U.S. Demographics Survey Template

Use this example when you need context about the people answering a customer, audience, or market research survey. Decide how each characteristic will be used before collecting it. If you will not use household income to answer the research question, remove that item.

This version is designed for adults in the United States. It is an original audience questionnaire, not an official Census form or a nationally representative study.

The example uses age bands, a state or territory field, education categories, employment status, household size, and income bands in U.S. dollars. Every question can be skipped. Keep “Prefer not to answer” separate from substantive responses when reviewing the results.

Household income is defined as the combined income of household members before taxes during the previous calendar year. Keep that definition visible so respondents are answering the same question.

Use adult age bands that fit your intended comparisons without creating tiny groups. A state or territory field can provide useful geographic context without asking for a street address. Replace the free-text field with your verified list of locations if consistent categories are needed.

Education and employment choices should fit the audience you are surveying. If your research requires comparison with an external dataset, match its definitions, response categories, reference period, and population before making that comparison. Do not assume similarly named variables mean the same thing.

Choose questions by the comparison you need. For example, a local adult-learning survey might need age band and education but have no use for household income. Remove the income item in that case. This is a short respondent-profile questionnaire; it does not include every demographic characteristic or reproduce a federal instrument. If race, ethnicity, gender, or another characteristic is essential to your research, define its purpose and review suitable wording and categories before adding it.

Create a U.S. demographics survey in SurveyLegend with questions about age, location, education, employment, household size, and income.

This prompt includes six questions and their answer choices. Register for a free account to use it in SurveyLegend, then review and customize your survey before sharing it.

Count valid answers separately for each question because optional items can have different response totals. Report skipped answers and “Prefer not to answer” separately. For example, the share in an age band should use the people who provided an age-band answer as its denominator, with that basis clearly stated.

Your results describe the people who responded. They do not automatically describe all U.S. adults or all of your customers. Check who was invited and who participated before making wider claims. Avoid reporting combinations of characteristics that could single out an individual.

For example, suppose 80 people complete the survey, 60 provide an age band, and 18 of those select ages 35–44. Report 30% of respondents who answered the age question, alongside the 60-answer base and the 20 who did not provide an age band. Do not describe that as 30% of all survey participants.