UCI

County Perceptions

Four in 10 residents now rate the quality of life in the county as going "badly," while only 8 percent perceive things as going "very well." The largest group of residents, 52 percent, see the quality of life in Orange County as going "somewhat well."

These ratings of the local quality of life are identical to those reported last year.

Since 1987, when we first asked this question, the number seeing the quality of life as going badly has swelled from 13 to 40 percent, while the proportion viewing things as going well has plummeted from 37 to 8 percent. The percent who see things going somewhat well has been constant across previous surveys.

Interestingly, 18- to 34-year-olds are less likely to see things as going badly in Orange County (28%) than are older residents (48%). There are no differences by region or income.

As for perceptions of the county's future, 36 percent say it will be a worse place to live, 35 percent think it will stay about the same and 29 percent say it will be a better place to live.

Since last year, the number thinking Orange County will be a worse place in the future has risen by 4 points. Over the past 10 years, the number expecting the county to become a better place to live has declined by 11 points.

People aged 35 to 54 are the most likely to say the county will be a worse place to live in the future (42%). There are no differences in optimism about the future by income or region.

As for the most serious health and social issue facing the county, drug abuse (27%) and health care (25%) top the list, followed by the homeless (18%). The issue of race relations was named by 14 percent. There has been no change since last year in mentions of drug abuse, health care and the homeless, while mentions of race relations rose by a significant 6 points.

Since the 1988 survey, the biggest changes in attitudes are a drop in mention of drug abuse and an increase in the naming of health care as the biggest social issue facing the county.

In the South County, the top social issue is considered to be health care, rather than drug abuse (32% to 21%). Elsewhere in the county, drug abuse is mentioned more often than health care (29% to 22%).

Concerns about health care also surpass drug abuse among those earning $80,000 or more (31% to 23%). Those with lower incomes mention drug abuse more often than health care (27% to 23%).

There are no differences by age group in the identification of the top social issue facing the county.