In the course of conducting public opinion surveys and demographic analyses, the Pew Research Center found a wide range of data milestones, breakthroughs, peaks and valleys in 2013, including record support for same-sex marriage and the legalization of marijuana; record levels of distrust of the federal government; record numbers of mothers who were the primary breadwinners for their families; and record numbers of Millennials living with their parents. Here is a look at the highs and lows Americans reached this year, according to our data.
1Just over half (51%) of the public now favors same-sex marriage, while 42% are opposed.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/06/6-6-13-6.png)
2A majority of Americans (52%) now favor legalizing the use of marijuana.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/04/4-4-13-1.png)
3A majority agrees the U.S. should mind its own business internationally, the highest measure in nearly a half century of polling.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/12/12-3-2013-2.png)
4The share of Americans saying they do not want their own representative in Congress reelected – 38% – is at its highest point in two decades.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/10/10-15-13-03.png)
5For the first time, a majority of the public (53%) says that the federal government threatens their personal rights and freedoms.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/01/PP_13.01.31_Threat-Personal-Freedom_260x260.png)
636% of the nation’s young adults ages 18 to 31—the so-called Millennial generation— now live in their parents’ home, the highest share in at least four decades.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/07/SDT-millennials-with-parents-08-2013-02.png)
7A record 40% of all households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income for the family.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/05/SDT-2013-05-breadwinner-moms-1-1.png)
8The U.S., which has a total population of 317 million, is now home to a record 40.4 million immigrants.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2013/01/PHC-2013-01-SP-01.png)
9A record seven-in-ten (69%) Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, two percentage points higher than the rate (67%) among their white counterparts.
10The percentage of Americans who say the U.S. plays a more important and powerful role as a world leader than it did 10 years ago has fallen to a 40-year low of just 17%.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/12/12-3-2013-1.png)
11The percentage of American Catholics calling themselves “strong” Catholics is at a four-decade low.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2013/03/strong-cath-id-1.png)
12For the first time since Pew Research Center began tracking smartphone adoption, a majority of Americans now own a smartphone of some kind.
![](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/Reports/2013/Smartphone-Ownership-2013/~/media/6DE83111C21C45949BCF98098EFA409A.jpg?w=510&h=442&as=1)
1350% of the public now cites the internet as a main source for national and international news.
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/08/2-Main-Source-for-News.png)
Browse all Pew Research Center 2013 reports by topic area and read our timeline of the year in public opinion.