Striking findings from 2025
Here’s a look back at 2025 through 12 of our most striking research findings.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Many religions are heavily concentrated in a few countries
Half of the world’s population lives in just seven countries. But some of the world’s religious groups are even more concentrated than that.
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As Democrats’ anger spikes, Americans’ feelings about the federal government grow more polarized
Frustration is common across the political spectrum regardless of which party holds the presidency.
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A smaller share of older U.S. adults live alone today than in 1990
26% of U.S. adults ages 65 and older lived alone in 2023, the most recent year with available data. That’s down from 29% in 1990.
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Americans are following the news less closely than they used to
In 2016, 51% of U.S. adults said they followed the news all or most of the time, but that share fell to 36% in 2025.
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Key facts about Black Americans and religion
Most Black Americans are Christian, though the share who identify as such has fallen since 2007.
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People who trust others tend to support international cooperation more than those who don’t
In many countries outside the U.S., those with higher levels of social trust are also more likely to view several international organizations positively.
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Where most people trust others and where they don’t around the world
Trust tends to be higher in the high-income countries surveyed than in the middle-income ones.
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Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say politicians should avoid heated or aggressive speech
Most Americans (78%) say elected officials should avoid using heated or aggressive language because it could encourage some people to take violent action.
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Religiousness varies a lot by race among Democrats, relatively little among Republicans
In general, U.S. adults who are Republican or lean toward the GOP are more religious than Democrats and Democratic leaners.
