Net Promoter Score Shows Growing Community Satisfaction
The latest results of the Greater Topeka Partnership’s Net Promoter Score survey show community pride has increased dramatically among Topeka and Shawnee County residents during the course of the capital city’s Momentum 2022 strategy.
Since 2017, the total number of people with a positive view of the capital city has risen, resulting in a 40% improvement in the community’s Net Promoter Score, according to the latest data. That data came from the responses this year of nearly 2,000 Topeka and Shawnee County residents. The growth was driven by a 120% increase over the past four years in respondents who identified as active promoters of the community. Year over year, the number of active promoters grew five percentage points between 2020 and 2021
The latest results also showed locals ages 18 to 24 had an increasingly positive view of the community. Area residents over the age of 55 were the group with the highest reported community satisfaction.
“The latest data is confirmation that our community’s strategy is working,” said Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield, the GTP’s senior vice president of strategy. “Our Momentum 2022 team — which truly consists of so many constructive voices from across our community — will continue to advance our strategy’s priorities, as we conclude this five-year development plan with even greater community support than before.”
The Greater Topeka Partnership’s Net Promoter Score survey has been used since 2017 to measure community satisfaction. Each year, the survey poses the same question: “How likely is it that you would recommend Topeka and Shawnee County as a desirable place to live?” In 2021, the community’s Net Promoter Score increased by about 19 percentage points, compared to 2017 responses, or 40% overall.
“We’re certainly moving in the right direction,” said Freddy Mawyin, the GTP’s research manager. “The growth in people actively promoting Topeka is great because it means our community has more cheerleaders than people speaking negatively about it. That’s our goal, and we’re getting better every year.”
Among different racial groups identified in the 2021 Net Promoter Score survey, Asian residents of Topeka and Shawnee County reported the highest community satisfaction, followed by Hispanic respondents. Asian residents were up to 36 percentage points more positive about living in Topeka than those who identified as white, non-Hispanic. Likewise, Hispanic residents were up to 24 percentage points more positive about living in Topeka than their white, non-Hispanic counterparts. The biggest opportunity for growth is among Topeka and Shawnee County’s Black residents, which trailed white, non-Hispanic residents in community satisfaction by eight percentage points.
“Wow, Topeka! Many remember just how toxic negativity was in our community in 2017. To see this kind of sustained growth in community satisfaction is encouraging,” said partnership CEO Matt Pivarnik. “It’s amazing to see that Asian and Hispanic residents of Topeka and Shawnee County, as well as young professionals, had such positive feedback in our latest survey. We are committed to ensuring that all other groups surveyed see the positive change they need to see to become active promoters of our great city.”
