PAA Omnibus
Results from a nationally representative survey of US adults aged 18+, featuring questions suggested by attendees of the 2026 Population Association of America (PAA) conference.
We generated this report using the beta version of our auto-generation survey report technology, so please share your feedback or suggestions. If you find and share any errors in the report, we will give you a $250 Verasight credit for your next survey.
Key Takeaways
Homeownership & the American Dream
How important is homeownership to your conception of the American Dream?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | 52% | 46% | 0% |
| Important | 31% | 33% | 51% |
| Somewhat important | 11% | 17% | 21% |
| Not very important | 6% | 4% | 27% |
Preferred City Policy Proposal
Which of the following policy proposals would you be most likely to support in your city of residence?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting funding for police departments and reinvesting in community-based programs that address root causes of gun violence | 9% | 6% | 0% |
| A new agency of first responders (e.g. emergency medical services or firefighters) to deal with issues related to addiction or mental illness that need to be remedied but do not require police | 19% | 19% | 0% |
| Training police officers in nonviolent alternatives to deadly force | 17% | 17% | 0% |
| Training police how to mobilize alternative first responders and non-police actors to respond to emergency situations | 12% | 11% | 25% |
| Investing in mobile crisis units which deploy licensed behavioral and mental health specialists and/or community residents who respond to mental health crises, substance abuse, or homelessness | 26% | 37% | 47% |
| Investing in training and employing community residents to respond to (and prevent) cases of violence that transpire in the neighborhoods where they live | 17% | 11% | 27% |
School District Funding Adequacy
Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: My school district has enough funding to support student learning.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly disagree | 10% | 15% | 79% |
| Disagree | 19% | 23% | 0% |
| Neutral | 26% | 31% | 0% |
| Agree | 31% | 21% | 21% |
| Strongly agree | 14% | 10% | 0% |
Most Important College Ranking Factor
Colleges in the United States are frequently ranked by various companies and news agencies (e.g. US News and World Report, Times Higher Education, and QS World University Rankings). In your opinion, what is the most important factor that determines whether a university is ranked higher or lower in these lists?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| How selective the college is/how difficult it is to get into the college | 12% | 12% | 25% |
| How employable graduates of the college are (employment rates, average income) | 48% | 49% | 26% |
| How famous graduates and alumni of the college are | 3% | 3% | 0% |
| How expensive tuition costs at the college are | 12% | 12% | 0% |
| How much money the college spends on its students | 6% | 5% | 27% |
| How satisfied current students are with the college | 8% | 12% | 0% |
| How much scientific research is produced at the college | 10% | 7% | 21% |
Primary Reason for Military Enlistment
What do you think is the primary reason most people join the U.S. military?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial benefits (e.g. pay, education, funding, healthcare) | 42% | 52% | 100% |
| Sense of duty or patriotism | 19% | 14% | 0% |
| Family tradition or legacy of service | 8% | 8% | 0% |
| Limited civilian job or educational opportunities | 13% | 8% | 0% |
| Desire for adventure, travel, or new experiences | 5% | 2% | 0% |
| Personal challenge or self-improvement | 7% | 6% | 0% |
| Job security and long-term stability | 5% | 10% | 0% |
Preferred Elder-Care Support Policy
Which of the following policies would you most favor for the federal government to implement for people who are providing care for an aging family member?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giving tax credits to help pay for caregiving | 28% | 23% | 0% |
| Paying for short-term care for aging adults to give family caregivers a break | 18% | 16% | 0% |
| Requiring employers to provide paid family leave | 11% | 13% | 47% |
| Giving direct payments to help with caregiving costs | 44% | 49% | 53% |
Who Should Help Family-less Elders
Who do you think should primarily provide help to an older adult who does not have any family?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 56% | 63% | 73% |
| Private companies | 7% | 7% | 0% |
| Charities/religious organizations/ non-profit | 24% | 18% | 27% |
| Friends/neighbors | 13% | 11% | 0% |
CPS Newborn Safety Assessment
Should Child Protective Services assess the safety of newborns prior to hospital discharge if their parents previously lost custody to other children due to abuse and neglect?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always | 59% | 72% | 100% |
| Sometimes | 34% | 22% | 0% |
| Rarely | 4% | 4% | 0% |
| Never | 3% | 2% | 0% |
Guardianship vs. Adoption
