NORFOLK, Va. — Hampton Roads residents have mixed feelings about this area, according to a recently released poll.
Overall, the Old Dominion University Social Science Research Center's 14th annual "Life in Hampton Roads" study found a majority of people, 62.3%, rated the quality of life in the region as excellent or good.
But that is down from the 69.3% recorded last year.
ODU Social Science Research Center Director Tancy Vandecar-Burdin says the trendlines are troubling.
"If we look at [the] quality of life in the Hampton Roads region over time, we can see here that this year, the quality-of-life ratings for Hampton Roads were the lowest that they have been in recent years, even lower than during the pandemic. Except for a slight rebound last year, quality of life ratings have been generally declining for the last several years," she said.
Notably, just 5.7% of respondents rated the economic conditions here as excellent.
Affordability was a top concern, with 77.7% saying there is not enough affordable housing and 71% strongly agreeing or agreeing that affordable childcare is a problem.
However, the telephone survey of 610 local residents did have some encouraging signs.
Of the participants, 75.5% said they and their families are better off than they were a year ago.
And, in spite of any misgivings about the local economy, when asked "Do you plan to live in Hampton Roads five years from now,", 73.1% of respondents said "yes."