A cartoon drawing of a church. Inside of the church is a pastor looking at empty pews.

March 24, 2022

Generation Z and the Future of Faith in America

The religious and social experiences of young adults today are entirely different than previous generations. New family dynamics and parenting choices are reshaping the religious experiences of young people, setting them on a very different trajectory than past generations and making Generation Z the least religious generation. Continue Reading →

A white man holds a sign reading "DEFUND THE POLICE" in red lettering at a protest.

February 22, 2022

Crime, Policing, and the Racial Divide on the Left

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, “defund the police” became a rallying cry among many liberal activists. Even so, the movement never really caught on among the establishment wing of the Democratic party. Certainly, rising crime had something to do with this: The FBI found that the murder rate increased roughly 30 percent between Continue Reading →

From behind, a close up of a single white male in a blue graduation cap and gown, surrounded by other graduates wearing the same caps and gowns.

January 19, 2022

Have Americans Lost Faith in the Value of a College Education?

Americans who pass up an opportunity to go to college may pay for it in the long run, and not just in their paychecks. Continue Reading →

bridge between college graduates and those without a degree

December 13, 2021

The College Connection: The Education Divide in American Social and Community Life

Despite concerns about rising student debt, the economic value of a college education has never been clearer. College graduates are more socially connected, civically engaged, and active in their communities. College graduates have more extensive systems of social support, a larger number of close friends, and feel lonely and isolated less often than those without a degree. Continue Reading →

An illustration of the main street of a small town. There is a market, library, cafe, gym, and restaurant. People are walking on the sidewalk, are inside the buildings, and there is a car going down the street.

October 20, 2021

Public Places and Commercial Spaces: How Neighborhood Amenities Foster Trust and Connection in American Communities

Findings from the American Community Life Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic forced Americans across the country to reconsider their residential priorities. Today, many Americans would prefer to live in small towns or rural areas rather than denser urban neighborhoods, and they are more likely to prioritize personal space over access to community amenities. The report investigates the physical and social features of local communities that Americans value most. Continue Reading →

Photo of a Q-Anon protest

March 4, 2021

Social Isolation and Community Disconnection are Not Spurring Conspiracy Theories

Findings from the January 2021 American Perspectives Survey

After the 2020 presidential election, a new survey finds acute partisan disagreement over whether President Biden was legitimately elected and whether political violence can ever be justified. Although most Americans believe the 2020 election was a fair contest, most Republicans disagree and express concerns about voter fraud. Republicans are more likely to embrace political conspiracies, including the existence of a “Deep State” working to thwart Donald Trump’s presidency and the Q-Anon conspiracy that Trump is fighting a cabal of sex traffickers. Continue Reading →

November 23, 2020

The Benefits of Going to a Place “Where Everyone Knows Your Name”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, these community spaces look a little different right now. Coffee shops, restaurants, and parks have more importance than ever in connecting us to our community and to the world outside our homes. Continue Reading →

November 18, 2020

Hopes and Challenges For Community and Civic Life: Perspectives From the Nation and Indiana

The coronavirus outbreak created tensions between urban Americans hit hard by the virus and small towns and rural communities. Despite these disparities, surveys find that, before COVID-19, Americans expressed many of the same ideas and priorities regarding their communities, revealing we may not be as divided as one might think. Continue Reading →

May 20, 2019

Having a Library or Cafe Down the Block Could Change Your Life

Living near community-oriented public and commercial spaces brings a host of social benefits. People living in amenity-rich communities are much less likely to feel isolated from others. Continue Reading →

Generation Uncoupled

Generation Uncoupled book

Generation Uncoupled: America's New Gender Divide and the Crisis of Human Connection

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Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox
July 23, 2026

A Digital Divide in American Adolescence: Gender, Class, and the New Teenage Experience

If teenage years once represented a time of rebellion, teenagers’ lives today are marked less by pushing boundaries and more by building their own. Many teenage experiences are less common than they once were—dating, working a part-time job, and experimenting with drugs and alcohol are less common experiences. The 2026 American Teenagers Survey from the Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Jae Grace, Avery Shields
April 27, 2026

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Acknowledgment The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life is grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of this research. As Americans spend more of their time online, the neighborhood—once a primary physical location for real-world socialization—is playing less of a central role than ever before. Since Continue Reading →