When children cannot live with their biological parents due to abuse and neglect, is it better for them to reside in legal guardianship with a relative or to be adopted?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guardianship is usually better | 46% | 50% | 21% |
| Guardianship is similar to adoption | 32% | 31% | 53% |
| Adoption is usually better | 21% | 19% | 25% |
Sacrifice to Raise Children Today
Compared to previous generations, do you think young adults in the U.S. today have to give up more, less, or about the same in order to raise children?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Much more | 31% | 33% | 79% |
| More | 29% | 27% | 21% |
| About the same | 28% | 27% | 0% |
| Less | 8% | 9% | 0% |
| Much less | 3% | 3% | 0% |
Readiness to Have a Child
If you want a(nother) child at some point in the future, do you feel ready to have the child now?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 18% | 13% | 0% |
| No | 35% | 27% | 25% |
| I don't want to have a(nother) child. | 47% | 60% | 75% |
Preferred AI Policy Responses
While artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI offer productivity gains, there are also risks of job loss (especially for entry level knowledge workers), energy cost increases, and privacy and security concerns. Among the following policy or regulatory ideas below, check all of the following that you would ask your state or federal policymakers to adopt to address AI:
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax AI companies and data centers, redistribute those tax revenues using an AI dividend payment to all Americans. | 40% | 40% | 73% |
| Provide free retraining programs for all workers to ensure optimal and safe AI use. | 37% | 38% | 25% |
| Remove tax breaks or other incentives for data centers. | 34% | 37% | 73% |
| Make it easier to access unemployment benefits in the case of job loss or if young workers cannot find a job (e.g., by removing earnings and work experience requirements to qualify). | 35% | 37% | 73% |
| Change student loan repayment to make payment conditional on employment and income. | 21% | 27% | 73% |
| Ban the use of AI. Strictly enforce these regulations. | 16% | 19% | 53% |
| Do nothing. | 8% | 9% | 0% |
AI vs. Human Visual Ability
Artificial intelligence, in terms of image recognition, is defined as the determination of what objects are present in a still picture. Human ability in peripheral vision is defined as the ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead. Do you believe that image recognition by a computer or machine could be used for peripheral vision?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 63% | 50% | 25% |
| No | 37% | 50% | 75% |
Frequency of Seeing AI News
How often in the past month have you seen news related to artificial intelligence?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have not seen any news related to artificial intelligence in the past month | 10% | 14% | 0% |
| Only once or twice in the past month | 8% | 12% | 0% |
| Maybe three times in the past month | 10% | 10% | 0% |
| Once a week | 10% | 12% | 0% |
| A few times a week | 24% | 24% | 47% |
| Once daily | 11% | 9% | 0% |
| Multiple times daily | 26% | 20% | 53% |
Concern Over AI Data Center Health Effects
How concerned are you about the health effects of AI data centers?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very worried | 24% | 29% | 79% |
| Worried | 26% | 28% | 21% |
| Neutral | 23% | 22% | 0% |
| Not worried | 11% | 7% | 0% |
| Not worried at all | 7% | 2% | 0% |
| I'm not aware of the health effects of AI data centers | 9% | 13% | 0% |
US Global Health Funding Levels
Do you think the US should increase, maintain, decrease, or eliminate its global health funding, which costs several billions dollars per year?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase significantly | 18% | 17% | 51% |
| Increase somewhat | 20% | 17% | 21% |
| Maintain at current levels | 24% | 22% | 0% |
| Decrease somewhat | 14% | 12% | 0% |
| Decrease significantly | 8% | 11% | 0% |
| Eliminate entirely | 8% | 5% | 0% |
| I have no option about it / none of the above | 8% | 15% | 27% |
Views on Global Health Agreements
Under the US government's new country-to-country health agreements with African nations that emphasize direct partnerships, country co-financing, and mutual benefits, which of these options align with your viewpoint? Please select ALL options that you agree with.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| The US should prioritize helping African countries build their own health manufacturing capacity, local medicine production, and health infrastructure so they can become more self-reliant over time | 41% | 41% | 73% |
| The US can exchange global health funding with African countries in exchange for minerals and other natural resources. | 27% | 25% | 0% |
| The US should prioritze securing rapid access to African health data, disease surveilance information, and samples to better protect the US and global health security from future epidemics. | 28% | 23% | 25% |
| The US should respect national sovereignty and not force countries to share their citizens' health data in exchange for funding. | 23% | 26% | 47% |
