The 15 Best Demographic Examples & Questions to Use in Your Next Survey

Who is your customer? And I don’t mean a generic picture — what’s their age, gender, and ethnicity? How do these factors affect their needs and relationship to your product? These are just a few demographic examples that you'll want to know about your customers.

However, I’ve found that obtaining information like this can be tricky because it involves asking questions about your customers‘ personal lives and how they became the people they are today. Let’s face it: you and I both know not every customer is lining up to share their life story, so you need a way to extract this information quickly, painlessly, and in bulk.

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In this post, I‘ll discuss what a demographic is and why it’s important to capture demographic data at your company. Plus, I've included some demographic examples and questions you should use in your next customer survey – I invite you to swipe them for your next project.

Table of Contents

• What is a demographic?
• Challenges with Getting and Using Demographics
• Demographic Examples
• Benefits of Demographic Questions
• Standard Demographic Questions
• Demographic Survey Questions

What is a demographic?

In addition to the definition displayed in the image above, demographics help you break down a large group of people — like your customer base — into specific segments. They can also help you answer questions such as:

• How many customers are Gen Z vs. Millennials?
• Do the majority of our customers live on the East Coast?
• What's the average household income for our customers?

You can use this information to make informed decisions about your marketing, sales, and customer service strategies. And the more you know about your customers, the easier it is to optimize the customer experience accordingly.

But, I’ve found that getting demographic information isn’t always easy or without challenges.

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Challenges With Getting and Using Demographics

Trust me when I say that it’s one thing to talk about collecting and using demographic information to finetune sales or marketing messages. Actually doing it? In my experience, that comes with significant challenges and can even be a little controversial.

After all, it’s neither as straightforward or as simple as sending out a survey.

It also involves navigating privacy and avoiding stereotypes and generalizations.

In this next section, I'm exploring these challenges in detail so you can understand how your businesses can effectively gather and use demographic information without the pitfalls.

Navigating Expectations of Privacy

Privacy is getting more and more important as time goes on. When I reviewed our 2024 Consumer Trends Report, these responses jumped out at me:

• 75% of respondents believe that data privacy is a basic human right.
• 76% of respondents are either somewhat or very concerned about how companies use their personal information.
• 71% of respondents agree that trust in a company determines if they share their personal information.
• 3 out of 4 responders said that they should have complete control over how companies use their data.

And I agree. I protect my personal phone number and avoid giving it out where and when possible in business settings.

These stats show I’m not the only one. As you can see, it can be challenging to get your customers to willingly give you personal information that they don’t absolutely need to give. That’s why earning their trust is so critical.

Understanding the Difference Between Stereotypes and Demographics

Let me first define stereotype and demographic.

Stereotype: A generalized, oversimplified belief or idea about a group of people. “Teenagers are rebellious.”

Demographic: Statistical, measured data about a group of people. “30% of XYZ Company’s employees are between ages 20-30.”

The challenges I've seen businesses have are:

• Asking the right questions to obtain objective, hard numbers from responses.
• Understanding how to interpret and act the data without turning it into a stereotype.

For example, stereotyping based on gender is rampant in the marketing world, which can negatively affect marketing perception and results.

According to statistics gathered by Girl Power Marketing, women account for 85% of US purchases and make up more than half of the population. Still, 91% of women feel that marketers don't understand them!

Remember, the goal of gathering information about your customer base is to better serve them by giving them what they want and need. It's meant to help you understand them, not put them into a box.

Getting to know your customers (and what they want and need) through demographic surveys will help you create resonating, targeted marketing campaigns.

But in my experience as a marketing strategist and copywriter, you can market to demographics without making sweeping stereotypes—as long as you’re aware of any beliefs you’re perpetuating.

No pressure.

Let’s keep going.

The Problem with Sweeping Statements

Sweeping statements are generalized claims about your customers without considering individual differences and are closely related to stereotyping.

Let's use this statement as an example: “Baby Boomers don't like technology!”

First, that statement is simply untrue. According to the Pew Research Center, 68% of Boomers see technology as a positive for society.

If you were a Boomer with a positive view of technology reading that statement from a business, how would that affect your opinion of that business?

I would be much less likely to buy from them because they‘ve proven that they don’t understand me.

Sweeping statements are alienating, and they make your business seem out of touch.

Take Care to Use Targeted Marketing and Messaging

Targeted marketing and messaging, on the other hand, is tailoring your marketing based on detailed data — and this is stuff I absolutely love because it recognizes unique needs, preferences, and behaviors and leads to messaging that resonates.

