--- title: "National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS)" description: "NPORS is an annual survey of U.S. adults conducted by the Pew Research Center used to to produce benchmark estimates for several topics." date: "2025-07-23" authors: - name: "Travis Mitchell" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/fact-sheet/national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/" categories: - "Online Surveys" --- # National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS) NPORS is an annual survey of U.S. adults conducted by Pew Research Center. Respondents may answer by paper, online or over the phone. They are selected using address-based sampling from the U.S. Postal Service’s Computerized Delivery Sequence File. Respondents are not required to join a survey panel. Pew Research Center uses NPORS to produce benchmark estimates for several topics, such as Americans’ political and religious affiliations. Read a detailed description of [how the survey is conducted](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/2025-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf), as well as [more information](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/2025/07/23/how-pew-research-center-uses-its-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) about how the Center uses NPORS. NPORS estimates, which are based on paper, online and telephone survey responses, may differ somewhat from historical Pew Research Center polling data. There are several [reasons why differences may arise](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/02/27/what-our-transition-to-online-polling-means-for-decades-of-phone-survey-trends/). The Center has released analyses of how survey mode can influence estimates of [political opinions](https://www.pewresearch.org/decoded/2019/12/17/trends-are-a-cornerstone-of-public-opinion-research-how-do-we-continue-to-track-changes-in-public-opinion-when-theres-a-shift-in-survey-mode/) and [religious attitudes and behaviors](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/01/14/measuring-religion-in-pew-research-centers-american-trends-panel/). ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/04/political_party-2.png) ## Political party affiliation The latest NPORS estimates are shown below. The Center also provides a companion fact sheet on [trends in political party affiliation](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/fact-sheet/party-affiliation-fact-sheet-npors/). ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/PM_2025.07.22_NPORS-politicalID640px@2x.png?w=640) ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/04/religious_affiliation-2.png) ## Religious affiliation The latest NPORS estimates are shown below. The Center also provides in-depth analysis of [trends](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/) in religious affiliation as well as analysis of the [size and attitudes](https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/) of many religious faiths in the U.S. ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/PM_2025.07.22_NPORS-religious_affiliation640px@2x.png?w=640) ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/04/internet-2.png) ## Frequency of internet use The latest NPORS estimates are shown below. The Center also provides trend data on [social media](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/fact-sheets/social-media/), [mobile phone use](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/fact-sheets/mobile/) and [internet/broadband](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/). ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/PM_2025.07.22_NPORS-internet_frequency640px@2x.png?w=640) ## NPORS Methodology **2025 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/2025-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online and phone version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/2025-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/07/2025-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2025-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) **2024 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/07/2024-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/07/2024-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/07/2024-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2024-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) **2023 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/2023-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/2023-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/07/2023-NPORS-Methodology-Statement_06.20.2024_update.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2023-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) **2022 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/2022-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/2022-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/2022-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2022-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) **2021 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/1.-2021-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/2.-2021-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/2021-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2021-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/) **2020 NPORS** [Questionnaire (paper version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-NPORS-Paper-Questionnaire.pdf) [Questionnaire (online version)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-NPORS-Online-Questionnaire.pdf) [Methodology report](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-NPORS-Methodology-Statement.pdf) [Download the dataset](https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/dataset/2020-national-public-opinion-reference-survey-npors/)