| The US should significantly reduce overall global health funding to Africa and focus only on programs that deliver clear, direct benefits to American interests. | 26% | 22% | 0% |
| The US should only finance programs that have mutual benefits rather than purely development-focused aid. | 21% | 19% | 0% |
| None of the above/I have no opinion on the issue | 11% | 16% | 27% |
Health Funding to Advance Rights Abroad
To what extent do you support or oppose the U.S. using its global health funding to encourage recipient countries or organizations to advance specific rights abroad (e.g., broader access to abortion, comprehensive sex education, or greater inclusion and protection for LGBTQ people)? Select ONE option.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly support | 20% | 22% | 73% |
| Somewhat support | 17% | 18% | 0% |
| Neither support nor oppose | 22% | 22% | 0% |
| Somewhat oppose | 10% | 8% | 0% |
| Strongly oppose | 24% | 19% | 0% |
| No opinion | 7% | 12% | 27% |
Immigration for Aging Populations
Some countries may consider using immigration to address economic effects of aging populations and falling birth rates. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this as a policy option for the US?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 12% | 5% | 21% |
| Agree | 23% | 14% | 25% |
| Neutral | 35% | 51% | 0% |
| Disagree | 18% | 18% | 27% |
| Strongly aisagree | 11% | 12% | 26% |
Immigrant Eligibility for Benefits
In your opinion, to what extent should immigrants living in the United States be eligible to receive government-funded public benefits, including healthcare?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| No immigrants should receive any government-funded public benefits or healthcare, regardless of their legal status. | 10% | 7% | 0% |
| Immigrants should only receive emergency medical care when their life is at immediate risk, and no other public benefits. | 11% | 8% | 0% |
| Only immigrants who are lawful permanent residents ("green card" holders) should be eligible, after a waiting period (for example, 5 years). | 24% | 24% | 0% |
| All lawfully present immigrants (including visa holders, asylum seekers, and DACA recipients) should be eligible, without a waiting period. | 23% | 26% | 0% |
| All immigrants (including undocumented immigrants) should be eligible for basic and preventive healthcare, but not other public benefits. | 15% | 12% | 25% |
| All immigrants (regardless of legal status) should be eligible for the full range of public benefits and healthcare, the same as U.S. citizens. | 10% | 14% | 47% |
| I don't know / I don't have an opinion on this. | 7% | 8% | 27% |
Support for Local Sanctuary Policies
Some cities and counties have adopted policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. How much do you support or oppose your local government having such a policy?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| I support because local government should focus resources on local, not federal, priorities | 13% | 12% | 21% |
| I support because it builds trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement | 16% | 11% | 0% |
| I support because federal immigration enforcement policies are too harsh or unjust | 21% | 23% | 51% |
| I do not support because local governments should cooperate with federal law enforcement agencies | 14% | 14% | 0% |
| I do not support because it could put the local community at safety risk | 10% | 8% | 0% |
| I do not support because immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility that shouldn't be blocked | 15% | 13% | 0% |
| I don't know whether I support or do not support | 11% | 19% | 27% |
Abortion Legality in Own State
If you or your spouse were to have an unintended pregnancy, do you think abortion would be legal in your current state of residence without needing a specific medical or legal reason?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 44% | 41% | 51% |
| No | 35% | 37% | 27% |
| Not sure | 21% | 22% | 21% |
Custody Best for the Children
Imagine a mother and father separate or divorce. Which do you think is best for the children ? To live with…
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| …the mother all of the time | 4% | 4% | 0% |
| …with both parents but mostly with the mother | 15% | 21% | 26% |
| …about equal time with both parents regularly alternating between homes | 67% | 66% | 74% |
| …with both parents but mostly with the father | 4% | 1% | 0% |
| …with the father all of the time | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| None of the above | 9% | 9% | 0% |
Custody Best for the Mother
Imagine a mother and father separate or divorce. Which do you think is the best for the mother ? The children living with…
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| …the mother all of the time | 5% | 5% | 26% |
| …the mother most of the time, while the father has regular care | 21% | 22% | 0% |
| …both parents about equally, alternating regularly between their homes | 61% | 64% | 74% |
| …the father most of the time, while the mother has regular care | 3% | 1% | 0% |