Here's an example: “Our line of delicious, ready-to-go meal kit options is for busy professionals who want to eat healthy without sacrificing their precious time.”

This statement does exactly what it's meant to do — grab the attention of a busy professional who wants to eat healthy and save time. What it doesn't do is generalize and say that all busy professionals don't want to cook for themselves.

Sweeping statements are easy to craft, but they don't connect with your audience meaningfully.

Targeted marketing and messaging connect with your customers. They also encourage action because it's a basic human need to feel understood.

Businesses who use targeted marketing often see increased customer loyalty and ROI from their marketing efforts.

Understanding the Importance of Building Trust to Get Demographic Information

Asking for your audience’s data requires careful navigation and building trust. I firmly believe it’s worth the effort so you can learn what impacts their buying decisions. After all, there are more than 24 million businesses in the U.S., so it’s safe to say that you will have competition no matter what kind of business you own.

To stand out, you need to have a deep understanding of your customer base so you can build brand loyalty and keep them coming back to you.

How do you gain understanding? Ask questions!

By simply asking questions, you can find out what could prevent your potential buyers from purchasing and tailor your marketing efforts (and what you offer) to address those points.

You can even use it to improve your existing client experience and create a journey that will keep them coming back.

Next, let's take a look at some demographic examples.

The below image highlights the demographic examples mentioned above.

Regardless of the type of survey you‘re running — whether it’s a customer satisfaction survey or Net Promoter Score questionnaire — you'll want to gather demographic data from your target audience.

I’ll run through the benefits of including demographic questions in your surveys in just a minute, but first let’s define what these questions measure.

What are demographic survey questions?

Demographic survey questions collect data about a population's characteristics to help you understand your audience.

While not all-inclusive or comprehensive, these questions typically cover things like:

• age
• gender
• race
• ethnicity
• income
• education level
• employment and marital status
• geographic location

While demographics aren’t the end-all be-all, I’ve found that they’re incredibly helpful for making marketing and business decisions.

Some of my clients have found some surprising information based on demographic surveys:

My clients used this data to create ads to better target women, and built out a funnel that spoke more to men who clicked on the Facebook ads that addressed their pain points.

By analyzing how different factors influence your audience’s opinions and behaviors, you can determine correlation vs causation and use the insights to adjust your approach.

Benefits of Demographic Questions in Surveys

Demographic questions help your business develop accurate buyer personas. Buyer personas influence your marketing campaigns, sales tactics, and how you provide customer service.

They help you visualize your customers based on their background and lifestyle characteristics. And the more accurate your personas are, the better you‘ll understand your customers’ needs and values.

When it comes to customer service, agents use buyer personas to assist with customer interactions. Frontline reps may not know each individual customer, but with buyer personas, they‘ll have a basic understanding of the type of people they’re interacting with. This helps them create positive customer experiences because they‘re familiar with the user’s short- and long-term goals.

My takeaway for you is this: you can use buyer persona information gathered with feedback collection tools to streamline your efforts, not only in your marketing but also in your approach to customer service.

The best way to get that information is to ask for it.

Here’s a high-level overview of some great reasons to conduct surveys to gather demographic information for your business:

1. Better buyer personas

Creating a buyer persona will help you understand their habits, needs, motivations, struggles, and wants. This knowledge allows you to:

• improve their journey at critical touchpoints
• create an effective customer journey map
• tailor your marketing strategies to resonate with them

The result is your customers get a better overall experience and more satisfaction from your brand.

The 2024 Consumer Trends Report provided some interesting information. I learned that (overall) the top ways respondents discovered new products are in retail stores (39%), internet searches (38%), TV ads (38%), and social media (33%).

However, when the data was broken down by the respondents' age, it showed that 40% of Gen Z respondents found new products on social media, and 50% of Boomers found them in-store.

So, if your goal is to increase the ROI from your marketing, the age of your clients may impact where you focus your resources.

2. Better understanding of business trends

Demographic data helps you categorize survey results in a meaningful way so you can identify trends.

For instance, if you see a change in sales, demographic information can reveal who and what is driving this trend.

This insight allows you to target your marketing efforts and reach your goals.

3. Better understanding of your target audience

Demographic surveys provide a deeper understanding of your customers. If you plan to launch a new product or service, the demographics of your existing customer base will help you target your efforts.

You can focus on those with a specific interest or need, increasing the likelihood of success.

Additionally, demographic survey insights might reveal new market opportunities.

For example: Let's say your existing customer base is Baby Boomers. 55% of those who responded to our Consumer Trends Report are tightening their budgets because of the current state of the economy – but Boomers are much higher at 68%. By knowing this information, you could have a more successful launch by targeting your positioning and pricing to reflect this data.

