Majority Believe Paying Your Own Bills Is Necessary to be Considered an Adult

The latest wave of the Ipsos / Buzzfeed data has been released. Key findings from the study are below. 

Key Findings:

• In Ipsos’ latest poll exploring what makes a person an adult, Americans agreed that the prime factor was whether or not a person paid their own bills (81%).

  • This was closely followed by having a full time job (63%) and living outside of your parent’s home (59%).

    • Only 55% consider doing your own laundry a marker for adulthood. 

  • Low on the list were getting a flu shot every winter (16%), flossing daily (18%) and making charitable donations (19%).

• Among respondents, 87% said they paid their own bills. For 18-34 year olds, this number was especially low at only 72%.

  • Generation continued to divide people, with 46% of millennials saying they still receive financial assistance from their parents or loved ones. Not surprising, 82% of respondents 55+ don’t receive this financial assistance.

  • Similarly, only 35% of millennials make charitable donations as opposed to 71% of respondents 55+.

The topline results are available for download.

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted April 6-7, 2017 on behalf of Buzzfeed. For the survey, a sample of roughly 1,005 adults from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,005, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=5). Post-hoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, region, race/ethnicity and income.For more information about Ipsos online polling methodology, please go here: http://goo.gl/yJBkuf 

For more information on this news release please contact:

Chris Jackson
Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
202.420.2011
[email protected]

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

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About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry.

With offices in 89 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,782.7 million in 2016.