The average American is a 52-year-old white woman who is politically independent, leans Democratic but likely will not vote in November, according to The Washington Post, which examined data from the U.S. Census Bureau and recent polling data.
The exclusive story said that according to the latest Census data 50.8 percent of Americans are women, 60.7 percent of Americans are non-Hispanic white. After that, caveats come in.
"Most Americans are women and most Americans are white, but are most women white?" the Post asked about its own research in the article. "As it happens, yes, but as we proceed, we will at times explore what our theoretical average American does or believes as opposed to what an American overall believes on average.
"In other words: At times, the difference between what an American white woman thinks and what an American overall thinks might diverge," the newspaper continued.
The Post said 52 is the median age of people in the United States, and while more Americans have only high school degrees than have bachelor's degrees, 26 percent to 21.3 percent, more Americans older than 25 have been to college at one time or another, 60.9 percent.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, education and health services are the most common fields of employment for women and Americans in general.
According the Post the "average American" makes $889.62 a week, an increase of $22 since July 2017, and lives mostly in cities.
The Post gathered its political views of the "average American" from polls such as Gallup, Real Clear Politics, Marist College and Quinnipiac University.
The newspaper said that those statistics suggest that the "average American" is politically independent, but leans Democratic and voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. The average American believes President Donald Trump has strengthened the economy but lessened the U.S.'s stature around the world.
According to the Post, polling suggests that she disapproved of Trump's performance as president, but probably will not vote in the upcoming midterm elections in November. The U.S. Elections Project determined that only 41 percent of non-Hispanic whites voted in 2014, as did 42.6 percent of those ages 45 to 59 and 41.4 percent of those with a bachelor's degree, the Post reported.
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