Opinion of Protestants (Demographic Patterns)

Thinking about specific religious groups, what is your overall opinion of: Protestants? (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

Opinion of Protestants by Age (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	18-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65 +	Missing	TOTAL
Very favorable	15.9% 38	16.0% 51	14.9% 61	16.1% 61	28.0% 75	33.2% 120	6	20.6% 406
Mostly favorable	51.0% 122	51.9% 165	59.4% 243	68.1% 258	51.5% 138	49.3% 178	17	55.9% 1104
Mostly unfavorable	7.9% 19	8.2% 26	5.4% 22	3.4% 13	5.6% 15	2.2% 8	1	5.2% 103
Very unfavorable	3.8% 9	2.5% 8	1.7% 7	0.8% 3	1.9% 5	0.6% 2	0	1.7% 34
Never heard of	1.3% 3	2.2% 7	0.5% 2	2.1% 8	0.4% 1	0.6% 2	0	1.2% 23
Can't rate	18.0% 43	17.0% 54	15.6% 64	9.0% 34	9.7% 26	10.8% 39	2	13.2% 260
Refused	2.1% 5	2.2% 7	2.4% 10	0.5% 2	3.0% 8	3.3% 12	2	2.2% 44
TOTAL	100% 239	100% 318	100% 409	100% 379	100% 268	100% 361	28	1974

Opinion of Protestants by Gender (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	Male	Female	TOTAL
Very favorable	17.0% 157	23.6% 255	20.6% 412
Mostly favorable	56.6% 522	55.5% 599	56.0% 1121
Mostly unfavorable	6.6% 61	4.0% 43	5.2% 104
Very unfavorable	2.5% 23	1.0% 11	1.7% 34
Never heard of	1.0% 9	1.3% 14	1.1% 23
Can't rate	13.1% 121	13.1% 141	13.1% 262
Refused	3.1% 29	1.6% 17	2.3% 46
TOTAL	100% 922	100% 1080	2002

Opinion of Protestants by Political party (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	Republican	Democrat	Independent	No preference	Other party	Don't know/Refused	TOTAL
Very favorable	24.3% 159	20.2% 120	16.0% 92	24.8% 30	0.0% 0	20.4% 11	20.6% 412
Mostly favorable	58.7% 383	56.9% 338	58.3% 336	35.5% 43	50.0% 2	35.2% 19	56.0% 1121
Mostly unfavorable	3.8% 25	5.9% 35	5.9% 34	8.3% 10	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	5.2% 104
Very unfavorable	1.1% 7	2.0% 12	2.3% 13	1.7% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	1.7% 34
Never heard of	0.9% 6	1.2% 7	0.7% 4	3.3% 4	0.0% 0	3.7% 2	1.1% 23
Can't rate	9.3% 61	11.8% 70	15.1% 87	22.3% 27	25.0% 1	29.6% 16	13.1% 262
Refused	1.8% 12	2.0% 12	1.7% 10	4.1% 5	25.0% 1	11.1% 6	2.3% 46
TOTAL	100% 653	100% 594	100% 576	100% 121	100% 4	100% 54	2002

Opinion of Protestants by Household income (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	Less than $20,000	$20,000 to under $40,000	$40,000 to under $75,000	$75,000 to under $100,000	$100,000 or more	Don't know/Refused	TOTAL
Very favorable	21.8% 68	21.0% 99	17.3% 90	22.0% 44	17.4% 34	25.5% 77	20.6% 412
Mostly favorable	51.3% 160	51.9% 245	61.8% 322	65.5% 131	67.2% 131	43.7% 132	56.0% 1121
Mostly unfavorable	5.1% 16	6.8% 32	5.6% 29	4.5% 9	4.6% 9	3.0% 9	5.2% 104
Very unfavorable	2.9% 9	2.5% 12	1.9% 10	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	1.0% 3	1.7% 34
Never heard of	2.2% 7	1.5% 7	0.4% 2	0.5% 1	0.0% 0	2.0% 6	1.1% 23
Can't rate	14.4% 45	15.0% 71	10.9% 57	6.5% 13	8.7% 17	19.5% 59	13.1% 262
Refused	2.2% 7	1.3% 6	2.1% 11	1.0% 2	2.1% 4	5.3% 16	2.3% 46
TOTAL	100% 312	100% 472	100% 521	100% 200	100% 195	100% 302	2002

