Whites, college graduates and older adults are more likely to trust in others % ofus adults who say most people
A number of personal characteristics play a role in people’s levels of social trust. Older people, whites and those with higher household incomes or higher levels of education are more likely than others to give trusting answers. These patterns mirror those found in 2018. Statistical modeling shows that people’s overall level of social trust is an independent predictor, above and beyond preexisting demographic differences, of how they are reacting to the pandemic.
Some 49% of low trusters say they occasionally or more often have felt nervous, anxious or on edge in the past seven days, compared with 39% of high trusters and 41% of medium trusters. Additionally, low trusters are roughly twice as likely as high trusters to report that they have had frequent trouble sleeping (41% vs. 22%) or have experienced feelings of depression (33% vs. 16%) at least occasionally during this time. A quarter of low trusters (27%) say they have somewhat frequently or more often felt lonely, in contrast to 12% of high trusters who have felt lonely at that rate during the past seven days. Finally, six-in-ten low trusters (59%) say they have rarely or only some of the time felt hopeful, compared with 39% of high trusters who have felt hope that rarely.
Whites, college graduates and older adults are more likely to trust in others  | % ofus adults who say most people  | Try to  | Can  | Can't  | Try to take  | Try to  | Just look out  | be fair  | help others  | for themselves  | be trusted  | be trusted  | advantage  | U.S adults  | 53  | 46  | 44  | 55  | 42  | 57  | White  | 61  | 37  | 51  | 48  | 47  | 52  | Black  | 36  | 38  | 62  | 33  | 64  | 60  | Hispanic  | 29  | 70  | 28  | 71  | 26  | 73  | Ages 18-29  | 34  | 65  | 27  | 27  | 73  | 47  | 37  | 36  | 63  | 52  | 62  | 30-49  | 50-64  | 57  | 41  | 49  | 49  | 47  | 52  | 65+  | 24  | 60  | 39  | 4  | 65  | 34  | HS or less  | 56  | 36  | 63  | 42  | 35  | 63  | Some college  | 50  | 49  | 56  | 41  | 58  | 42  | College graduate  | 65  | 34  | 50  | 49  | 53  | 46  | Postgraduate  | 71  | 28  | 54  | 45  | 59  | 40  | Less than $30K  | 35  | 63  | 31  | 34  | 65  | 66  | $30K-$74.999  | 54  | 45  | 42  | 45  | 54  | 5  | $75K or more  | 66  | 33  | 54  | 45  | 50  | 49  | Note: Those who did not give an answer are not shown. Whites and blacks include only non-Hispanics Hispanics are of any race.  | Source: Survey of U.S adults conducted March 19-24, 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 