REGIONAL- A new countywide survey shows that most St. Louis County residents are generally satisfied with life in their communities, but that optimism doesn’t always extend to how they feel about their county government. And in District 4, covering the far northern reaches of the county, the disconnect is even more pronounced.
Results from the 2025 St. Louis County Resident Survey, conducted in January by Polco in partnership with several other Minnesota counties, provides a detailed look at public perceptions across a range of topics – quality of life, economic concerns, government performance, and county services. The data also allows for a closer look at the individual commissioner districts, including District 4, which includes Ely, Tower, Cook, Orr, and other communities scattered throughout the North Country.
Residents in District 4, it turns out, feel strongly rooted in their communities, but are less impressed than most of the county by what they’re getting from their government.
Life in the county
Countywide, the picture of daily life is mostly positive. On a 100-point scale, the overall quality of life in St. Louis County received a rating of 65, considered solidly “good” by survey standards. Recreational opportunities earned an even higher mark at 71, better than the national benchmark for counties and no surprise to anyone who’s familiar with all the county has to offer.
District 4 residents rated quality of life slightly higher, at 67, second only to District 5, which includes Hermantown and several communities surrounding Duluth. Survey respondents from the north also offered strong ratings for the area as a place to raise a family and to retire. In fact, District 4 tied for highest in its sense of community and led the county in rating the importance of being close to family and friends.
For people who live in the northern part of the county, community appears to be more of a daily reality than a vague concept. The rural character of the region also scored high among District 4 residents, pointing to a population that values space, quiet, and self-reliance.
Economic concerns
But while residents may be happy with where they live, many are less certain about where the economy is headed.
Countywide, more than one in four survey respondents, 26 percent, said they expect to be worse off financially in the next year, a five-point increase in pessimism compared to the last community survey conducted by the county in 2022. Just 22 percent said they expect things to improve.
Among District 4 respondents, the outlook was slightly brighter. Nearly half expected their household’s finances to remain about the same, while the financial outlook was rated at 49, narrowly behind the top-performing District 5. That said, concern about affordability remains a key issue across the board.
Countywide, the cost of living earned a low score of 39, though this was still above the national benchmark. District 4 rated it at 38, slightly below the average, but still among the more positive ratings compared to several other districts, where concerns about affordability were even more pronounced. While the cost of everything from groceries to gas may be climbing, residents in the north might feel they have more financial breathing room than those in denser or faster-growing areas.
Employment opportunities remained a sore spot, with the county scoring just 44.
Community worries
While the countywide survey results placed the opioid epidemic, homelessness, and poverty at the top of the public’s list of concerns, residents of District 4 painted a different picture. In the north, taxes emerged as the most significant problem, scoring a hefty 68, ten points higher than the county average. Following closely were concerns about opportunities for youth, 69, and the condition of roads and bridges, 58. Meanwhile, the opioid epidemic, a top concern countywide at 74, registered a comparatively lower 66 in District 4, and homelessness dropped to just 57, a full 24 points below the level of concern seen in places like Duluth. The divergence is striking – where the broader county grapples with issues often closely associated with urban areas, District 4’s perceived priority isses focus squarely on infrastructure, youth opportunities, and how public money is managed.
When it comes to public health concerns, District 4 residents share some common ground with the rest of the county, but they also highlight a few different priorities. Countywide, illicit drug use, depression, and domestic violence received the highest concern ratings. In District 4, two of those, illicit drug use and depression, also rated high, both at 72. But rounding out the top three in the north was concern about overweight adults, also at 72, placing it on par with the other leading issues. By contrast, domestic violence received a lower rating of 61 in District 4, well below the county average of 72.
Government trust
If there’s one area where District 4 sharply diverges from the rest of the county, it’s in trust and confidence in local government.
Countywide, overall confidence in St. Louis County government landed at 44 on the 100-point scale. That’s a middling number, but not out of line with other counties nationally.
In District 4, that number dropped to 39, second lowest in the county. And that wasn’t the only red flag. District 4 respondents gave some of the lowest scores in the county when asked whether the county listens to its residents, manages tax dollars effectively, and provides good value for the taxes people pay, with numbers all in the low 30s. All of those scores came in well below the 50-point midpoint of the scale.
Even when it came to basic communication, residents in the north were critical, rating it at 43 for “informing residents” and again, the second-lowest district rating in the county.
These numbers suggest not just dissatisfaction, but a sense of disconnection. In a region known for its independence and skepticism toward bureaucracy, the message appears to be that people aren’t convinced the county hears them or serves them effectively.
Service satisfaction
The survey also asked residents to rate various county services, from emergency response to road maintenance.
Countywide, 911 dispatch and Sheriff patrol earned the highest marks, 76 and 67, respectively, with most other services falling somewhere between “fair” and “good.”
In District 4, the pattern was similar but with lower peaks. 911 dispatch scored 72, still strongly positive, but the second-lowest rating among districts. Sheriff patrol scored 68, a tick above the county average but below the ratings in more central districts.
Several service categories showed particular dissatisfaction in District 4. Services to youth scored just 37, the lowest in the county. Veterans services, public health, and employment support also ranked in the bottom half. Even the county website’s accessibility got low marks, 54 in District 4, placing it in the bottom tier.
One bright spot: snow and ice removal, which improved across the county, and remains a high priority in the north.
The northern view
Taken together, the survey results show that residents in District 4 continue to rate their overall quality of life positively and value the strong sense of community and connection to place that defines much of the northern part of the county. At the same time, their responses reflect ongoing concerns about the performance of county government and the adequacy of certain services—particularly in areas like youth support, road conditions, and communication. While countywide concerns often centered on issues like opioids and homelessness, residents in District 4 placed more emphasis on taxes, infrastructure, and opportunities for younger generations. The data points to a region that feels stable and self-reliant—but also somewhat disconnected from the broader direction and priorities of county government.