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• : : . . Decision • Resources Ltd. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • This study contains the results of a survey of 402 randomly selected residents of the City of Elk River. Survey responses were gathered by professional interviewers between December 14 and December 27, 1989 . The average interview of city residents took twenty-seven minutes. . Random samples such as this one yield results projectable to the entire universe of Elk River residents within + 5. 0 percent in 95 out of 100 cases. Elk River can best be described as a growing exurban area undergoing substantial transition. While many of- the results found in this study conform to the patterns of other cities in the "high growth corridors, " there are also some characteristics which suggest a changing community. The complexion of the community varies, from a blue collar small town to a more white collar enclave. In many ways, the newcomers are impacting median education levels, average household income levels, as well as altering expectations about city services. The average family has lived in Elk River for 10. 5 years ; eight percent of the sample reported moving to Elk River during the past two years, while twenty-two percent had resided there for over twenty years . Eighty-three percent of the respondents also reported they had no plans for the next decade to move from the community. Nine percent did, however, mention an intention to move on during the next five years, reflective of the rate of arrivals during a much shorter two year period. If these numbers remain unchanged, in-migration will exceed out-migration by almost four-to-one. Household composition varied across the city. Fourteen percent of the sample reported seniors in residence, while fifty- three percent had school-aged children or pre-schoolers. Eighteen percent rented their current households. The average age of residents was 39. 8 years old: about one-third of the city was under the age of 35 ; thirty percent, 35-44 years old; and one- third was over 45. Over one-half of the residents are in the 25- 44 year age group. The workforce in Elk River was remarkably homogeneous. Blue Collar households compose the largest segment, at thirty-five percent. Professional-Technical and Owner-Manager households 110 together contribute another thirty-three percent. Retirees were fifteen percent. Clerical-Sales and scattered occupations account for the remainder. Fifty-three percent of the residents reported no college experience, with- twenty-seven percent were 131