Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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.

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  • short reads

    Converts to Islam

    That’s the percentage of Muslim Americans who say they converted to Islam, 77% say they have always been a Muslim

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    See Poor as Too Dependent on Government Aid

    That’s the large percentage of Americans who, despite increasing support for government help for the poor, think that “poor people have become too dependent on government assistance programs.” Still, the number in agreement has declined from 79% in 1997.

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    Changed Views of Women’s Roles

    That’s the percentage of U.S. adults who now reject the idea that women should return to their “traditional roles,” up from 66% in 1987. The percentage completely disagreeing has increased more dramatically — from 29% in 1987 to 51% currently.

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    Say Internet Pornography Is Harmful

    That’s the portion of the American adults who disagree with the statement “nude pictures and X-rated videos on the internet provide harmless entertainment for those who enjoy it.”

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    Support Gay Marriage

    That’s the number of U.S. adults who support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally; a majority, 55%, are opposed.

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    Younger Voters Return to the Voting Booth

    That’s the percentage by which turnout among young voters (ages 18-25) increased in 2004 over the previous presidential election in 2000 — the largest increase in any single age group. But young people still lag on basic measures of political engagement.

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    Career Switching

    That’s the proportion of U.S. adults who report that they have switched careers — from one type of work to another — and more than half of this group say they have made a switch more than once.

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    U.S. as a Christian Nation

    That’s the percentage of Americans who now consider the U.S. as a Christian nation, down slightly from a year earlier but significantly more than the 60% who characterized the country this way a decade ago.

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    Clicking the News

    That’s the number of Americans who now seek out news on the internet on a typical day. The daily audience online for news has grown dramatically since 2002 — a surge fueled by the rise in home broadband connections.