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The Demographix Research Blog
Random thoughts from the team at demographix, keeping you up to date with what's new in the world of online research. Use the year and month links below to navigate the blog entries.
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December 2009 blog entries:
Age demographics in online survey research
9 Dec 2009 — We frequently get asked to advise on the usage of age breaks in online surveys. What are the best age groupings to use, we're asked, and in particular are any groupings meaningful? One common listing used in the US breaks age groups into 6 key phases:
- 21 and Under
- 22 to 34
- 35 to 44
- 45 to 54
- 55 to 64
- 65 and Over
The problem with this is that it begins late (many young people over 16 are working and can be treated as adult consumers, rather than lumped with teenagers and children) and it ends early (many older people remain economically and physically active after 65, and retirement ages look like being pushed back towards 68-70 in coming decades).
In the Demographix system you can create any answer list that you want (and edit it at any time) that can help you instantly populate the answers to a question (thereby maintaining data consistency between surveys, not to mention avoiding spelling errors or errors of ommission). Among the standard lists we provide for all users is our recommended age breaks:
- Under 16
- 16 - 25
- 26 - 35
- 36 - 45
- 46 - 55
- 56 - 65
- 66 - 75
- Over 75
- Decline to answer
These age segmentations can also be summed up in primary clusters for each of the "8 economic stages of life", as so:
- Under 16: Childhood and teenage years
- 16 - 25: Tertiary education and First job
- 26 - 35: Love and marriage
- 36 - 45: Parenting and nesting
- 46 - 55: The "Meaning of Life" Years
- 56 - 65: Empty nests / new goals
- 66 - 75: Active retirement
- Over 75: Reflection and repose
Remember that people are more likely to answer a question placing them in an age range, rather than their year of birth, which many consider personal data. Getting age ranges right can be a key to getting better responses, and gathering data in meaningful groups that share attitudes and values.
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