Our annual quality of life survey aims to track the responses over time to see how changes to our decisions and policies – and the work of other public sector bodies in the county - affect people’s views, and to give our Members vital insight when they make business planning decisions.
Our second survey involved more than 5,500 residents. Thank you to all those who took part.
Survey summary
1. Overall, residents continue to have good quality of life in Cambridgeshire
Happiness levels remain high, with scores consistent with 2023.
Residents feel safe (85%) and feel like they belong (75%) – consistent with last year.
Cambridgeshire is increasingly seen as a good place to raise children, up 2 percentage points from 2023.
2. Reported health has seen some improvements from last year
Fewer residents report mental health struggles this year, dropping from 37% last year to 29% this year.
Physical health concerns have dropped from 40% to 31% too.
However, the proportion of residents reporting they often feel lonely has increased from 29% last year to 31% this year.
3. However, as with last year, it is not a perfect picture for everyone…
As in 2023, some groups are more likely to feature as having more concerns with quality of life: younger people, renters, disabled residents, ethnic minority respondents and those from lower Socio-Economic Groups.
And residents’ concerns about cost of living, jobs and investment, and climate change are increasing.
4. Generally, levels of satisfaction with services are similar to 2023
Registration services, library services and waste management have the highest satisfaction rating.
Road and pavement maintenance continues to be the lowest area of satisfaction among service users.
5. The Council continues to play a relatively trusted role in residents’ lives
Residents continue to trust the Council to make decisions (52%) and act on the concerns of local residents (45%).
These are roughly in line with national averages.
41% see delivery of value for money, which is lower than last year but still above Local Government Association (LGA) averages.
6. Expectation on what the Council can deliver remains high
Residents are often assessing the Council against services it doesn’t directly deliver like GPs, bus services and social housing standards… which likely feeds into perceptions of the Council.
And so, how these services perform is also likely to continue to impact reputation.
South Cambridgeshire continues to report more positively than Fenland and Cambridge City on quality of life
Category
Most positive district/s*
Most negative district/s
Happiness
South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire
Fenland
Personal health
South Cambridgeshire
Fenland
Children’s health
East Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire
Cambridge City
Impact of cost-of-living increases
South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire
Cambridge City
Concerns about homes
Huntingdonshire
Cambridge City
Views on local community
East Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire
Fenland
Views on Cambridgeshire as a place to raise children
South Cambridgeshire
Fenland
Concerns about cost-of-living, climate change, investment and jobs
South Cambridgeshire
All except for South Cambridgeshire
Views on Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire
Fenland
Views on environment
Cambridge City
Fenland
*While South Cambridgeshire is more positive in categories like quality of life, it should be noted that it is not always the most positive on services.
2. Residents' levels of happiness
*Significant difference. Comparison to 2023 in boxes - percentage point (pp) difference.
Q6. Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? Base: 2023 (n=5,500), 2024 (n=5,500)
72% of residents in Cambridgeshire reported high or very high levels of happiness, which is unchanged from 2023.
*Significant difference. Q20. Which, if any, of the following statements apply to you? ‘I have struggled with my mental health in the last year’. Base: 2023 (n=5,500), 2024 (n=5,500)
*Significant difference. Comparison to 2023 in boxes - percentage point (pp) difference. Q7. Thinking about your life specifically at the moment, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? ‘I often feel lonely’. 2023 (n=5,500), 2024 (n=5,500)
Fewer residents report mental health struggles this year, dropping from 37% last year to 29% this year.
However, the proportion of residents reporting they often feel lonely has increased from 29% last year to 31% this year.
72% of residents in Cambridgeshire reported high or very high levels of happiness, which is unchanged from 2023.
Fewer residents report mental health struggles this year, dropping from 37% last year to 29% this year. Physical health concerns have dropped from 40% to 31% too.
However, the proportion of residents reporting they often feel lonely has increased from 29% last year to 31% this year.
Younger people are still more likely than others to report mental health struggles and feeling lonely.
