Report · Politics

Local government earns trust from two-thirds of Americans

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 3,000 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 18 to 24, 2024, 66% of Americans said they have at least a moderate amount of trust in their local government. Including 39% who said a moderate amount, 20% who said a lot, and 7% who said a great deal.

About a third said they have a little or no trust in their local government (34%), with 23% who said a little and 11% who said none.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

66% of Americans have at least a moderate amount of trust in their local government.

In general, how much do you trust your local government?

  • A moderate amount 39.2%
  • A little 23.4%
  • A lot 20.2%
  • None 10.6%
  • A great deal 6.5%

2024 · base n 3,000 · +/- 3.5%

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-01-18 → 2024-01-24
Base (unweighted)
3,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

Source

  • 01
    Local government earns trust from two-thirds of Americansreports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-interdisciplinary-omnibus-survey-2024-006

Citation

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006, fielded January 18-24, 2024, N=3,000 United States adults, +/- 3.5%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-interdisciplinary-omnibus-survey-2024-006#in-general-how-much-do-you-trust-your-local-government

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's 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
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.