4. Enhanced customer engagement

Demographic surveys can significantly enhance customer engagement.

By understanding your audience's demographic makeup, you can create more relevant content. This approach fosters a stronger connection between your brand and its customers, leading to increased loyalty and engagement.

Whether it’s through:

• Email campaigns
• Social media content
• Personalized offers

...use demographic data to align with the preferences and interests of your audience so you can enjoy higher engagement and conversion rates.

According to HubSpot’s 2024 Consumer Trends Report, the top preferred methods of getting customer support are by phone (49%) and in person (44%).

When we again broke it down by age, Gen Z respondents slightly preferred to send a direct message (31%) or visit a location in person (28%), whereas 64% of Boomers preferred to call — only 2% wanted to direct message a business to get customer support.

So, if your clients are mostly Gen Z and you want to improve your customer service, it might make sense to focus on how you approach your direct messaging responses or your in-person experience.

Now that we understand the importance of demographic survey questions, I want to dive into a few examples you can use with our Customer Feedback Software. With this tool, you can easily:

• Create customized customer surveys so you can evaluate how your customers really feel about your business
• Share those insights with your whole team so that everyone’s on the same page
• Analyze customer feedback data so that you can improve their experience and turn them into repeat clients

Let’s move on to the standard questions you should include in any customer survey.

1. Gender

One of the most fundamental questions you should ask is about gender. However, even though this is a standard demographic question, how you approach it is extremely important.

Gender is a complicated and sensitive topic and how you phrase this question can impact your participants in different ways. While this information is valuable, it shouldn‘t come at the expense of your customers’ comfort.

When phrasing this question, be sure to use the word “gender” in place of the word “sex.” Gender is based more in perspective, giving the participant more flexibility when answering.

Additionally, you should always include a “prefer not to say” option. This will ensure participants don't feel forced to concede sensitive information.

Example: “What gender do you identify as?”

A. Male
B. Female
C. Non-Binary
D. ________ (Short Answer Space)
E. Prefer not to say

2. Age

Age is a standard demographic question that should be included in every survey. You'll want to know how old the participant is and whether they fit your target audience or not.

The best way to ask this question is with a multiple-choice format that uses age ranges for each answer. Some customers may not feel comfortable revealing their exact age, so this structure allows them to participate while still protecting their personal information.

Example: “What is your age?”

A. 0 - 15 years old
B. 15 - 30 years old
C. 30 - 45 years old
D. 45+
E. Prefer not to say

3. Ethnicity

Ethnicity questions paint a clearer picture of your survey participants. They reveal cultural backgrounds made up of a variety of different practices and traditions that influence your customers.

I’ve learned that having this information makes it easier to understand why some customers may answer questions differently than others.

Example: “Please specify your ethnicity.”

A. Caucasian
B. African-American
C. Latino or Hispanic
D. Asian
E. Native American
F. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
G. Multiple (Two or More)
H. Other/Unknown
I. Prefer not to say

Note: You can also make this multiple select.

4. Location

Another standard question you should ask is about the location of the participant. You want to know where your customers are from because they may live in places you wouldn't expect.

For example, you may find that your business has a strong international audience and there's an opportunity to market in different countries. Or, you might learn that your customers are travelers who use your product or service on the go.

Example: “Where is your home located?”

A. North America/Central America
B. South America
C. Europe
D. Africa
E. Asia
F. Australia
G. Caribbean Islands
H. Pacific Islands
I. Other: ______
J. Prefer not to say

5. Education

Education is a core demographic question because it provides insight into the type of work a participant may be doing.

If your respondents all say they have a Ph.D., you know that their jobs involve critical thinking. Therefore, you can make a logical pitch — rather than an emotional one — to these leads about why your business is right for them.

When asking education questions, be sure to include options for trades and apprenticeships. Some of your customers may have chosen a different career path, and the answers on your survey should reflect that.

Example: “What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?”

A. Some High School
B. High School
C. Bachelor's Degree
D. Master's Degree
E. Ph.D. or higher
F. Trade School
G. Prefer not to say

6. Marital Status

Marital status lets you know who your participants interact with in their everyday lives. If they‘re married, their buying decisions may be influenced by different factors compared to someone who isn’t.

Example: “Are you married?”

A. Yes
B. No
C. Prefer not to say

These are the demographic questions that should be included in almost every survey you create. Now that we know they‘re on your list, let’s move on to some other questions you can add.