The proportion of residents who regularly engage in unhealthy behaviours such as vaping, smoking, and drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week has dropped compared to 2023. These proportions are still broadly similar to national averages.
3. How residents respond to concerns about climate change, increasing costs, and jobs and investment in their local area
Q4. These issues are often covered in the news. To what extent do you personally feel concerned about these issues? Base: 2024 (n=5,500)
79% of residents are concerned about climate change, up from 76% in 2023.
Q4. These issues are often covered in the news. To what extent do you personally feel concerned about these issues? Base: (n=5,500)
87% of residents are concerned about cost of living increases, a slight increase compared to 86% in 2023.
Q4. These issues are often covered in the news. To what extent do you personally feel concerned about these issues? Base: 2023 (n=5,500), 2024 (n=5,500)
Residents are more concerned about jobs and investment in their local area, with 59% concerned in 2024 compared to 52% in 2023.
87% of residents are concerned about cost of living increases, a slight increase compared to 86% in 2023.
This is becoming more of a universal concern for residents, with sub-groups - such as those aged 18 to 24 years and ethnic minorities – who were less likely to be concerned in 2023, more concerned in 2024.
79% of residents are concerned about climate change, up from 76% in 2023.
Residents, especially those most concerned about climate change, continue to be open to changing their behaviour to behave more sustainably.
Expectations on the Council to respond to climate change as well as protect and enhance the environment remains high, with 79% of residents wanting the Council to do more.
Residents are more concerned about jobs and investment in their local area, with 59% concerned in 2024 compared to 52% in 2023.
4. How residents feel about where they live
Q5. I’d now like to you to think about the local community in Cambridgeshire in which you live. Think about this as the areas within a 15-minute walk of your home. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Base: n=5,500
Consistent with 2023, most residents feel positively about their local area.
The majority of residents continue to feel positively about their local area. 85% feel safe, 78% feel different people get along and 75% feel they belong.
But some groups continue to feel less positively about their area. In particular, Fenland residents, ethnic minorities, those from lower Socio-Economic Groups (SEGs), disabled residents and renters are more likely to disagree with positive sentiments.
Residents increasingly see Cambridgeshire as a good place to raise children, with 79% agreeing, up from 77% in 2023.
When it comes to housing, over half of residents report having a problem with their main place of residence (58%), and just under a quarter struggle to heat their homes (24%).
Concerns with housing continue to be highest for young people, ethnic minorities, those with dependents, disabled residents, private and social housing renters (more so than private renters).
5. How the Council fits into picture
Q13. I’d like you to now think about Cambridgeshire County Council’s performance. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Base: n=5,500
Residents continue to have the same level of trust in the Council, with over half trusting it to make decisions about local services (52%) and just under half (45%) agreeing that the council acts on the concerns of residents.
Q13. I’d like you to now think about Cambridgeshire County Council’s performance. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Base: n=5,500
Residents are less likely to feel the council delivers value for money this year, with 41% agreeing compared to 44% in 2023.
Residents continue to have the same level of trust in the council, with over half trusting CCC to make decisions about local services (52%), which is slightly lower than the Local Government Association (LGA) national average of 53%.
Similarly, just under half of residents (45%) agree that the council acts on the concerns of residents, which is lower than the LGA national average of 47%.
Residents are less likely to feel the council delivers value for money this year, with 41% agreeing compared to 44% in 2023. Despite this, the figure remains higher than the 2024 LGA survey, where 38% agreed their local council delivered good value for money.
Generally, levels of satisfaction with Council services are similar to 2023.
Among residents who indicated they had used the service, registration services (85%) and library services (85%) had the highest satisfaction rating. Road and pavement maintenance continues to be the lowest area of satisfaction (21%).
Residents are often assessing the Council against services it doesn’t directly deliver like GPs, bus services and social housing standards… which likely feeds into perceptions of the Council.
And so, how these services perform is also likely to continue to impact reputation.
Respondents
Breakdown by age, ethnicity, gender and location of the 5,500 residents who took part in the survey.
