Survey Results
The More you Know
By George Francis
The number of survey respondents significantly impacts accuracy.
The rule of thumb is often that the larger the sample, the better. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Here is a helpful table for understanding sample size based on the desired margin of error:
For example, if you can tolerate a 10% margin of error, you only need 80 responses from a population of 500.
The margin of error represents how much the survey results might deviate from the true population values.
Larger margins of error (e.g., ±10%) allow for smaller sample sizes.
The percentage of people who respond to your survey affects accuracy.
While higher response rates are desirable, studies suggest that surveys with lower response rates can still yield accurate measurements compared to those with higher response rates. Nationally, average mail in survey responses range from 5 to 30 percent in what is considered a “good response” rate.
The National Community Survey standard sample size of 1500 residents, that percentage translates to about 300-400 returned surveys.
In summary, consider both the sample size and the margin of error when assessing survey accuracy. The Coalition for Better Schools Survey had a 13.6% response rate overall. Out of 8507 surveys mailed out, 1160 were returned, putting the results firmly into the desired margins of error to be considered credible.
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