Stoughton’s Comprehensive Plan Survey Closes with Unprecedented Community Participation
Almost Double The Input From 2017 Planning Survey
STOUGHTON, WI – November 17, 2025 – The Plan Stoughton team has successfully closed its Comprehensive Plan Community Survey, receiving an unprecedented 1,063 responses from residents of all ages across all nine city wards. Residents of neighboring communities in the Stoughton Area School District, including Dunkirk, Pleasant Springs, Dunn, and Rutland also contributed their ideas.
1,063 respondents is almost double the number of participants in the last Comprehensive Plan survey from 2017.
The survey’s broad participation reflects Stoughton’s commitment to an inclusive planning process that captures both local and regional perspectives. Insights gathered from the survey will directly shape the City’s Comprehensive Plan update, guiding policies for growth, development, and quality of life through 2036.
“More than a thousand voices shared their perspectives and ideas for Stoughton in our survey,” said Tim Swadley, Mayor. “The community’s thoughtful feedback will serve as a foundation for decisions about housing, transportation, economic development and community services in our great community.”
The City offered many opportunities for residents to participate including workshops, social media, the project website, community events, and business chamber discussions and kept the survey open from June to November, demonstrating the team’s commitment to giving residents every opportunity to share their ideas.
Throughout the survey responses, a powerful sense of pride in Stoughton, its historic architecture, downtown character, and Norwegian heritage emerged. Maintaining the City’s “small town charm” while accommodating needed future growth is a shared priority among the respondents.
Key Themes
Several key themes emerged in the survey:
- Sense of Community and Safety: residents emphasized that Stoughton is friendly, welcoming, and safe, and they prioritized preserving these important qualities as the community grows.
- Housing Affordability: rising housing costs and limited options for first-time buyers, families, and seniors was identified as the biggest challenge for the next 10-20 years in Stoughton.
- Community Services: ensuring schools, healthcare, and emergency services keep pace with population growth was cited as the second biggest challenge facing the community.
- Economic Growth & Job Opportunities: the third biggest challenge identified by survey respondents was supporting local job creation and economic development.
- Transportation: respondents identified limited public transit availability as the top transportation challenge, followed by road maintenance and pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Next Steps
Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Plan Update is now complete with the closed survey. Phase 2 begins in January 2026, when City staff will review a draft plan before revisions are made and it is released to the public for comment in the spring. Residents will be able to share feedback on the draft before the plan is finalized and presented to City Council for approval in June 2026.
“The number and quality of the survey responses demonstrate how much Stoughton residents care about their community,” added Katrina Becker, Becker Professional Services. “This input will ensure the Comprehensive Plan update reflects community priorities and a shared vision for the future of the city.”
For more information about the Comprehensive Plan process, visit planstoughton.com
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Media Contact:
Lee Caraher, on behalf of Plan Stoughton
715-829-4566