| …the father all of the time | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| None of the above | 9% | 7% | 0% |
Custody Best for the Father
Imagine a mother and father separate or divorce. Which do you think is the best for the father ? The children living with…
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| …the mother all of the time | 3% | 4% | 0% |
| …the mother most of the time, while the father has regular care | 14% | 18% | 26% |
| …both parents about equally, alternating regularly between their homes | 63% | 67% | 74% |
| …the father most of the time, while the mother has regular care | 8% | 2% | 0% |
| …the father all of the time | 3% | 1% | 0% |
| None of the above | 8% | 7% | 0% |
Dogs vs. a Person Tradeoff
Imagine you see two canoes sinking, and you only have time to save one. In one canoe is an old woman. In the other canoe, there are some dogs. How many dogs would there need to be in the canoe with dogs for you to choose to save the dog-canoe instead of the old woman's canoe?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 dogs would be enough for me to choose to save the dogs | 17% | 23% | 0% |
| 3-4 dogs would be enough | 9% | 5% | 0% |
| 5-8 dogs would be enough | 4% | 3% | 0% |
| 9-16 dogs would be enough | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| 17-32 dogs would be enough | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| It would need to be more than 32 dogs | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| No amount of dogs would ever be enough for me to chose to save the dogs | 67% | 66% | 100% |
Personal Firearm Harm Experiences
Have you or those in your life experienced any of the following from firearms? Select all that apply.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional harm, personally | 9% | 14% | 79% |
| Physical harm of a relative | 12% | 12% | 51% |
| Physical harm of a friend | 12% | 12% | 25% |
| Emotional harm of a relative | 10% | 12% | 51% |
| Emotional harm of a friend | 8% | 14% | 25% |
| Physical harm, personally | 5% | 7% | 0% |
| None of the above | 68% | 66% | 21% |
Belief in Racial Genetic Intelligence
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Certain races may be smarter than others because of genetics.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly disagree | 37% | 47% | 75% |
| Somewhat disagree | 10% | 11% | 0% |
| Somewhat agree | 25% | 18% | 0% |
| Strongly agree | 12% | 8% | 0% |
| Don't know | 15% | 16% | 25% |
Judging Pay-Driven Job Switches
If you learned that someone left their previous job to take a similar position elsewhere solely because it paid more, for which of the following jobs would this make you think less of them as a professional? (Select all that apply)
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home aide (assists elderly residents with daily personal care) | 13% | 8% | 0% |
| Nurse (provides medical care to hospital patients) | 8% | 10% | 0% |
| Childcare worker (cares for young children at a daycare) | 10% | 8% | 0% |
| Corporate lawyer (advises businesses on legal matters) | 11% | 7% | 0% |
| Engineer (designs technical systems and infrastructure) | 8% | 4% | 27% |
| Accountant (manages financial records and taxes) | 7% | 4% | 27% |
| None of the above | 67% | 75% | 73% |
Countries Visited Abroad
How many countries outside the United States have you visited?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| None. I never traveled outside the United States. | 22% | 38% | 84% |
| 1 country | 18% | 18% | 0% |
| 2 countries | 15% | 11% | 16% |
| 3 countries | 10% | 7% | 0% |
| 4 countries | 5% | 5% | 0% |
| 5 or more countries | 31% | 21% | 0% |
| Don't know | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Confusing Bald People
How often do you confuse one bald person for another bald person?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almost all the time | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| Often | 4% | 3% | 0% |
| Sometimes | 14% | 14% | 0% |
| Occasionally | 16% | 12% | 19% |
| Almost never | 40% | 34% | 20% |
| Never | 25% | 35% | 61% |
Social Media Self-Description
Which of the following best describes you on social media?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am currently trying to become an influencer. | 7% | 5% | 0% |
| I have attempted to become an influencer in the past but no longer pursuing it. | 6% | 6% | 0% |
| I want to attempt becoming an influencer in the future. | 17% | 14% | 20% |
| I have never and do not see myself ever attempting to become an influencer. | 64% | 71% | 64% |
| I do not use social media. | 6% | 3% | 16% |
Time Travel: Past or Future
If you could time travel for one day, would you rather spend the day traveling in the past or in the future?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| The past | 59% | 64% | 61% |
| The future | 41% | 36% | 39% |
Life Satisfaction Ladder
Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. Think about which step of the ladder you would say you personally feel you stand at this time. Think about on which step you will stand about five years from now. What do you think the difference in your position will be from now to then? (e.g., 3 is 3 steps up and -2 is 2 steps down).
