New ACP/Ipsos Survey Reveals Areas of Fragmentation and Common Ground in a Complicated America

Princeton, N.J.—Results from a new survey of American communities demonstrate broad agreement on a handful of issues, including the positive direction of their communities, the importance of the social safety net, and the right to reproductive healthcare. Yet, there was broad disagreement in other areas, confirming just how divided we are as a nation.  

Taken as a whole, new findings from the American Communities Project (ACP), housed at the Michigan State University’s School of Journalism, show a disconnect among communities, but also point ways toward progress. Conducted by the ACP and Ipsos, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the survey asked more than 5,000 Americans what they considered to be the most important issues facing both their community and the nation.

The survey, one of three large public opinion surveys to be conducted with Ipsos by Project Director and ACP Founder Dante Chinni, shows that Americans increasingly see the world through vastly different lenses. Yet despite these differences, most Americans consider their lives (87 percent) and local communities (63 percent) on “the right track,” but they are deeply concerned about the direction of the nation. Nationally, 79 percent of Americans say the country is on the wrong track.

The survey of adults living in the ACP’s 15 community types, ranging from Aging Farmlands to College Towns, from the Exurbs to Military Posts and Native American Lands, covered a range of topics and challenges facing the country including the economy, health, the environment, reproductive rights, firearms, immigration, and more. The picture that emerges is far more complicated than the binary terms often used to define and divide us—and, perhaps more importantly, shows some areas of common ground and opportunity for positive change.

Three key points emerge in the data: 

•  Americans experience and perceive very different realities. The most pressing issues at the community level can vary greatly, and there is a disconnect between big local and national issues. For example, inflation is seen as a top issue in every community, from Rural Middle America to Big Cities, but other concerns and priorities vary. While “crime or gun violence” is a top concern for the African American South and Big Cities, “opioids or drug addiction” weigh more heavily in Evangelical Hubs and the Working Class Country.  

• Across communities, most people believe their lives are on the “right track,” but they are deeply concerned about the direction of the country.

• A series of statements about values reveal some broad areas of agreement—particularly around the economy and abortion—but others show wide disagreement. For instance, 50% or more in each community type say, “Obtaining an abortion should be a decision made by a woman in consultation with her doctor, without government’s involvement.” There is also strong disagreement across all communities that “The U.S. government should cut social programs in order to lower taxes.” But 10 other statements show differences across ACP community types, some massive, including on issues such as gun ownership and immigration.

“These data make a few points clear: People who live in different communities actually live in different realities framed by different economies, different populations, and different beliefs about what the country is and where it is going,” said Chinni. “Truly understanding the underlying drivers and finding ways to overcome them or coexist with them is a process. This is just the beginning of that work.”

The ACP will continue to analyze the data from this survey over the next year to explore the drivers of the nation’s socioeconomic and cultural fragmentation, but this first release lays bare how and why the nation often seems at odds with itself. Those varied subcultures have a massive impact on what people believe it means to be an American and where they think the country should be headed. 

“Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live their healthiest lives possible, but deep divisions in our country, caused and compounded by persistent systemic discrimination, continue to pose significant barriers to positive change in our communities,” said Carolyn Miller, senior program officer with RWJF. “The areas of common ground that emerge from these survey results offer promising opportunities to not only revive and reinforce the bonds that hold America together—but also to build a country where everyone has an equal and just opportunity to thrive.”

Read the full survey results and methodology.

For more information on the survey results and methodology or to speak with an expert, please contact media@rwjf.org. 

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, we are working to develop a Culture of Health rooted in equity that provides every individual with a fair and just opportunity to thrive, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have.