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Frequently asked Pew Research survey questions and data.
National Satisfaction: 25%
Only a quarter of Americans (25%) are satisfied with the state of the nation, while two-thirds remain dissatisfied with the way things are going in the nation today. Opinions of the national economy are no better. Just 9% rate economic conditions as excellent or good, while 43% say conditions are fair and fully 48% say they are poor. Americans see their own financial situation in a somewhat better light. Nearly four-in-ten (38%) say they are in excellent (6%) or good (32%) shape financially, while 38% rate their situation as only fair and 22% say they are in poor shape financially. As now, assessments of personal finances have historically been more stable than those of national conditions, in both good and bad times. Still, Americans remain confident that the situation will improve. Fully 45% expect economic conditions to be better one year from now, while 38% say they will be the same. Just 15% think the economy will get worse.
Last Updated: 1 Oct 09
Presidential Approval: 52%
After falling from post-inaugural highs this summer, Barack Obama’s approval rating as president has remained steady over the past few months, with a little more than half consistently approving of his performance. Currently, 52% of Americans approve of the president, while 36% disapprove. The president continues to receive strong support from his own party (80% of Democrats approve of his performance), while few Republicans support the president (just 20% approve). Political independents roughly mirror the country, with half (49%) approving of Obama’s job as president. Obama has the country’s confidence on the economy (59% are confident he will do the right thing) and the threat of terrorism (58% confident). However, on two critical issues of the day, the public is more divided. Just half the country has confidence the president will do the right thing on health care and Afghanistan.
Last Updated: 1 Oct 09
Democratic Party Favorability: 48%
The Democratic Party has seen a sharp fall in favorability in 2009. While the Democratic Party is still seen more positively than the GOP (40% favorability), its favorability rating has fallen to 48%, down from 62% in January. The party’s electoral outlook has also taken a hit. In a hypothetical midterm election, as many voters would choose the Democratic candidate (45%) as would support the Republican (44%). At about this point four years ago, Democrats led in the generic congressional ballot by 52% to 40%. However, the Democratic Party continues to hold substantial advantages over the GOP on nearly all issues and leadership traits.
Last Updated: 30 Aug 09
Republican Party Favorability: 40%
As has been the case for most of the past three years, a little more than half the public has an unfavorable view of the Republican Party, while about four-in-ten view the party favorably. Though opinion of the GOP has not improved among Americans, Republicans have tied the Democrats in a generic congressional ballot: if the election were held today, 45% of voters would choose a Democrat and 44% would back a Republican. And while voters still side with the Democrats on most issues, as many voters now trust the GOP as the Democrats on reducing the federal budget deficit and managing the federal government, issues the Democrats were favored on by double-digit margins in 2006.
Last Updated: 30 Aug 09
Home Broadband Adoption: 63%
Fully 63% of adult Americans now have broadband internet connections at home, up from 55% who had high-speed access in May 2008. Broadband adoption had stalled between December 2007 and December 2008 -- remaining in a narrow range between 54% and 57% -- but has since risen with strong growth among seniors, low-income Americans and rural residents. African Americans, however, experienced their second consecutive year of below average broadband adoption growth. Groups who already had above-average rates of high-speed internet -- upper-income Americans and college graduates -- also saw only modest growth in the past year. Only 7% of Americans are dial-up internet users at home, a figure that is half the level it had been two years ago. A plurality of dial-up users said cost was the reason they've yet to make the change to broadband.
Last Updated: 1 May 09
Iraq War Wrong Decision: 49%
Since the beginning of 2007, positive views of the situation in Iraq have risen dramatically; however, the number of Americans who believe invading Iraq was the wrong decision (49%) is almost exactly what it was two years ago. The number of Americans saying invading Iraq was the right decision has hovered around 40% for those two years, and is currently at 43%. In contrast, while opinion about the situation in Afghanistan is less positive, nearly two-thirds (64%) believe the decision to use military force in that country was the right decision.
Last Updated: 16 Jan 09
Internet Penetration: 75%
Three quarters of Americans (75%) are internet users, over 60 points more than were online in 1995 when only 14% of the country used the internet. The Web remains a place dominated by younger Americans; fully 87% of adults ages 18 to 29 go online and more than half of the adult internet population is between 18 and 44 years old. Older Americans, however, have seen considerable growth in online penetration. While only 26% of adults ages 70 to 75 were online in 2005, close to half (45%) now use the internet. Among all adults ages 65 and older, 41% go online. Income and education are strongly related to internet penetration. Nearly all high-income (94%) and college-educated Americans (95%) are online, while only 57% of Americans earning less than $30,000 and roughly a third of those with less than a high school education use the internet.
Last Updated: 1 Dec 08