Opinion of Protestants by Education (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	Less than high school	High school graduate	Some college	College +	Refused	TOTAL
Very favorable	21.3% 39	22.1% 143	20.8% 109	18.6% 119	25.0% 2	20.6% 412
Mostly favorable	39.3% 72	52.3% 338	57.3% 301	63.9% 409	12.5% 1	56.0% 1121
Mostly unfavorable	9.8% 18	5.3% 34	5.5% 29	3.4% 22	12.5% 1	5.2% 104
Very unfavorable	2.2% 4	2.2% 14	2.1% 11	0.8% 5	0.0% 0	1.7% 34
Never heard of	4.9% 9	1.2% 8	0.6% 3	0.5% 3	0.0% 0	1.1% 23
Can't rate	19.1% 35	14.4% 93	12.4% 65	10.2% 65	50.0% 4	13.1% 262
Refused	3.3% 6	2.5% 16	1.3% 7	2.7% 17	0.0% 0	2.3% 46
TOTAL	100% 183	100% 646	100% 525	100% 640	100% 8	2002

Opinion of Protestants by Marital status (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	Married	Divorced	Separated	Widowed	Never been married	Don't know/Refused	TOTAL
Very favorable	21.9% 230	19.5% 54	16.3% 8	30.9% 55	14.5% 63	16.7% 2	20.6% 412
Mostly favorable	56.7% 596	56.7% 157	67.3% 33	49.4% 88	55.1% 239	66.7% 8	56.0% 1121
Mostly unfavorable	4.3% 45	4.7% 13	2.0% 1	5.1% 9	8.3% 36	0.0% 0	5.2% 104
Very unfavorable	1.0% 10	2.9% 8	0.0% 0	0.6% 1	3.5% 15	0.0% 0	1.7% 34
Never heard of	1.2% 13	0.7% 2	2.0% 1	1.7% 3	0.9% 4	0.0% 0	1.1% 23
Can't rate	12.7% 134	14.4% 40	10.2% 5	8.4% 15	15.2% 66	16.7% 2	13.1% 262
Refused	2.3% 24	1.1% 3	2.0% 1	3.9% 7	2.5% 11	0.0% 0	2.3% 46
TOTAL	100% 1052	100% 277	100% 49	100% 178	100% 434	100% 12	2002

Opinion of Protestants by Church attendance (Religion and Public Life Survey, 2002)

	More than once a week	Once a week	Once or twice a month	A few times a year	Seldom	Never	Missing	TOTAL
Very favorable	33.8% 105	24.8% 132	17.1% 55	17.3% 62	13.3% 39	10.5% 18	1	20.7% 411
Mostly favorable	46.0% 143	59.8% 318	62.7% 202	58.1% 208	58.7% 172	43.9% 75	3	56.3% 1118
Mostly unfavorable	6.1% 19	2.3% 12	5.0% 16	5.3% 19	6.5% 19	10.5% 18	1	5.2% 103
Very unfavorable	1.6% 5	0.8% 4	1.9% 6	1.7% 6	1.7% 5	4.7% 8	0	1.7% 34
Never heard of	0.3% 1	1.1% 6	0.9% 3	2.2% 8	1.0% 3	1.2% 2	0	1.2% 23
Can't rate	10.9% 34	9.2% 49	11.2% 36	14.2% 51	15.4% 45	24.6% 42	5	12.9% 257
Refused	1.3% 4	2.1% 11	1.2% 4	1.1% 4	3.4% 10	4.7% 8	5	2.1% 41
TOTAL	100% 311	100% 532	100% 322	100% 358	100% 293	100% 171	15	1987

Notes

This project investigated the public's attitudes on religion and public life. The survey was commissioned by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press (www.people-press.org) and produced two reports. The first report addressed America’s struggle with religion in the post 9-11 climate. The second report examined the public’s attitudes about genetic research.