Toplines - NUSA Yellowstone COMBINED July 2024

Survey of 1,128 US Likely Voters
Conducted July 28-29, 2024, by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA

 

1.     Biden Approval

 

27% Strongly approve

18% Somewhat approve

10% Somewhat disapprove

44% Strongly disapprove

  2% Not sure

 

2.     Have you ever heard of Yellowstone National Park?

 

93% Yes

  5% No

  2% Not sure

 

3.     Have you ever visited Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

 

35% Yes

64% No

  2% Not sure

 

Answered by 735 respondents who haven't visited Yellowstone:

 

4.     Would you like to visit Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

 

68% Yes

20% No

12% Not sure

 

Answered by 890 respondents who have visited or want to visit Yellowstone:

 

5.     How important is the wildlife to those park visits? The main reason you visit, one of the two main reasons, important but not one of the top two reasons, or it is not an important reason to visit?

 

23% Main reason

51% Top two

23% Important but not top two

  3% Not important

  0% Not sure

 

6.     Are you aware that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is unique in the Lower 48 States in still having all of its original large wildlife species, including grizzly bears, elk, bison, and wolves?

 

63% Yes

27% No

10% Not sure

 

7.     How important to you is it that large wildlife species continue to survive and flourish in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

 

70% Very important

25% Somewhat important

  4% Not very important

  1% Not at all important

  1% Not sure

 

8.     Are you aware that the vast majority of large mammals in the Yellowstone-Tetons Parks rely upon surrounding PRIVATE lands to survive during at least part of the year?

 

45% Yes

39% No

16% Not sure

 

9.     Does the United States have a responsibility to the rest of the world to preserve the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem or is preserving this ecosystem not a matter of global concern?

 

70% Yes

20% No

10% Not sure

 

10.  In recent decades, the population of the private lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has increased by more than half. The nearly 200,000 additional residents contributed to the development of about 240 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland. Are you very concerned, concerned, a bit concerned, or unconcerned about this trend?

 

30% Very concerned

44% Somewhat concerned

17% Not very concerned

  6% Not at all concerned

  3% Not sure

 

11.  If recent population growth and development trends continue to 2060, the population of Greater Yellowstone would grow by another 40 percent.  Another 360 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland would be developed to accommodate this growth. Would this make Greater Yellowstone better, worse, or not much different?

 

23% Better

51% Worse

16% Not much difference

10% Not sure

 

12.  A study of government data found that most U.S. farmland and natural habitat lost to development in the last decade was related to the country’s population growing by 22 million people. The Census Bureau projects the population will grow by tens of millions more in the next 40 years. Would this type of population growth in YOUR area make it a better place to live, a worse place to live, or would it not make much difference?

 

16% Better

55% Worse

21% Not much difference

  7% Not sure

 

13.  The main source of national population growth is immigration from other countries. Should the federal government reduce annual immigration to slow down population growth, keep immigration and population growth at the current level, or increase annual immigration and population growth?

 

57% Reduce

28% Current level

  7% Increase

  8% Not sure

 

14.  Currently the federal government adds about one million legal immigrants to the country each year.  What annual level would you prefer:

 

11% 2 million +

  9% 1.5 million

23% 1 million

20% 0.5 million

25% 100k or less
13% Not sure

 

15.  Currently, in addition to the million legal immigrants each year, about 2.5 million inadmissible foreign citizens overstay a visa, avoid the border patrol, or are released into the country every year.  In trying to control illegal immigration, should the government mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs?

 

75% Yes

10% No

15% Not sure

 

16.  Do you feel an emotional or spiritual uplift from time spent in natural areas such as forests, wetlands, meadows, and mountains?

 

74% Yes

13% No

13% Not sure

 

17.  One way to accommodate continued population growth in Greater Yellowstone without losing as much natural habitat and farmland to development would be to increase population density by changing zoning and other regulations so more residents live in apartments, condos, and townhouses instead of single-family houses. Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this kind of change?

 

20% Strongly favor

32% Somewhat favor

19% Somewhat oppose

17% Strongly oppose

12% Not sure

 

18.  Zoning, urban growth boundaries, and limiting the number of new hook-ups to sewage treatment systems are examples of planning or “smart growth” tools for accommodating population growth while attempting to reduce new development and sprawl from spreading further into the surrounding countryside. Do you favor using such planning tools as a means of limiting sprawl?

53% Yes

17% No

30% Not sure

 

19.  Do you favor paying higher property taxes to accommodate new residents and residential development into your community?

 

17% Yes

70% No

13% Not sure

 

20.  Where Do You Live?

 

30% Urban

49% Suburban

20% Rural

  1% Not sure

 

21.  Prefer To Live?

 

26% Urban

37% Suburban

34% Rural

  3% Not sure

 

 

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

 

 

Survey of 829 Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming Likely Voters
Conducted July 28-30, 2024 by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA

 

1.     Biden Approval

 

22% Strongly approve

15% Somewhat approve

11% Somewhat disapprove

50% Strongly disapprove

  2% Not sure

 

2.     Have you ever visited Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

 

83% Yes

16% No

  1% Not sure

 

Answered by the 138 respondents who had not visited Yellowstone:

 

3.     How many times have you visited Yellowstone National Park?

 

84% Yes

14% No

  2% Not sure

 

Answered by the 691 respondents who have visited Yellowstone:

 

4.     How many times have you visited Yellowstone National Park?

 

18% Once

53% 2 to 6 times

13% 7 to 12 times

16% More than 12 times

  1% Not sure

 

Answered by the 691 respondents who have visited Yellowstone:

 

5.     How often EACH YEAR do you tend to visit Yellowstone-Grand Tetons?

 

53% Never or < once per year

38% Once or twice

  4% 3 to 6 times

  1% 7 to 12 times

  1% More than 12 times

  3% Not sure

 

Answered by the 807 respondents who have visited or want to visit Yellowstone:

 

6.     How important is the wildlife to those park visits? The main reason you visit, one of the two main reasons, important but not one of the top two reasons, or it is not an important reason to visit?

