Societal changes drive public policy. These shifts include an aging population; the growth of high tech and service sector jobs; evolving views on race, ethnicity, and immigration; and changes in family structure.
Pew studies these attitudes and trends and their impact through the use of original public opinion survey research, along with social, economic, and demographic data analysis. Pew’s work includes a major study of the millennial generation and the distinct path it is forging toward adulthood, with fewer ties to traditional religious and political institutions and more use of social media to build personal networks.


Winter 2021
In this issue of Trend we step back to explore public attitudes about science and how science can inform policy.
Recent Work
The median age for all U.S. presidents on the day of their first inauguration is 55 years old.
The post Most U.S. presidents have been in their 50s at inauguration appeared first on Pew Research Center.
One-in-six Americans ages 50 and older (17%) say they have ever used a dating site or app.
The post Dating at 50 and up: Older Americans’ experiences with online dating appeared first on Pew Research Center.
When asked about the ideal age of a president, around half of Americans (49%) say they prefer someone in their 50s.
The post About half of Americans say the best age for a U.S. president is in their 50s appeared first on Pew Research Center.
As of 2021, 25% of 40-year-olds in the United States had never been married, a significant increase from 20% in 2010.
The post A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married appeared first on Pew Research Center.
Young workers express general contentment with many aspects of work; personal connections like relationships with co-workers stand out.
The post Young workers express lower levels of job satisfaction than older ones, but most are content with their job appeared first on Pew Research Center.
Today's 21-year-olds are less likely than their predecessors in 1980 to have reached five key milestones, including having a full-time job.
The post Young adults in the U.S. are reaching key life milestones later than in the past appeared first on Pew Research Center.
When we have the data to study groups of similarly aged people over time, we won’t always default to using the standard generational definitions and labels, like Gen Z, Millennials or Baby Boomers.
The post How Pew Research Center will report on generations moving forward appeared first on Pew Research Center.
It can be useful to talk about generations, but generational categories are not scientifically defined and labels can lead to stereotypes and oversimplification.
The post 5 things to keep in mind when you hear about Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and other generations appeared first on Pew Research Center.