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From September 14th through 22nd, 2021, the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center conducted a statewide survey of Oregonians’ values and beliefs. The questions were intended to gather preliminary data to inform more in-depth research in the months ahead.
This online survey consisted of 1,124 Oregon residents ages 18+ and took approximately 15 minutes to complete. This survey’s margin of error, for the full sample, ranges from ±1.8% to ±2.9% depending on how the response category percentages split for any given question. Due to rounding, numbers may not add up to 100%.
Respondents were contacted by using professionally maintained online panels. In gathering responses, a variety of quality control measures were employed, including questionnaire pre-testing, validation, and real-time monitoring of responses. To ensure a representative sample, demographic quotas were set, and data weighted by are of the state, gender, age, and education.
This survey uses aggregated data to analyze the opinions of BIPOC residents in comparison to the opinions of residents who identify as white and not another race. BIPOC residents are not a monolith; the grouping represents a wide diversity of races and ethnicities. The findings included in this memo should not be construed such that all people of color are believed to share the same opinions. Disaggregated race data will be provided when sample size permits reliability.
Findings will include a citation of the relevant question, which can be referenced in the annotated questionnaire and tabs, available on our blog at oregonvbc.org/blog, or sent directly upon request.
Oregonians’ opinions on the direction of our state have returned to the more pessimistic lows of last winter. About half of Oregonians say things in the state are headed off on the wrong track (49%). Nearly as many say things are headed in the right direction (45%), and the rest aren’t sure (Q1).
When thinking about coronavirus, concerns about community health remain high, whereas concerns about personal health have fallen slightly since last summer (Q2-4).
More than three-quarters of Oregonians say they are somewhat or very concerned about the health of their communities regarding coronavirus, a figure essentially unchanged since July 2020 (77% to 78%)4 (Q4).
Meanwhile, 60% of Oregonians say they are concerned about their own health when it comes to coronavirus, a figure just slightly lower than in July 2020 (63%)4(Q2).
Concerns about the economy vis-à-vis coronavirus remain. All in all, Oregonians are more concerned about Covid-19’s impact on the economy than their individual health—but concern doesn’t mean the economy is in bad shape (Q5).
Oregonians are evenly split as to whether the state’s economy is good or poor. While 45% say it is good or very good, 44% say it is poor or very poor (Q6).
While ratings of the state’s economy have grown more positive, many Oregonians remain worried about their own finances. More than half now say they are somewhat or very worried about their personal financial situation (53%) (Q9).
People outside the Portland tri-county region are more likely to say they are struggling financially (Q9).
Few Oregonians believe the economy is “fully restarted” since the pandemic began (13%) (Q7).
About one in five Oregonians feel an urgency to “open everything up and restart the economy” (Q8).
Reported below are statistically significant subgroup differences between BIPOC and white Oregonians, and urban and rural Oregonians. Many of these differences are not major and are presented to inform public education and communications initiatives.
BIPOC and white residents are equally likely to say things in Oregon are headed in the right direction (45%) (Q1).
Rural and urban residents are about equally likely to express concern about the health of their communities when it comes to coronavirus, with urban residents ever so slightly more concerned (74% to 79%) (Q4).
White residents are somewhat more concerned about the economy than BIPOC residents (86% to 74%). This figure could reflect partisan differences.
Rural areas of the state have been hit especially hard by painful impacts from the pandemic, drought, and wildfires. More than half of rural Oregonians rate economic conditions as poor or very poor (57%) (Q6).
BIPOC Oregonians are more likely to express worry over their personal financial situation (Q9).
Half of ruralites say it is time to open everything back up and restart the state’s economy (49%). They are joined by fewer than one in three urbanites (29%) (Q8).
This research was completed as a community service by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, an independent and non-partisan organization. OVBC is an Oregon charitable nonprofit corporation.
[1] Survey conducted December 4-8, 2020; OVBC; n=615
[2] Survey conducted February 11-17, 2021; OVBC; n=600
[3] Survey conducted May 4-10, 2021; OVBC; n=918
[4] Survey conducted July 14-22, 2020; DHM Research; n=603
[5] Survey conducted April 1-6, 2021; OVBC; n=600
[6] Survey conducted May 29-June7, 2020; DHM Research; n=900
[7] Survey conducted October 1-6, 2020; OVBC; n=600