A survey of young adult Dubuque residents shows that the factors most important to choosing a community to live and work in are health care and affordable housing.

The finding is part of Greater Dubuque Development Corp.’s Next Gen Perceptions Survey, which was conducted late last year, to gauge the priorities of Dubuque residents age 40 and younger. Results of the survey were recently released.

“(The survey) tells you something about a generational change in the community,” GDDC President and CEO Rick Dickinson said. “It informs us of where our population is and what we need to do moving forward.”

Respondents were asked whether they want to stay in the Dubuque area or not and why. Participants also ranked community amenities based on how important they are to them and ranked how Dubuque scores on those amenities.

Of respondents age 30 or younger, about 62% said they are considering staying in the greater Dubuque area, with nearly 13% planning to leave and about 25% unsure.

Common reasons cited for wanting to stay in the area were proximity to family, job opportunities, familiarity with the area, quality of life and a sense of community. Those planning to leave pointed to limited jobs and wanting to pursue more diverse and urban areas.

The results highlight how respondents age 30 and younger rated the importance of various factors they consider in choosing where to live and work, as well as how the greater Dubuque region ranks on those factors.

The most important factor to respondents in choosing a community was access to quality health care, which they rated 4.32 out of 5. They gave the greater Dubuque area a 3.30 rating.

Affordable home ownership came in second, with respondents giving it a 4.26 out of 5 rating on the importance scale but rating their perception of the Dubuque area at 3.01.

Other factors ranked as highly important for young people include great schools, low crime rates, a variety of restaurants, affordable rental housing, natural features, farmers markets, shopping districts and pet-friendliness.

Among those factors, respondents generally ranked Dubuque about a half point to a full point below their rating for the importance of those factors in choosing a community.

The least important factor for young people surveyed were casinos, which got a 2.66 out of 5 on the importance rating and a 3.52 on the Dubuque area’s rating. Other low-priority factors include country clubs or other membership clubs, religious worship opportunities, professional organizations, sports teams, access to public transportation, bikeable communities and winter sports opportunities.

Dickinson said the results reinforce much of what GDDC is already doing, such as supporting initiatives to increase housing and expand child care access.

He said he generally expected the 10 most-important factors young people ranked would include more entertainment options, recreational activities and restaurants. While those are priorities, they were second to more basic needs such as housing.

“They were meat and potatoes issues that, regardless of your age or demographic, are foundational,” he said. “It surprised me that they came to the very top.”

Justine Paradiso, vice president of events and programs for Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, said any tool that gauges the public’s perception of Dubuque is welcome. She said the chamber is committed to growing the community and supporting Dubuque’s small businesses, which make up so much of the town’s character.

As the leader of the chamber’s Young Professionals organization, she said a major goal is to keep young adults engaged in the community, and tools such as the survey results help the chamber better plan strategic goals.

“We want people to understand what we have going on in the community, that you can look anywhere and find things to do,” she said.

Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh said the City Council continues to take the survey results into consideration and factored the survey into the council’s goal-setting sessions this year. He said the homeownership and affordable rental housing priorities are also longstanding priorities for the city.

One of the top priorities named in those goal-setting sessions is increasing Dubuque Police Department staffing, which Cavanagh said contributes to the low crime rate, an important factor named in the survey.

When looking at the results and focusing on young residents, Cavanagh said he also wants to ensure current Dubuque youth are included in the conversations.

“The next generation of Dubuque residents aren’t just people moving here, but how do we keep our kids here?” he said.