Views on abortion, 1995-2024
Public support for legal abortion has remained relatively stable over the past several years, although there has been some fluctuation in opinion polls over the past two decades. Currently, 63% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 36% say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
Percentage of U.S. adults who think abortion should be done…
Year All / Legal in most cases All / Illegal in most cases199560%38%199657401997——199854421999564220005343200154432002——2003574220045543200557412006514320075242200854 40200947442010504420115342201254392013544020145540201551432016573920175740201858372019613820206038202159393Month/April202261376Month/ July 202262362023623620246336
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024. Data from 2019 comes from the center's online American Trends Panel. Previous data is from a telephone survey. Data from 1995 to 2005 comes from ABC News/Washington Post polls. 2006 AP-Ipsos Poll.
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Views on abortion by religion, 2024
About three-quarters (73%) of white evangelical Protestants think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. In contrast, 86% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared with 71% of black Protestants, 64% of white non-evangelical Protestants, and 64% of Catholics. The same goes for 59%.
Percentage of people who say abortion should be ___ (by religion) (2024)
Religious affiliations All/Most of the time legal All/Most of the time illegal White Evangelical Protestants 25%73% White Non-Evangelical Protestants 6433 Black Protestants 7126 Catholics 5940 No religious affiliation 8613
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
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Party-specific views on abortion, 2024
Fifty-seven percent of Republican-leaning Republicans and independents say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. By contrast, 85% of Democrats and Democratic voters say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Percentage of people who answered that abortion should be __ (by party) (2024)
Political Party Identification All/Legal in Most Cases All/Illegal in Most Cases/Lean Rep.41%57%Democrat/Lean Rep.8514
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
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Views on abortion by political party and ideology, 2024
Conservative Republicans and Republican voters are far more likely to say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases than they are to say it should be legal (71% vs. 27%). Among moderate and liberal Republicans, 67% say abortion should be legal and 31% say it should be illegal.
A majority (96%) of liberal Democrats and Democratic-leaning Democrats support legal abortion, as do about three-quarters (76%) of conservatives and moderate Democrats.
Percentage of people who say abortion should be ___ (by political party and ideology) (2024)
All political parties and ideologies/Mostly legal All/Mostly illegalConservativeConservative/Lean Representative27%71%Mod/lib Representative/Lean Representative6731Conservative/mod Dem/LeanDem7623Lib Dem/LeanDem964
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
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Views on abortion by gender, 2024
Majorities of both men (61%) and women (64%) express support for legal abortion.
Percentage of people who say abortion should be __ (by gender) (2024)
Gender All/Mostly Legal All/Mostly Illegal Male61%38%Female6433
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
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Views on abortion by race and ethnicity, 2024
Majorities of adults across racial and ethnic groups express support for legal abortion. About three-quarters of Asian adults (76%) and black adults (73%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do 60% of white adults and 59% of Hispanic adults. It is said that
Percentage of people who say abortion should be ___, by race and ethnicity (2024)
All Races and Ethnicities/Mostly LegalAll/Mostly IllegalWhite60%38%Black7324Hispanic5938Asian*7624
* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black, and Asian adults include those who report being of the same race as non-Hispanic. Hispanics come in all races.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
Pew Research Center
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Views on abortion by age, 2024
Seventy-six percent of adults under 30 say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 61% of adults in their 30s and 40s agree. 57% of people in their 50s and early 60s express support for legal abortion, as do 59% of people over 65.
Percentage of people who say abortion should be ___ (by age) (2024)
All ages/Mostly legal All/Mostly illegal 18 years old -2976%23%30-49613750-64574065+5939
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
Pew Research Center
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Views on abortion by education level, 2024
About two-thirds (68%) of college graduates say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do 64% of those with some college education. Among those with less than a high school education, 56% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 41% say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
Percentage of people who say abortion should be ___ (by education level) (2024)
All educational levels/Mostly legal All/Mostly illegal HS Below 56% 41% Some universities 6434 University graduates + 6831
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 8-14, 2024.
Pew Research Center
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Note: Information about the questions used in these surveys and how the Center voted is below.
