Perception Gap Persists
Ann Stouffer Bisconti, PhD
Bisconti Research, Inc.
June 2025
The new national survey was conducted from May 28 to June 8, 2025, by Bisconti Research, Inc., using a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people drawn from the Quest Mindshare Online Panel of 3.5 million people in the U.S. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
A perception gap still exists. Many people think that community opinion about nuclear energy is less favorable than their own. Respondents are about evenly divided on whether the majority of people in their community favor or oppose nuclear energy; 52% perceived that a majority in their community favored nuclear energy, whereas 72% personally favored nuclear energy. That’s a 20-point gap.
Respondents tend to see public opinion as similar to their own, but there are differences, as shown on the next page. One-fourth of those who strongly favor nuclear energy and nearly 4-in-10 of those who somewhat favor nuclear energy believe that public opinion is opposed.
The more informed people feel about nuclear energy, the more they see public opinion toward nuclear energy as favorable.
Perceptions of Public Opinion about Nuclear Energy, by Favorability to Nuclear Energy
Do you think that the majority of people in your community favor or oppose nuclear energy? (%)
Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)
Percent Who Perceive Majority Favors Nuclear, By Level of Feeling Informed about Nuclear Energy
Do you think that the majority of people in your community favor or oppose nuclear energy? (%)
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy?
The perception gap persists across demographic groups. The gap ranges from 10 points among Republican women to 27 points among Independents and 25 points among men not college graduates and Boomers. Boomers clearly reference a time when public opinion about nuclear energy was more contentious than it is today.
Perception of Public Opinion about Nuclear Energy, Compared with Own Opinion about Nuclear Energy: Demographics
Do you think that the majority of people in your community favor or oppose nuclear energy? (%)
Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)
Many not aware of change in favorability to nuclear energy. The public is divided also on their perception of how public opinion is changing; 41% believe that public opinion is becoming more favorable, but a majority believe it is not changing or has become less favorable.
The perceptions of how public opinion is changing are closely correlated with respondents’ own opinions: 68% of those who strongly favor nuclear energy believe that public opinion is becoming more favorable, compared with just 4% of those strongly opposed. Similarly, 74 % of those feeling very well informed about nuclear energy perceive public opinion as becoming more favorable, compared with 15% of those who feel not at all well informed.
Perception of Change in U.S. Public Opinion, by Personal Favorability to Nuclear Energy
Based on what you hear or see, do you think that U.S. public opinion toward nuclear energy is becoming more favorable, less favorable, or not changing at all?
Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)
Perception of Change in U.S. Public Opinion, by Level of Feeling Informed about Nuclear Energy
Based on what you hear or see, do you think that U.S. public opinion toward nuclear energy is becoming more favorable, less favorable, or not changing at all?
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy?
Demographic groups most likely to see a favorable change in public opinion to nuclear energy include men college graduates, Republican men, and Trump voters. Women Democrats and Independents are least likely to see favorable change.
Perception of Change in Public Opinion about Nuclear Energy, By Demographics
Based on what you hear or see, do you think that U.S. public opinion toward nuclear energy is becoming more favorable, less favorable, or not changing at all?
Conclusions. These findings reveal that the historical stigma attached to nuclear energy continues to influence perceptions. The more people personally favor nuclear energy and feel well informed on the subject, the more they see public opinion on their side and becoming more favorable.
© Ann Stouffer Bisconti, 2025.