Report · Culture

Many Americans don't know how long people in their area live

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Asked how long people typically live in their area, more Americans say they don't know (28%) than give any single estimate, according to an October 2024 Verasight survey.

The most common estimate is 70 to 80 years (25%), followed by 80 to 90 years (15%). Another 12% say less than 50 years, 16% put it somewhere between 50 and 70, and just 4% say more than 90 years.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Many Americans don't know how long people in their area live.

How long do people typically live in your area?

  • I don't know 27.6%
  • 70-80 years 25.2%
  • 80-90 years 15.2%
  • Less than 50 years 12.2%
  • 50-60 years 8.3%
  • 60-70 years 7.8%
  • More than 90 years 3.7%

2024 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.4%

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-10-01 → 2024-10-11
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.4%
Module
media_fin

Source

Citation

Verasight APSA Omnibus Survey #2024-103, fielded October 1-11, 2024, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.

https://verasight-apsa-2024.tiiny.co

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.