Select Milton households soon will receive postcards asking them to help provide a better, fuller understanding of our government and community by taking the National Community Survey.

Polco, a well-respected community engagement and data insights platform that is independently administering the survey, began mailing 4,000 postcards this week to a representative and random cross-section of Milton households. On the back of each card is a National Community Survey link specific to each targeted household. 

That allows this to be a scientific survey, with eventual responses tallied in a statistically significant manner that accounts for age, gender, location, and other demographics. Even with an inevitable margin of error, this approach should produce the most accurate possible snapshot of our citizens’ sentiments at a given point in time. 

Milton can be directly compared to other places, since all who take their own local government’s version of the National Community Survey answer the same questions. We can also gauge whether our residents’ opinions on topics like parks, police, and general quality of life issues have changed over time since we utilize this survey every two years. In addition to the common questions, Milton’s survey has unique queries touching on topics like sidewalks, trails, and economic development. 

The hope is that the 2026 version will be more valuable than ever before, since the 4,000 survey links being distributed notably exceeds how many went out in years past. Every selected household should receive a follow-up paper survey in their mailbox this summer, too.  We in the City strongly encourage anyone who gets either to complete Milton’s National Community Survey so that the ultimate results are the most well-rounded and useful to policymakers. 

If you’re among the representative group and have difficulty accessing the survey or have other questions, please email Polco at survey@polco.us. (You can also contact the City by calling 678-242-2500 or emailing info@miltonga.gov, and we’ll do our best working with Polco to help.) 

Anyone – not just those who receive a postcard – can answer the same questions as part of an “open survey” starting sometime in the end of August. (Like most online surveys, these results will not be statistically significant.) People can look for that link on the City Facebook page and website, or sign-up at https://polco.us/n/res/signup to get notified when it’s available. 

All responses must be submitted by September 16, with a round-up of submissions to be prepared and shared later in the fall.