Survey: Americans aren't as racially divided as we think
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Most Americans say race doesn't drive their daily decisions, even as the country feels more divided than ever, a new national survey finds.
Why it matters: Politics and social media amplify racial division. But in daily life — at work, in friendships and in families — Americans report far more interracial contact, and far less race-based decision-making, than the national mood suggests.
- The shift is largely generational, driven by rising interracial marriage and changing demographics, dramatically reshaping of daily life.
- Meanwhile, high-profile racist rhetoric on social media — including from national political figures — reinforces a sense of division. The survey suggests that everyday behavior tells a different story.
By the numbers: About one-third of Americans under 30 are now in an interracial romantic partnership, according to a survey of nearly 5,000 adults by Gallup and the Brookings Institution's Center for Community Uplift.
- Only 14% of Americans age 70 or older report the same.
- The divide extends to family background: Adults ages 18 to 29 are twice as likely as those 70+ to report having a parent of a different race, the survey found.
- In 1980, just 3% of married couples were interracial. By 2015, that number reached 10%, the report said.
Zoom out: About one-fourth of all adults report having a spouse or romantic partner who has a different racial or ethnic background than themselves.
- Asian American adults report the most interracial romantic relationships, and white adults report the least.
Zoom in: Around 87% say race is "not important at all" when deciding whether to conduct business with someone. 83% say the same about choosing friends, according to the survey.
- About 80% report having a co-worker of a different race, and 83% have a client of a different race.
- Nearly half of respondents report having a boss of a different race.
Yes, but: Real-world networks remain more segregated than population shares would predict, the report found.
- The authors also caution that self-reports and hypothetical scenarios are not the same as observed behavior.
- In addition, Americans overwhelmingly say race doesn't drive their decisions, yet residential and occupational segregation still limit exposure.
The bottom line: Despite a polarized political climate, most Americans report building friendships, workplaces and families across racial lines, and say race rarely drives their decisions.
- The country may feel divided, but daily life appears more intertwined.
Methodology: Gallup and the Brookings Institution's Center for Community Uplift conducted the survey between July 25 to Sept. 1, 2025 . The poll is based on a representative sample of 4,883 adults.
- The margin of error is ±2.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample.
