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When it comes to living in a community such as Easton, residents typically have wants and needs. A recent survey found these desires are driven by different factors — especially income. A team of students from Lafayette College’s GovLab, led by Assistant Professor Dylan Groves, presented findings from the recent community survey at Easton City Council’s Tuesday committee meeting .
This survey aimed to assess what residents want to see in Easton, from businesses to infrastructure. Conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, the survey collected nearly 1,700 responses from individuals living within a 20-minute radius of Easton. Student Alexa McCarus said the survey had a 90% completion rate.
The survey included responses from age groups 25-35, 35-44, 45-55 and 55 and older. McCarus said the 18 to 24 year old category had the least representation. She said Census data show this is one of the two biggest age brackets in Easton.
Part of the survey addressed what motivates people to visit Easton , with 23% saying they visit daily, 28% several times a week, 25% once a week, and 22% once a month. Easton officials often note the city’s growing dining scene. McCarus said the survey suggested other motivations for visitinglike shopping, work, business, entertainment and recreation.
“There are many other people who are coming to Easton for other reasons than dining,” she said. Data suggest higher-income residents were more likely to visit for dining, while lower-income residents came for more practical purposes. Generational and economic differences shape preferences for new downtown businesses.
According to student Peter Godziela, younger respondents showed strong interest in entertainment options such as bowling alleys and live music venues. Meanwhile, older and wealthier participants expressed a preference for increased retail shopping. Student Bode Brewer added that younger individuals tend to prefer online shopping, which could explain the lower demand for stores in that demographic.
Brewer highlighted a range of specific retail requests from survey participants, including vintage shops, high-end boutiques, bookstores and national chains like Banana Republic and Gap . He said one respondent made an enthusiastic request for a thrift store. “People with more money want these brick-and-mortar retail stores,” Brewer said.
“People going paycheck to paycheck are focused on the necessities to feed themselves and their family.” Public infrastructure and accessibility proved to be another concern. Many participants voiced frustrations about Easton’s parking situation, which has been outlined before at city meetings.
Brewer read some of the comments about parking. One participant said, “Money is so tight, so I look for free parking. I only go to Easton when I have an exact purpose, as I’m paying to be there.
” Others said: “Parking is a nightmare,” and “Parking not only is bad, it is an abomination.” Some residents expressed concerns about handicapped parking. Brewer said infrastructure and accessibility demands were significantly higher among downtown residents and business owners.
The survey also uncovered a need for health and wellness services. McCarus explained that responses from younger residents with lower incomes emphasized the need for accessible drug stores like CVS or Rite Aid. “In a lot of responses, people would say that they have trouble getting their medicine on time or when they need it, or they’re sick,” McCarus said.
“They have trouble accessing those medications.” Older and more affluent residents showed interest in fitness-focused establishments like yoga or Pilates studios, or even larger multipurpose community centers. When it came to specific store requests, grocery stores topped the list.
Student Emily Gelewski reported that 43% of participants named a grocery store when asked what they would most like to see downtown. This figure far surpassed interest in restaurants or recreation. Trader Joe’s was the highest request, named by 53% of those who specified a store.
While demand spanned all age groups, preferences varied slightly by income, with higher earners favoring Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, and lower-income residents also naming Aldi and Wegmans. Groves said the survey illustrated that younger residents are drawn to entertainment and wellness offerings, while older residents seek dining and look for more specialty retail. The needs of downtown residents, in particular, center on accessible groceries, health services, and better infrastructure.
Groves emphasized the team will continue analyzing and refining the data. Plans are underway for a follow-up survey focused on Lafayette students and alumni. “There are a lot of young people who are really inspired by the current community,” McCarus said.
“I think that’s super important when we’re considering what we can bring that can really benefit everybody.” Chelsea McClure can be reached at [email protected] .
Follow her on instagram at @chelsealehighvalley ..
