Survey Findings

Washington – September 24, 2026 -- Four in ten Americans report moderate to severe loneliness, according to the second annual Social Connection in AmericaTM survey, which found that key indicators of social connection weakened for a second consecutive year.

Nearly 70% of Americans see loved ones no more than once or twice a month

The survey, part of a 25-year national tracking initiative led by RAND and The Connection Institute with founding funder the Barnes Family Foundation, found that one in five Americans meet with people they care about only a few times a year or less. Time constraints are the top barrier to connection, cited by 30.6% of respondents, followed by distance (14.8%), effort (13.3%) and social anxiety (11.1%).

New York – September 16, 2026 -- A three-phase study of more than 5,000 registered U.S. voters has found that while affordability is the single most persuasive argument for clean energy, most Americans do not believe solar and wind power are actually inexpensive. The research, commissioned by Heatmap News from Embold Research and published as "Communicating about Climate and Clean Energy in an Age of Affordability," found that 55% of voters believe solar and wind are cost-competitive only because of government subsidies, and 57% say clean energy advocates exaggerate how cheap the technologies have become.