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moving up 3 steps or more | 17% | 15% | 35% |
| Moving up 1-2 steps | 42% | 41% | 45% |
| Staying the same | 22% | 23% | 0% |
| Moving down 1-2 steps | 9% | 10% | 20% |
| Moving down 3 steps or some | 5% | 4% | 0% |
| I don't know | 4% | 6% | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Immigrant as a Neighbor
Now, I would like to ask you about foreign immigrants - people who have come to live and work in this country from another country. Please tell me whether you, personally, think an immigrant becoming your neighbor is a good thing or a bad thing?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| An extremely bad thing | 5% | 3% | 0% |
| A somewhat bad thing | 9% | 5% | 0% |
| Neither a good thing nor a bad thing | 39% | 47% | 19% |
| A somewhat good thing | 25% | 19% | 0% |
| An extremely good thing | 17% | 18% | 65% |
| Don't know | 4% | 7% | 16% |
| Prefer not to say | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Drivers of Others’ Perceptions
What do you think contributes most to how you are perceived by others? My...
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | 4% | 8% | 45% |
| Age | 12% | 14% | 0% |
| Race | 13% | 9% | 0% |
| Appearance | 47% | 48% | 55% |
| Social class | 10% | 7% | 0% |
| Sexuality | 2% | 2% | 0% |
| None of the above | 13% | 11% | 0% |
Income Similarity to Neighbors
On a scale of 1 (not at all similar to me) to 5 (extremely similar to me), how similar in annual household income do you think you are to your neighbors?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not at all similar to me | 11% | 16% | 25% |
| A little similar to me | 14% | 19% | 0% |
| Somewhat similar to me | 41% | 35% | 40% |
| Very similar to me | 21% | 14% | 16% |
| Extremely similar to me | 2% | 3% | 0% |
| Don't know | 10% | 13% | 19% |
| Prefer not to say | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Knowing AI Chatbot Companions
How many people do you know who rely on an AI chatbot as a social companion?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 67% | 69% | 55% |
| 1-2 | 22% | 20% | 45% |
| 3-5 | 8% | 9% | 0% |
| 6-8 | 2% | 1% | 0% |
| 9+ | 1% | 2% | 0% |
Phone Use in Bed
How often do you use a cell phone or similar device in bed before going to sleep?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always | 33% | 47% | 84% |
| Very Often | 27% | 22% | 0% |
| Often | 11% | 10% | 0% |
| Sometimes | 11% | 8% | 0% |
| Rarely | 12% | 9% | 16% |
| Never | 6% | 5% | 0% |
Hours Caring for Family
How many hours did you spend yesterday caring for other family members (not for pay)?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1 hour | 53% | 49% | 55% |
| 1 to <3 hours | 25% | 20% | 0% |
| 3 to <6 hours | 10% | 14% | 0% |
| 6 to <9 hours | 7% | 7% | 0% |
| 9 to <12 hours | 2% | 3% | 25% |
| 12 to <15 hours | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| 15+ hours | 1% | 6% | 20% |
Recent Primary Doctor Visit
Have you scheduled an appointment with your primary doctor in the last 5 years?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 81% | 88% | 100% |
| No | 19% | 12% | 0% |
Barriers to Dental Care
What barriers prevented you from going to a dentist in the past year? Select all that apply.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Went to the dentist in the past year | 47% | 47% | 55% |
| Out of pocket cost | 24% | 21% | 20% |
| No dental insurance | 19% | 20% | 0% |
| Have no cavities | 9% | 7% | 0% |
| Transportation | 6% | 8% | 0% |
| Have not lost all teeth | 5% | 2% | 0% |
| Other | 8% | 10% | 25% |
Received Housing Assistance
Did you receive assistance to help pay for housing?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 10% | 9% | 0% |
| No | 90% | 91% | 100% |
Frequency of Calling 911
