Demographic survey
A demographic question earns its place only if you'll split your results by it. This set is short and polite: clear options, ranges instead of exact numbers, and a 'prefer not to say' on everything. You get clean groups without making anyone uneasy.
Best for: Researchers, marketers and product teams who need to compare answers by who gave them.
Use this template freeWhat best describes your role?
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The questions
- 1What best describes your role?Single selectEngineering / Product / Design / Marketing / Sales / Other. List only the roles you'll compare.
- 2How large is your company?Single selectJust me / 2-10 / 11-50 / 51-200 / 201-1000 / 1000+. Ranges split cleanly without prying.
- 3Which industry are you in?Single selectSoftware / Retail / Healthcare / Education / Finance / Other. A short list splits cleanly.
- 4Which region are you based in?Single selectAmericas / Europe / Africa / Asia Pacific / Prefer not to say. Region is enough to compare, and far less personal than a city.
- 5How long have you been doing this kind of work?Single selectUnder 1 year / 1-3 / 3-5 / 5-10 / 10+. Experience often explains differences better than job title.
- 6Anything about your situation that would help us read your other answers?Long textOptional. It lets people add what the fixed options miss.
Sample replies, counted
These replies are made up to show the method.
Asked: Anything about your situation that would help us read your other answers?
I'm a designer but I also run our tiny marketing team, so I picked design but it's half and half
Role spans two areasFreelance. 'Company size' is me plus whoever hires me that month.
Freelance or contractnope
Nothing to addStarted this job three weeks ago so my answers are mostly about my last company.
Just changed jobsContractor on a 6 month agency placement.
Freelance or contractEngineering manager, still write code most days. Neither option fit.
Role spans two areasNo, all good.
Nothing to add
| Label | Replies |
|---|---|
| Role spans two areas | 2 |
| Freelance or contract | 2 |
| Nothing to add | 2 |
| Just changed jobs | 1 |
Two of seven sit between two roles and two are freelance or contract, so the fixed options squeezed four people into boxes that don't fit. Add 'Freelance or contract' to company size and allow two role picks before the next send.
How to run it well
- Only ask what you'll split by. A demographic question you never use is just one more reason to quit.
- Add 'prefer not to say' to every question and make the whole section optional. Forced answers are often made-up answers.
- Put these questions at the end, after the ones you care about most, so a privacy worry doesn't cost you the whole response.
- Say why you're asking before you ask, for example 'to compare results by company size'.
- Use ranges, not exact figures, for size, age or income. People answer a range more readily than a precise number.
When not to use this: If you need to pick who takes part in a study rather than describe who already answered, use a customer interview screener instead.
FAQ
Where should demographic questions go?
How do I keep demographic questions respectful?
Where the method comes from
- Writing Survey Questions, Pew Research Centerpewresearch.org
- Income, Pew Research Center Methods (2024)pewresearch.org
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