areas evaluated, DeSoto scored higher than the national average in 23 categories, with firm marks for emergency response, public safety, and parks and library services.
“This survey ensures that our direction is shaped by those who live here,” said Mayor Rachel L. Proctor. “We’re proud of the areas where residents see us excelling — and equally committed to addressing where we must improve.”
Highlights from the survey include:
- 86% of residents said they feel safe walking in their neighborhoods during the day.
- 80%+ expressed satisfaction with emergency medical services.
- 72% rated police services highly.
- 77% were satisfied with DeSoto Public Library services.
- 66% rated DeSoto as a good or excellent place to live.
The City’s satisfaction ratings outpaced both Texas and national benchmarks in areas such as police response time, crime prevention, and animal control.
The survey also showed that more than two-thirds of households had visited a city park within the past year.
“These survey results are more than data points; they represent voices that are guiding our priorities, shaping our planning, and helping us build a more responsive and transparent government,” said Mayor Proctor.
Residents also pointed to areas needing attention. Top improvement priorities identified for the next two years include street maintenance, code enforcement, and the quality of water and sewer utilities.
Lower satisfaction ratings were reported in areas such as property maintenance and the availability of bike lanes.
To pinpoint where city efforts can have the most impact, the ETC Institute conducted an Importance-Satisfaction analysis.
The results suggest residents want greater police visibility, better street conditions, and stronger enforcement of property maintenance codes, all areas rated as highly important, but where satisfaction was relatively low.
The 2025 Community Survey marks the City’s third in five years and is central to aligning long-range goals with resident expectations.
“Through this process, our residents are not just giving us a snapshot of today — they’re helping us define and map DeSoto’s future,” Proctor said.
City officials say the data will inform both budget decisions and the ongoing 10-year strategic planning process.
For full survey results or to watch the presentation given during the July 14 City Council meeting, visit desototexas.gov/communitysurvey or desototexas.gov/desototv
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