In the past 12 months, how often have you called 911 to address your pressing needs or safety concerns?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not in the past 12 months | 85% | 85% | 55% |
| 1 to 2 times | 10% | 14% | 45% |
| 3 to 5 times | 3% | 1% | 0% |
| 6 or more times | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Disability Status
Have you ever had any form of disability? Disability is a physical, mental, sensory, intellectual, or developmental condition that may limit a person's ability to perform certain activities or participate fully in society without support or accommodations.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 70% | 68% | 60% |
| Yes | 30% | 32% | 40% |
Parental Influence on Career
Thinking about your education and career decisions, how much influence did your parents have on your choice of career or profession?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| No influence at all | 33% | 38% | 25% |
| A little influence | 20% | 20% | 39% |
| Some influence | 27% | 22% | 0% |
| A lot of influence | 9% | 11% | 20% |
| Extremely strong influence | 7% | 4% | 16% |
| Not applicable | 3% | 6% | 0% |
Lottery Spending on Child Education
Suppose you won $5,000 in a lottery. How much of it would you spend on your child’s education and enrichment (such as childcare, tutoring, school fees, books, extracurricular activities, …)?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | 21% | 21% | 20% |
| $1 to $1,000 | 9% | 10% | 0% |
| $1,001 to $2,000 | 9% | 9% | 0% |
| $2,001 to $3,000 | 13% | 11% | 0% |
| $3,001 to $4,000 | 6% | 5% | 25% |
| $4,001 to $5,000 | 10% | 8% | 0% |
| I don’t have children | 31% | 36% | 55% |
Financial Gifts to Siblings
Thinking about all of your siblings and siblings-in-law, have you ever given them more than $500 in a year?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 38% | 22% | 20% |
| No | 57% | 69% | 80% |
| I do not have siblings or siblings-in-law | 5% | 9% | 0% |
Spending on Appearance for Romance
Did you, in the last year, spend money on your physical appearance with the intent of improving your chances or your experience romantically?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, for a current romantic relationship | 13% | 13% | 20% |
| Yes, for prospective romantic relationships | 11% | 7% | 45% |
| No | 76% | 80% | 35% |
Household Death & Bereavement Leave
Have you ever experienced the death of someone who lived in your household who was not covered under your employer's bereavement leave policies?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 15% | 14% | 20% |
| No | 54% | 46% | 55% |
| I have not experienced the death of someone in my household | 28% | 34% | 25% |
| My employer does not have a bereavement leave policy | 3% | 6% | 0% |
Confusion on Gender Survey Questions
How often do you feel confused, unsure, or misunderstood when answering survey questions about gender and sexuality?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Never | 70% | 72% | 36% |
| Rarely | 13% | 19% | 20% |
| Sometimes | 14% | 7% | 19% |
| Often | 2% | 1% | 25% |
| Always | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Consensual Non-Monogamy Experience
Have you ever been in a relationship where you and at least one other person mutually agreed to have sexual or romantic, or intimate relationships with other people outside of your relationship?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| No, never | 73% | 82% | 55% |
| Yes, in the past | 15% | 11% | 45% |
| Yes, currently | 8% | 2% | 0% |
| None of the above | 3% | 4% | 0% |
| I am not sure | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Current Contraceptive Methods
What method to avoid pregnancy, if any, are you using right now? Select all that apply.
