The gap between those who can access and use digital technology and those who can't
In a year of profound transformation in the United States, 2024 was marked by shifting political landscapes and evolving cultural attitudes. From the US presidential election to international conflicts, the nation navigated an array of challenges. Research institutions, including Pew Research Center, meticulously documented these shifts, offering valuable insights into how Americans responded to these pivotal events.
This gallery delves into some of the most striking research findings from 2024, providing a unique window into the evolving American psyche. Curious? Click on!
Today, women significantly outnumber men among centenarians, accounting for 78% of the population. In terms of race and ethnicity, White individuals currently make up the majority of centenarians. By 2054, however, the percentage of White centenarians is expected to decrease slightly, while the proportion of Hispanic and Black centenarians is projected to increase.
The US is bracing for a dramatic increase in its centenarian population. In just 30 years, the number of Americans aged 100 and older could quadruple. From an estimated 101,000 in 2024—a group that includes notable figures like former President Jimmy Carter—the count is projected to reach a mind-boggling 422,000 by 2054, as revealed by a recent US Census Bureau analysis.
Republican confidence in voting systems increased following the 2024 election, while Democratic voter confidence dipped slightly. Approximately 72% of voters who backed Donald Trump reported being very or somewhat confident that absentee or mail-in ballots were accurately counted this year. In contrast, only 19% of Trump voters shared this sentiment after the 2020 election.
Voters who supported Democrat Kamala Harris, relative to those who supported Joe Biden in 2020, mentioned being slightly less likely to trust vote counts. However, a significant majority of both Harris and Biden supporters still expressed trust.
Most registered voters in the US believe that immigrants, both undocumented and legal, primarily fill jobs that American citizens don’t want. Three-quarters of voters say undocumented immigrants fill jobs that citizens would not take, rather than jobs citizens desire. A smaller majority, 61% as opposed to 75%, say the same about legal immigrants.
Despite significant partisan differences in these views, majorities of voters who supported Harris (90%) and those who supported Trump (59%) in 2024 both assert that undocumented immigrants predominantly fill jobs Americans are unwilling to take. Substantial shares in both coalitions—70% of Harris supporters and 52% of Trump supporters—express the same view regarding legal immigrants.
Who are these influencers? Studies show that roughly three-quarters (77%) have no prior or current connection to a news organization. Men outnumber women by approximately two to one. Additionally, among those who express a political leaning, more identify as right-leaning than left-leaning.
Many Americans, particularly young adults, frequently rely on social media influencers for news. Roughly one in five adults (21%), including 37% of adults under 30, report regularly obtaining news from this source. They say influencers have helped them better understand current events, and that the news they get from influencers differs from what they receive from other sources.
A comparison of these results with a US survey found that Americans themselves are most likely to say that their country used to be a good example of democracy but is not anymore. Around seven in ten US adults (72%) hold this view, as do at least six in ten adults in Canada (67%), Japan (65%), the United Kingdom (63%), Germany (62%), and South Korea (61%).
Republican users of the social media site X now view the platform as more beneficial for democracy, while Democrat users view it less so. Republican user approval surged from 17% in 2021 to 53% in a March survey, while Democrat user approval dropped from 47% to 26% during the same period, following Elon Musk's acquisition.
An October survey found that six in ten Americans say they probably won't get the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. Among Americans who say they probably won't get the updated vaccine, the most common reasons cited are a perceived lack of need and concern about side effects.
According to the survey, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to report intending to or having already received the vaccine. Adults aged 65 and older are also more likely than younger adults to report having received or intending to receive the 2024-25 vaccine.
Younger Americans sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, while older Americans favor Israelis. A February survey found that a third of young adults sympathize primarily with Palestinians, compared to 14% who favor Israelis. The remaining respondents either sympathize with both equally, sympathize with neither, or are unsure.
In contrast, 47% of those aged 65 and older sympathize primarily or entirely with Israelis, while only 9% sympathize primarily or entirely with Palestinians. Younger Americans also strongly oppose US military aid to Israel. Only 16% of adults under 30 support it, compared to 56% of those aged 65 and older.
A majority of public K-12 teachers in the US express at least some level of concern about the possibility of a school shooting. An April analysis of a 2023 survey found that approximately six in ten teachers (59%) report such concern, while 31% are not overly worried and only 7% are not worried at all.
The same survey revealed that 23% of teachers experienced a gun-related lockdown at their school during the 2022-23 academic year. This includes 8% who reported experiencing multiple lockdowns.
This perception began to shift significantly in April 2023, with the proportion of voters describing him as such declining to 33% and subsequently to 24% in July 2024. In contrast, the percentage of voters describing Trump as "mentally sharp" increased from 50% in October 2020 to 58% in July 2024.
Voter's perceptions of Joe Biden's mental sharpness significantly shifted during his presidency, according to a July survey. In the final month of Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, 46% of registered voters described him as 'mentally sharp' to a very or fair degree.
The percentage of Americans who believe Jewish people face significant societal discrimination has doubled since 2021, according to a survey conducted approximately four months after the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Four in ten US adults believed that Jews experience a high level of discrimination, a substantial increase from 20% in 2021.
A majority of US Jews and Muslims perceive experiencing significant discrimination within their respective communities. Moreover, 89% of Jews and 70% of Muslims report an increase in discrimination against their group since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
Conversely, Republican X users are now significantly less likely to perceive the platform as detrimental to democracy compared to 2021, while Democrat users are more likely to hold this view. Overall, 38% of users now perceive X as beneficial for democracy, 27% perceive it as detrimental, and 34% believe it has no impact on democracy.
More Americans decided to cut back on drinking in 2024, with 41% reportedly trying to drink less, up 7% from 2023. Younger generations led this trend. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z and nearly half of millennials (49%) expressed a willingness to cut back.
While 84% of Americans still perceive drinking as a significant part of American culture, this represents a nine percentage point decline from 2023. The trend of mindful drinking, characterized by conscious consideration of drinking frequency, duration, and quantity, is gaining traction, and being embraced by over one-third (34%) of Americans.
The age difference between Donald Trump and JD Vance will be the most significant in US presidential history, exceeding that of any previous president-vice president pairing by nearly a decade. An August analysis of all 51 executive pairs reveals an age disparity exceeding 38 years between the two.
The largest age gap between a US president and vice president recorded was 29.7 years. President James Buchanan, who served from 1857 to 1861, was nearly three decades older than his vice president, John Breckinridge. The median age gap among US presidents and VPs is 6.7 years, and while 59% of pairs had an age difference under 10 years, only 8% exceeded 20 years.
Only 22% of Americans believe college is worth the cost, even if it incurs loans. A larger share of 47% believe it's worth it without loans, while 29% believe it's not worth it even in this case.
Many Americans have become more skeptical about the value of a college degree. Nearly half (49%) believe a four-year degree is less crucial for securing a well-paying job today compared to two decades ago. Conversely, 32% believe it is more crucial, while 17% perceive its importance to be unchanged.
Sources: (Pew Research Center) (NCSolutions)
See also: Report reveals why more Americans don't have children
Key findings about the US and Americans in 2024
Surprising truths about America, according to researchers
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In a year of profound transformation in the United States, 2024 was marked by shifting political landscapes and evolving cultural attitudes. From the US presidential election to international conflicts, the nation navigated an array of challenges. Research institutions, including Pew Research Center, meticulously documented these shifts, offering valuable insights into how Americans responded to these pivotal events.
This gallery delves into some of the most striking research findings from 2024, providing a unique window into the evolving American psyche. Curious? Click on!