Study finds 5% of white Americans endorse white nationalist ideas, with higher support among young men

In a series of surveys conducted from 2021 to 2025 with almost 8,000 non-Hispanic white respondents, political scientists found that about 5% of white adults endorse the core tenets of white nationalism. The figure climbs to just over 13% among white men under 30, compared with 6% of women in the same age group, and drops to 2% among men over 65. Support is higher for those whose closest friends are known only online, indicating a link between isolated digital social circles and extremist views.

Personal strains such as job loss, bereavement, or divorce, as well as living in counties with high poverty, unemployment, or “deaths of despair,” also predict greater endorsement. While white Republicans are more likely to support the movement than white Democrats, a sizable share of politically unaffiliated respondents also express sympathy, suggesting the appeal extends beyond partisan lines.