St. Louis County is seeking public input on the job it's doing in a survey that is being mailed out the week of Jan. 13.
Questions cover the quality of life in St. Louis County, what people think of the job the county is doing at providing a wide set of critical services, and how much priority people think the county should place on certain services.
According to a news release, information collected in the survey helps guide decisions on budgets, policy and more. New this year, the county is seeking public input on topics including environmentally sustainable practices and on investments in types of housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.
Approximately 4,900 county residents selected at random will receive a postcard in the mail inviting them to take the survey online. These residents will also have the option to complete a paper copy of the survey.
Results of the survey, which are considered statistically valid, will be shared by early summer and will be taken into consideration by staff and commissioners as they work on the 2026 budget and long-range plans.
"We encourage our citizens, if you are one of the randomly selected households to receive this survey, please fill it out," stated County Board Chair Annie Harala in the release. "We very much value the opinions and information we gain from this survey. In some cases, it becomes rationale to redirect resources, and in other instance we find it reaffirms that people appreciate decisions we've made."
In addition to this scientific survey, the county will later offer an online survey that any resident can complete. Those answers will be kept separate from the official survey but will still be reviewed and taken into consideration.
St. Louis County is partnering with four other counties — Dakota, Olmsted, Scott and Washington — to produce the survey, which is being conducted by Polco/National Research Center Inc. The county has conducted similar surveys every two to three years since 2007, most recently in 2022.
For more information about the 2025 residential survey, call 218-726-2450 or visit stlouiscountymn.gov.
-
Officials with the state's Environmental Quality Board heard more on how data center development could impact the state's water resources. -
Contributed/St. Louis CountyRyan Moller allegedly shot his father in the head in Fayal Township after an argument. He was charged with attempted murder and assault Dec. 5, 2025. -
Contributed/Any Lane via PexelsIt's time to start thinking about gift-giving as the holidays approach. What are some things that you like to make to give to others? -
Plus: A Bemidji forum explores the affordability of child care, health care and more for families, along with potential legislative fixes. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEChild care providers, local officials and families discussed the high costs of child care and the low wages of child care workers during the Bemidji Affordability Forum on Dec. 3, 2025. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe North Central Research and Outreach Center helped test our state fruit for winter hardiness, a step in its eventual release as the University of Minnesota's first apple variety. -
Contributed/Kate Batten via WTIPFinancial records showed Bryce James Campbell’s companies near-due and past-due business debts amounted to more than $14 million when the fire destroyed the beloved North Shore resort. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock via Minnesota News ConnectionMinnesota's program distributes funding to more than 100,000 income-eligible households. About 40% had a person over age 60 or with a disability, and 1 in 6 had children younger than 6. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXETwo staff members were in the lab when the fire ignited. One of them received minor burns and was medically evaluated and released. -
Kari Hedlund/KAXECheck out new songs and albums from Mavis Staples, Lisa O'Neill, Midlake, Paul Spring, waterbaby and more in this month's edition of "Spin that Ish."
