pewsocialtrends.org | Values and Community

The Reversal of the College Marriage Gap

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

In a reversal of long-standing marital patterns, college-educated young adults are more likely than young adults lacking a bachelor�s degree to have married by the age of 30. Marriage rates among adults in their twenties have declined sharply since 1990 both for the college educated and those without a college degree, but the decline has been much steeper for young adults without a college education. By their late 30s, more than four-fifths of college-educated adults were currently or had ever married compared with only three-quarters of adults lacking a college diploma.

Walking Away

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

Nearly six-in-ten Americans (59%) say it is �unacceptable� for homeowners to stop making their mortgage payments, according to a Pew Research Center survey. But more than a third say the practice of �walking away� from a home mortgage is acceptable, at least under certain circumstances. Homeowners whose home values declined during the recession are more likely to say that �walking away� from a mortgage is acceptable. So do those who were unemployed or experienced other types of financial problems during the recession.

Most Like It Hot

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

When it comes to places to live, Americans by about 2-1 say they prefer a hotter place to one with a colder climate. No surprise, then, that San Diego, Tampa and Orlando rank at the top of places to live for those who like it hot. But for hearty folks who like their weather on the chilly side, Denver, Seattle and Portland top the list of favorite places to call home, according to a recent survey by the Pew Social & Demographic Trends project.

Magnet or Sticky?

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST

At first glance, magnet and sticky states may seem to be mirror opposites of each other, and it is true that most states score high on one scale and low on another. But it turns out that 10 states rank high on both scales, and another nine score low on both. Find out where your state lands in the typology below.

Suburbs Not Most Popular, But Suburbanites Most Content

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Suburbanites are significantly more satisfied with their communities than are residents of cities, small towns or rural areas, but that doesn't mean Americans want to live there.

Even as Housing Values Sink, There's Comfort in Homeownership

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

Not even a housing-led recession can shake Americans' faith in the blessings of homeownership.

McDonald's and Starbucks: 43% Yin, 35% Yang

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST

In the smackdown between Big Macs and caffe lattes, Americans manage to typecast themselves by just about every demographic and ideological characteristic under the sun.

For Nearly Half of America, Grass Is Greener Somewhere Else; Denver Tops List of Favorite Cities

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

Where would Americans most like to live -- and how do they feel about the place they currently call home?

Who Moves? Who Stays Put? Where�s Home?

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

As a nation, the United States is often portrayed as restless and rootless. Census data, though, indicate that Americans are settling down. Only 13% of Americans changed residences between 2006 and 2007, the smallest share since the government began tracking this trend in the late 1940s.

Americans Say They Like Diverse Communities; Election, Census Trends Suggest Otherwise

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST

Despite pro-diversity attitudes expressed in a Pew survey, American communities appear to have grown more politically and economically homogenous in recent decades.