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am not using any method to avoid pregnancy | 62% | 58% | 75% |
| Condom | 18% | 8% | 0% |
| Birth control pills | 4% | 7% | 0% |
| IUD | 3% | 6% | 25% |
| Injectable | 1% | 1% | 0% |
| Implant | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| Other | 15% | 22% | 0% |
Desire to Use Contraception
Do you currently want to be using any method to avoid pregnancy? That is, do you want to use, not are you using something at this time?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 72% | 80% | 100% |
| Yes | 19% | 15% | 0% |
| Don't know | 9% | 5% | 0% |
Difficulty Becoming Pregnant
Have you or your partner ever tried to become pregnant for longer than 12 months?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 11% | 11% | 20% |
| No - Tried but it took less than 12 months to become pregnant | 34% | 32% | 16% |
| Not applicable - Never tried to become pregnant | 55% | 57% | 64% |
Fear of Pregnancy-Related Death
If you got pregnant now, how worried or afraid would you be about dying as a result of pregnancy or postpartum complications?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very worried or fearful | 4% | 11% | 0% |
| Somewhat worried or fearful | 6% | 16% | 65% |
| Not at all worried or fearful | 14% | 16% | 0% |
| I’m not sure | 5% | 5% | 19% |
| This doesn’t apply to me (e.g., not capable of pregnancy) | 69% | 48% | 16% |
| Prefer not to answer | 3% | 4% | 0% |
Hormonal Contraceptive Experience
Thinking about your experience with hormonal contraceptive methods (such as the pill, patch, ring, shot, implant, or the intrauterine device (IUD)) in the past 12 months, which of the following options best describes what happened?
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| I did not experience side effects and continued using the method | 9% | 13% | 25% |
| I experienced side effects but continued using the same method | 3% | 7% | 20% |
| I experienced side effects and switched to a different hormonal method | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| I experienced side effects and switched to a different non-hormonal method | 2% | 2% | 0% |
| I experienced side effects and stopped using contraception altogether | 2% | 4% | 20% |
| I have not used hormonal contraception in the past 12 months | 73% | 68% | 35% |
| Other | 10% | 4% | 0% |
AI Replacing Your Job
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "AI will eventually replace your occupational position"
(N = 1,000)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | Male | Female | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 7% | 7% | 25% |
| Somewhat agree | 18% | 19% | 0% |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 23% | 23% | 0% |
| Somewhat disagree | 15% | 15% | 19% |
| Strongly disagree | 32% | 28% | 56% |
| Unsure | 5% | 8% | 0% |
Survey Details
Verasight collected data for this project from June 3-8, 2026. The sample consists of 2,000 United States adults. All questions were suggested by attendees of the 2026 Population Association of America (PAA) conference. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of two modules (N = 1,000 per module), each containing an approximately equal subset of the survey questions.
The sampling criteria for this survey were:
- US resident
- Adult (age 18+)
The selection criteria for the final sample were:
- Passed all data quality assurance checks, outlined below
The data are weighted to match the April 2026 Current Population Survey on age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status, as well as to a running three-year average of partisanship distributions from the Pew Research Center NPORS benchmarking surveys and population benchmarks of 2024 vote. The margin of sampling error, which accounts for the design effect and is calculated using the classical random sampling formula, is +/- 3.1% for both modules A and B.
All respondents were recruited via email from the Verasight Community, which is composed of individuals recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting. All Verasight community members are verified via multi-step authentication, including providing an SMS response from a mobile phone registered with a major U.S. carrier (e.g., no VOIP or internet phones) as well as within-survey technology, including verifying the absence of non-human responses with technologies such as Google reCAPTCHA v3. Those who exhibit low-quality response behaviors over time, such as straight-lining or speeding, are also removed and prohibited from further participation in the community. Verasight Community members receive points for taking surveys that can be redeemed for Venmo or PayPal payments, gift cards, or charitable donations. Respondents are never routed from one survey to another and receive compensation for every invited survey, so there is never an incentive to respond strategically to survey qualification screener questions.
To further ensure data quality, the Verasight data team implements a number of post-data collection quality assurance procedures, including confirming that all responses correspond with U.S. IP addresses, confirming no duplicate respondents, verifying the absence of non-human responses, and removing any respondents who failed in-survey attention and/or straight-lining checks. Respondents that completed the survey in less than 30% of the median completion time were removed.
Unmeasured error in this or any other survey may exist. Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.