Short Reads

Short-form data and analysis from Pew Research Center writers and social scientists. To view all our reports and publications, visit our main Publications page.

short readOct 8, 2026

Photo showing Flight deck operations on board the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on March 2, 2026, in the Mediterranean Sea. (U.S. Navy photo via Getty Images)

Around two-thirds (65%) now disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling the U.S. military action in Iran, while a third (33%) approve.

short readOct 7, 2026

Photo illustration by Pew Research Center. (Photos via Getty Images)

short readOct 2, 2026

short readSep 23, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14. (White House via X/Anadolu via Getty Images)

short readsMay 7, 2012

Living with Mom and Dad? It’s a ‘Good’ Thing

Nearly one-in-four (24%) of adults ages 25 to 34 who live with their parents say their living situation has been a ‘good’ thing.
short readsMay 3, 2012

Young Women Surpass Young Men in Career Aspirations

Two-thirds (66%) of women ages 18 to 34 rate career as important on their list of life priorities, compared with 59% of young men.
short readsMay 3, 2012

Percentage of Swing Voters Declines Compared to Four Years Ago

About one-in-four (23%) of registered voters today are swing voters, compared to 33% in 2008.
short readsMay 3, 2012

Americans’ View of Local Government More Favorably than Washington

By roughly two-to-one (61% to 31%) most Americans offer a favorable assessment of their local government. In comparison, just 33% have a favorable view of the federal government.
short readsApr 26, 2012

Record-Low Support for Keeping U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Just 32% of the public now says that the U.S. should keep troops in Afghanistan until the situation there has stabilized.
short readsApr 26, 2012

Young Men and Women Differ on the Importance of a Successful Marriage

The percentage of young men (ages 18 to 34) who say a successful marriage is one of the most important things in their lives has dropped six percentage points since 1997, from 35% to 29%. The percentage of young women who put a priority on having a successful marriage has risen during that period.
short readsApr 26, 2012

Foreign-Born Workers Top the Native-Born in Employment Growth

Between 2009 and 2011, foreign-born workers experienced a 5.2% increase in employment, from 21.5 million to 22.6 million. In comparison, native-born workers experienced just a 1.8% increase over this same period.
short readsApr 26, 2012

Social Issues Low on Voters’ Minds in 2012

Although it has been a contentious issue in many states, just 28% of voters view gay marriage as a very important issue.
short readsApr 26, 2012

Women in Combat During the Post-9/11 Wars

Three-in-ten (30%) female veterans say they have served in a combat or war zone since 9/11; that compares to 57% of male veterans say they have done so.
short readsApr 25, 2012

The Burdens of Student Debt

About half (48%) of students who took out college loans say that paying them back has made it harder to make ends meet after they left school.

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Formats

Short Reads

Iran Conflict Remains Deeply Unpopular as Many Americans Expect It To Go On for Months

How Do Americans Engage With News Online?

Why Americans Identify as Republicans and Democrats – and Why They Don’t

Americans’ views of China have warmed in recent years

Living with Mom and Dad? It’s a ‘Good’ Thing

Young Women Surpass Young Men in Career Aspirations

Percentage of Swing Voters Declines Compared to Four Years Ago

Americans’ View of Local Government More Favorably than Washington

Record-Low Support for Keeping U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Young Men and Women Differ on the Importance of a Successful Marriage

Foreign-Born Workers Top the Native-Born in Employment Growth

Social Issues Low on Voters’ Minds in 2012

Women in Combat During the Post-9/11 Wars

The Burdens of Student Debt

Short Reads

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