 

26% Main reason

53% Top two

18% Important but not top two

  3% Not important

  1% Not sure

 

7.     Are you aware that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is unique in the Lower 48 States in still having all of its original large wildlife species, including grizzly bears, elk, bison, and wolves?

 

83% Yes

13% No

  4% Not sure

 

8.     How important to you is it that large wildlife species continue to survive and flourish in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

 

76% Very important

19% Somewhat important
  3% Not very important

  1% Not at all important

  1% Not sure

 

9.     Are you aware that the vast majority of large mammals in the Yellowstone-Tetons Parks rely upon surrounding PRIVATE lands to survive during at least part of the year?

 

68% Yes

23% No

  9% Not sure

 

10.  In recent decades, the population of the private lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has increased by more than half. The nearly 200,000 additional residents contributed to the development of about 240 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland.

 

36% Very concerned

39% Somewhat concerned

16% Not very concerned

  5% Not at all concerned

  4% Not sure

 

11.  If recent population growth and development trends continue to 2060, the population of Greater Yellowstone would grow by another 40 percent.  Another 360 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland would be developed to accommodate this growth.

 

21% Better

53% Worse

16% Not much difference

11% Not sure

 

12.  Would the projected future population growth and development have a very negative effect on Greater Yellowstone’s wildlife, a somewhat negative effect, a generally neutral effect, a somewhat positive effect, or a very positive effect?

 

21% Very negative

47% Somewhat negative

16% Neutral
  7% Somewhat positive

  6% Very positive

  4% Not sure

 

13.  The main source of Greater Yellowstone’s population growth is people moving in from other states. Should local and state governments in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho make it more difficult for people to move to the region from other states by restricting development?

 

68% Yes

17% No

16% Not sure

 

14.  The main source of national population growth is immigration from other countries. Should the federal government reduce annual immigration to slow down population growth, keep immigration and population growth at the current level, or increase annual immigration and population growth?

 

59% Reduce

27% Current level
  7% Increase

  7% Not sure

 

15.  Currently the federal government adds about one million legal immigrants to the country each year.  What annual level would you prefer:

 

  5% 2 million +

12% 1.5 million
20% 1 million

18% 0.5 million
31% 100k or less

13% Not sure

 

16.  Currently, in addition to the million legal immigrants each year, about 2.5 million inadmissible foreign citizens overstay a visa, avoid the border patrol, or are released into the country every year.  In trying to control illegal immigration, should the government mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs?

77% Yes

  9% No

14% Not sure

 

17.   Does the United States have a responsibility to the rest of the world to preserve the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem or is preserving this ecosystem not a matter of global concern?

 

76% Yes

14% No

10% Not sure

 

18.  Do you feel an emotional or spiritual uplift from time spent in natural areas such as forests, wetlands, meadows, and mountains?

 

86% Yes

  8% No

  6% Not sure

 

19.  One way to accommodate continued population growth in Greater Yellowstone without losing as much natural habitat and farmland to development would be to increase population density by changing zoning and other regulations so more residents live in apartments.

 

24% Strongly favor

31% Somewhat favor

20% Somewhat oppose

16% Strongly oppose

10% Not sure

 

20.  Zoning, urban growth boundaries, and limiting the number of new hook-ups to sewage treatment systems are examples of planning or “smart growth” tools for accommodating population growth while attempting to reduce new development and sprawl from spreading further into the surrounding countryside. Do you favor using such planning tools as a means of limiting sprawl?

64% Yes

15% No
21% Not sure

 

21.  Do you favor paying higher property taxes to accommodate new residents and residential development into your community?

 

20% Yes

69% No
11% Not sure

 

22.  When considering why you live in this region, which of the following reasons is most important to you?  Please listen to the entire list before responding.

 

37% Natural beauty and wildlife

  6% Recreation opportunities
12% Low crime

10% Affordable housing and cost of living
18% Family ties

11% Some other reason

  6% Not sure

 

23.  How long have you lived in the region?

 

47% Entire life

16% Moved here over 30 years ago
18% Moved here 10-30 years ago

  8% Moved here 5-9 years ago

  9% Moved here < 5 years ago
  2% Not sure

 

24.  Do you live within a 3 hours’ drive of Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Park?

 

50% Yes

42% No
  8% Not sure

 

25.  Do you live in a major city, the suburbs, a small city, a town or a rural area?

 

39% Urban

18% Suburban
42% Rural

  2% Not sure

 

26.  Where would you prefer to live – in a major city, the suburbs, a small city, a town or a rural area?

 

35% Urban

11% Suburban
50% Rural

  4% Not sure

 

 

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence