The lack of jobs that pay well is the most serious community problem, Anderson County residents said in a recent telephone survey.
Fifty-five percent of those responding rated it as a major problem, according to a survey summary released Monday by PlanET.
But 76 percent of those surveyed in Anderson County said the quality of life in their community is good or excellent.
The respondents said manufacturing and science and technology jobs were the most important type to attract to Anderson County. They said the availability of high-quality public schools is the most important factor when choosing a place to live.
Residents said other major problems are empty commercial buildings, polluted rivers and lakes, schools that perform poorly, and a lack of affordable housing and quality healthcare.
About one-third of them said that providing educational programs for new career opportunities is the best strategy for creating new jobs in the region.
A large percentage, 79 percent, said it is extremely important or somewhat important to live within a 30-minute drive of their workplace.
The telephone survey of 2,000 residents in Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, and Union counties was conducted by the University of Tennessee for PlanET between Feb. 8 and March 28. PlanET is a five-county regional partnership.
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