Keep in mind: Your customers value their time and may not finish the form if you overload them with questions. When deciding which additional demographic questions to include, be strategic and only incorporate your need-to-haves.

OK, now I want to move on to some lesser-used questions that can help you get the information you need about your customers.

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All fields are required.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

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1. Household Income

Household income refers to the total amount of money made by people living in the same home. This sum includes the participant‘s income, their spouse’s, and any other people living in their house.

Collecting this information helps you understand the amount of buying power your customers control. As with any sensitive information, be sure to use range answers and include an option to skip the question.

Example: “What is your annual household income?”

A. Less than $25,000
B. $25,000 - $50,000
C. $50,000 - $100,000
D. $100,000 - $200,000
E. More than $200,000
F. Prefer not to say

2. Employment

It‘s useful to know the participant’s employment status as this contributes to their buying power. However, just like with household income, be sure to give the participant an option to omit the question if needed.

For example, if the survey is for a job application, the applicant may not want it on record that they currently have a job. They could get in trouble with their current employer and potentially face repercussions.

Example: “What is your current employment status?”

A. Employed Full-Time
B. Employed Part-Time
C. Seeking opportunities
D. Retired
E. Prefer not to say

3. Family and Dependents

If your participants are adults, it may make sense to ask them if they have children. Kids play a major role in buying decisions and influence your customer's personal values.

This means that customers with children are going to have different needs than people who don‘t. It’s important to identify these differences so that you can create campaigns that appeal to both audiences.

Example: “How many children do you have?”

A. None
B. 1
C. 2-4
D. More than 4
E. Prefer not to say

4. Living Status

Living status tells you whether or not a customer owns a home, rents or leases a property, or currently has some other type of living arrangement.

Understanding a customer's living status can help you gauge how stable their current location is and how their needs may differ from those of other consumers.

Example: “Which of the following describes your living status?”

A. Homeowner
B. Renter
C. Lessee
D. Other
E. Prefer not to say

5. Voting Status

Voting status identifies whether or not the participant is registered to vote within a given region. This is useful because it shows how active the person is with local or national politics.

Since this topic is very polarizing, you'll want to know how much your customers value your political system.

Example: “Are you registered to vote in ____?”

A. Yes
B. No
C. Prefer not to say

6. Language

Businesses care about language for two major reasons. First, speaking the same language as your customers builds a much stronger relationship with them.

Second, knowing the languages that they speak also reveals some important cultural details about the person. Just because two people are from the same place doesn't mean they speak the same language.

And, that difference in language can lead to significant differences in customer needs, values, and goals.

Example: “Which languages are you capable of speaking fluently? (Check all that apply)”

A. English
B. Spanish
C. Portuguese
D. French
E. Mandarin
F. Arabic
G. Other
H. Prefer not to say

7. Place of Birth

Knowing where and when a person was born can reveal significant details about their life.

For example, if they were born in one country then moved around the world, there may have been a family, professional, political, or social factor that influenced their move.

Experiencing this type of major life event will affect their wants and needs as a customer.

Example: “Where were you born?”

A. North America
B. Central America
C. South America
D. Europe
E. Africa
F. Asia
G. Australia
H. Pacific Islander
I. Caribbean Islands
J. Other
K. Prefer not to say

8. Religion

Another cultural influence that‘s prevalent in many people’s lives is religion. Religion significantly impacts your customers' moral values, and determining which one they subscribe to will help you understand their personal beliefs.

Keep in mind that some people aren't religious, so there should be an option to reflect this perspective.

Example: “If applicable, please specify your religion.”

A. Catholicism/Christianity
B. Judaism
C. Islam
D. Buddhism
E. Hinduism
F. Other: ______
G. Not applicable
H. Prefer not to say

9. Political Affiliation

There are a few ways to approach this question, but how you do so should depend on the information you're looking to obtain.

If you're interested in learning the political party that a person is affiliated with, then you should ask that question directly.

However, if you're looking for their beliefs on political issues, you can ask in a more generic way, like in the example below.

Example: “How would you describe your political view?”

A. Very Liberal
B. Slightly Liberal
C. Slightly Conservative
D. Very Conservative
E. Prefer not to say

The Power of Demographics

Demographics can go a long way in helping you understand who your customers are and how best to approach them with your products and services. The next time you reach out to your customers with a survey, I encourage you to include some of these demographic examples. Ultimately, I’ve found having this information to be incredibly helpful in targeting messaging and marketing, and creating products that actually benefit my audience.

If you want to make the process even easier, we’ve put together 5 Free Customer Satisfaction Survey Templates that you can download and use.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.