Two Surveys Reveal Local Perceptions About Climate Change
August 2026
This summer, the Chester County Planning Commission released two surveys to help inform the update that's underway of the county's Climate Action Plan. Each of the two surveys reached around 1,250 people and was promoted by county government newsletters and social media, shared by community organizations, and promoted through in-person outreach at events across the county. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your thoughts through these surveys. The results of the surveys will be considered when prioritizing actions in the plan and will help determine where to focus efforts on future community outreach and education programming.
The first survey assessed the perceptions and attitudes about climate change of those who live and work in Chester County. It also queried how well people feel they can adapt to and be resilient against various impacts of climate change, such as prolonged heat waves and power outages. The second survey investigated which actions people believe the county and organizations within the community should prioritize. Additionally, it asked respondents which actions they as individuals were interested in pursuing, and what barriers exist to pursuing these actions.
Overall, a majority (82%) of survey respondents favor addressing climate change and its impacts through green infrastructure — more open space, trees, parks and trails. Many respondents were concerned about the impacts of development on future flooding events and heat, and about the impact of data centers on climate change and on communities in general. Some additional interesting statistics from the surveys are as follows:
- 75% of respondents were either concerned or very concerned about climate change.
- Across the two surveys, between 52% and 67% had heard of and/or had some familiarity with the county's Climate Action Plan .
- Respondents feel better equipped to stay safe and comfortable during extreme heat waves or cold snaps than during floods or extended power outages.
- Respondents favored climate actions that would expand natural areas & plant more trees (71% ranked this as a high priority), supporting local food production and sustainable farming practices (63% ranked this as a high priority), and transitioning to renewable energy (56% ranked this as a high priority).
- Although only 9% of respondents had already installed solar on their home or business, 45% were interested in pursuing solar in the future, but hadn't yet due to barriers like cost, lack of knowledge of the process, or not owning their home/office.
- The most favored solutions to addressing emissions from transportation were expanding trails and sidewalk networks.
For more detailed survey results, please visit the Chester County Planning Commission's Climate Action Plan webpage.