Americans in 2022 find themselves in an environment that is at once greatly improved and frustratingly familiar.
47% of U.S. adults say single women raising children on their own is generally a bad thing for society, an increase of 7 points since 2018.
On average, Democrats and Republicans are farther apart ideologically today than at any time in the past 50 years.
Nearly all Democrats (92%) support a U.S. role in international efforts to reduce climate change impacts, as do 53% of Republicans.
Workers who quit a job in 2021 say low pay (63%), no opportunities for advancement (63%) and feeling disrespected at work (57%) were reasons why.
Only a small share of Americans have heard a lot about redistricting in their state and a majority are not sure how they feel.
A Pew Research Center analysis of official reports of COVID-19-related deaths across the country shows how the dynamics of the pandemic have shifted over the past two years.
Trust in American institutions is essential to the functioning of U.S. democracy. Yet today, many feel that trust is declining. So what impact does this have on American society?
We explore that question in our new five-part animated video series, which brings together the Center’s key findings about trust in the news media, elections, police, scientists and the economy.
Amid tensions over a possible military invasion of Ukraine, Republicans and Democrats are largely in agreement about the threats posed by Russia.
Negative views of Vladimir Putin are at or near historic highs, with a median of 22% saying they have confidence in him to do the right thing in world affairs.
Views of NATO among Americans are at 61% favorable, the same as the overall median across the member states surveyed.
Germans and Americans have both become more skeptical of China.
Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials. Positive ratings of public health officials, such as those at the CDC, have fallen 10 points since August. And 60% of U.S. adults say they’ve felt confused as a result of changes to recommendations on how to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
52% of Republicans say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in K-12 public school principals to act in the public’s best interests.
Fewer than half of Black adults say they have a three-month emergency fund, and some have taken multiple jobs to make ends meet.
About half of Black Americans (51%) say they are very or extremely informed about the history of Black people in the U.S.
The U.S. Hispanic population reached 62.1 million in 2020, an increase of 23% over the previous decade.
Most Latino immigrants say they would come to the U.S. again.
“A record 23 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries … and the U.S. Asian population is projected to reach 46 million by 2060.”
The first video in Pew Research Center’s Methods 101 series helps explain random sampling – a concept that lies at the heart of all probability-based survey research – and why it’s important.