I was sent a copy of America at Home to review--it's a beautiful book with interesting photographs in the tradition of National Geographic or the Day in the Life series and there are some fun things about it (such as being able to order a custom cover using one of your own photographs) but the thing I found most interesting were the scattered statistics outlining the "typical" American.It made me wonder how well you or I fit that profile so if you're game, here is some of the data America at Home cites, take the polls and see how you fall in the demographics. If you're not an American, who cares? Play along anyway and see what happens--answers are absolutely anonymous, have no fear.
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1. Eighty percent of married men say that if they could go back to their wedding day they would marry the same woman over again. Only 50 percent of married women would do the same.
2. Not counting weddings and funerals, 38 percent of Americans attend religious services at least once a week.
3. There are approximately 6,000 marriages every day, with more than half of these couples living together before the Big Day.
4. American women with children under the age of 6 spend an average of one and one half hours a day watching television. Men without children spend an astounding 4 1/2 hours per day.
5. Today, the average new single-family home is 2,349 square feet. In 1950 it was just 983 square feet.
6. Americans spent some $41 billion more than they earned last year, with an average of nearly 13 credit cards per household.
7. The majority of Americans live their lives within fifty miles of the place they grew up.
8. The median sales price of new houses sold in September 2007 was $238,00 compared to $23,400 in 1970.
9. Every morning American children head off to 124,100 schools. Eighty-six percent attend public schools.
10. More than 93 percent of homeowners consider their neighborhood safe, and 78 percent are not afraid to walk alone at night.
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Congratulations to Michelle and Christine who were the winners of the Zoobies and Kids Fun Cards Giveaway this weekend--they're going to be verrrry popular with such great prizes to take home but first they need to claim their prizes. Please respond by tonight to get your gifts! Check those spam boxes!
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22 comments:
I'm British so I've probably skewed your statistics a little. I live in a small (800 sq ft) terraced house with my husband who is from 100 miles away, although I grew up in just the next town. My house is currently worth around £100k, although we bought it for much less. My neighbourhood is neither pretty nor desirable and I wouldn't walk around it at night. I would definitely marry Himself again, and although we lvied together before marriage, getting married definitely made us feel more secure.
Okay that was fun, and I learned that I was pretty average. :-)
I'm glad they used the term 'typical' rather than 'normal'. Cool survey!
Well I guess I'd just be totally typical if I got rid of a couple of credit cards! Gee, thought I was special...ha!
Fun quiz - I think I turned out to be pretty typical - don't know if that's a good thing or not!
13 credit cards?? Scary!! This was fun.
That book is so amazing. I got it from the library and had to check it out twice so I could read everything in it. I loved that they didn't feature just typical families or typical homes.
This was fascinating! I wonder how many were honest about their television hours? As for the credit cards, I have more because I hold a couple of store cards and gas cards that give me major discounts. As for the school question, in my district charter schools are part of the public school system. It allows for choice while keeping the standards and quality high.
Im Canadian, so I've also skewed your results. However, I hate to be picky - but the numbers overlap in several questions (1-2, 2-5). Also, the school question - my kids are too young for school!
This is so interesting! And I found that in most categories, I'm not average. :)
Hi Canadian Girl--I'm giggling nervously because you're completely right. I really shouldn't have skipped out on so many Statistics classes back in college apparently.
Sorry! Of course it is highly unscientific in other ways as well but I'm sure my options confused people. Please forgive--
I chose I never walk anywhere alone...but it's not because I'm afraid...it's because I'm pretty much never alone!
This was so very interesting!!
Steph
I had to choose the lowest number of miles--although, in all honesty, I never left home! (I live in the house I grew up in!)
I love this sort of thing. When I was in college, a demographer came to give a guest speech. It was so interesting! He'd ask students where their hometown was and then give a rundown of what the average person there was like. He completely nailed my community.
This survey was so much fun!
Let's see:
1. I would happily marry him again any day.
2. Under normal circumstances, 1-2 times a week. Golly.
3. We lived together twice. And I lived with someone else in between. Whoops!
4. 1-2 hours.
5. 2000, abt.
6. 1
7. within 10 miles.
8. WAY under $100.
9. Public
10. Safe, although I'd rather not walk around it after dark, although I don't feel really endangered if I do.
This poll tells me that most readers of blogs are affluent and live in fairly expensive houses. Interesting.
The credit card one should be more of a question of how many cards to you carry a balance on. We have a couple cards but always pay off the balance. It's just not the same as having 2 maxed out credit cards. :)
Love the questions and the results~ I guess I am not very typical - at least by the poll. It was fun though.
Anonymous chimed in before I took the poll. :)
The Mountain Man and I didn't live together, but we did date for 6 years before we got married, and we refurbished one house and built another one together (the one we live in now), so it just seemed like it. There were NO surprises!
I too am british, so may have messed up your results too.
No big surpirses though, although as N Ireland is not very big, if you stay here at all you can't get more than 100 miles from where you grew up!
Be interesting to see the final results. Great idea.
They should've asked about internet. TV- No. Internet-Yes!
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