Posted on
February 26, 2026 by
The VRG Blog Editor
The Vegetarian Resource Group asks in a 2026 National Survey Conducted by The Harris Poll
By Reed Mangels PhD RD, Charles Stahler, and Debra Wasserman
Food companies, marketers, researchers, students, and media for years have been asking The Vegetarian Resource Group about the number of vegetarians and vegans. To help answer this question, VRG commissioned The Harris Poll to conduct a nationally representative online poll of 2,096 U.S. adults aged 18 and over. We asked:
Which one, if any, of the following best describes your eating behavior? Please select the option that best applies.
1) I never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs
2) I never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry
3) I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs
4) I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, or poultry
5) I usually eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs
6) I usually eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, or poultry
7) None of these
We considered those who never eat meat, fish, seafood or poultry; plus those who never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs, as vegetarian. We classified that second category of vegetarians who don’t eat dairy or eggs also as vegan. Because we use the word “never” and don’t just ask if a person considers him/herself vegetarian or vegan, our numbers may be lower than those reported in other polls.
Sixty-seven percent of adults in the United States always, sometimes, or usually eat vegetarian meals (including vegan), while 33% presumably never have vegetarian meals or vegan meals. Thirty-three percent of adults always, sometimes, or usually eat vegan meals. Five percent are vegetarians, with over half (3%) also being vegan.
This has strong implications for food companies, food services, and restaurants, who have to cater to different audiences.
HOW MANY AMERICAN ADULTS EAT VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN MEALS?
5% Vegetarians Including Vegans
2% Vegetarians who are not Vegans (never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry)
3% Vegans (Never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, eggs)
8% Usually eat vegetarian meals (not including vegan)
10% Usually eat vegan meals
13% Always or usually eat vegan meals
10% Always or usually eat vegetarian meals (not including vegan)
23% Always or usually eat vegetarian meals (including vegan)
23% Sometimes eat vegetarian meals (not including vegan)
21% Sometimes eat vegan meals
33% Always, Sometimes, or Usually eat vegan meals.
67% Always, Sometimes, or Usually eat vegetarian meals (including vegan meals)
33% Presumably never eat vegetarian or vegan meals
PEOPLE WHO NEVER EAT MEAT, FISH, SEAFOOD, OR POULTRY
(Total percentage of vegetarians, including vegans, of U.S, adult population)
5% Total
5% male
5% female
7% Ages 18-34 – significantly higher than those ages 65 plus (2%)
5% Ages 35-44
6% Ages 45-54 – significantly higher than those ages 65 plus (2%)
4% Ages 55-64
2% Ages 65 plus – significantly lower than those ages 18-34 (7%) and ages 45-54 (6%)
6% Northeast*
5% Midwest
5% South
3% West
5% Hispanic – no significant difference compared to White or Black
8% Black (non-Hispanic) – significantly higher than White non-Hispanic (4%)
4% White (non-Hispanic) – significantly lower than Black non-Hispanic (8%)
6% Less than $50,000 annual household income
4% $50,000 – $74,999 annual household income
4% $75,000 – $99,999 annual household income
5% $100,000 or more annual household income.
4% Homeowner – significantly lower than renters (7%)
7% Renter – significantly higher than homeowners (4%)
4% Married
6% Not Married
6% Urban
5% Suburban
3% Rural
The demographics for those more likely to be vegetarian include adults ages 18-34 (7%) and 45-54 (6%) compared to older adults ages 65 plus (2%), as well as renters (7%) vs. homeowners (4%). Black (non-Hispanic) adults are twice as likely as White (non-Hispanic) adults to be vegetarian (8% vs. 4%).
PEOPLE WHO NEVER EAT MEAT, FISH, SEAFOOD, POULTRY, DAIRY, OR EGGS
(Total Number of vegans as percentage of U.S, adult population)
3% Total
3% male
3% female
4% Ages 18-34
2% Ages 35-44
4% Ages 45-54
1% Ages 55-64
1% Ages 65 plus
4% Northeast*
3% Midwest
2% South
2% West
1% Hispanic – significantly lower than Black (non-Hispanic) (6%)
6% Black (non-Hispanic) – significantly higher than both Hispanic (1%) and White (non-Hispanic (2%)
2% White (non-Hispanic) – significantly lower than Black (non-Hispanic) (6%)
3% Less than $50,000 annual household income
2% $50,000 – $74,999 annual household income
1% $75,000 – $99,999 annual household income
3% $100,000 or more annual household income.
2% Homeowner – significantly lower than renters (4%)
4% Renter – significantly higher than homeowners (2%)
2% Married
3% Not Married
3% Urban
2% Suburban
2% Rural
The demographics of those more likely to be vegan include Black (non-Hispanic) adults who are significantly more likely than both Hispanic (1%) or White (non-Hispanic) adults (2%) and renters who are twice as likely as homeowners (4% vs. 2%).
PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS, SOMETIMES, OR USUALLY DO NOT EAT MEAT, FISH, SEAFOOD, POULTRY, DAIRY, OR EGGS
(Total Number of vegans plus people usually and sometimes eating vegan meals, as percentage of U.S, adult population).
This would appear to be the main market for companies marketing vegan items, though there can be crossover from other groups. For example, individuals or families choosing plant milks because of lactose intolerance, may be eating other animal products. Anecdotally, you may observe this at the supermarket checkout line.
33% Total
32% male
33% female
38% Ages 18-34 – significantly higher than those ages 55-64 (28%) and 65 plus (29%).
34% Ages 35-44
34% Ages 45-54
28% Ages 55-64 – significantly lower than those ages 18-34 (38%)
29% Ages 65 plus – significantly lower than those ages 18-34 (38%)
38% Northeast*
31% Midwest
33% South
31% West
29% Hispanic
37% Black (non-Hispanic)
33% White (non-Hispanic)
31% Less than $50,000 annual household income
31% $50,000 – $74,999 annual household income
31% $75,000 – $99,999 annual household income
34% $100,000 or more annual household income.
32% Homeowner
37% Renter
35% Married
32% Not Married
35% Urban – significantly higher than rural (28%)
34% Suburban
28% Rural – significantly lower than urban (35%)
The demographics more likely to be eating vegan meals are 18- to 34-year-olds compared to those ages 55 plus (38% vs. 28% ages 55-64 and 29% ages 65 plus), and those living in urban areas compared to those who live in rural areas (35% vs. 28%). Though there isn’t as much difference between all groups as people might expect. So they all seem to be potential markets, depending on your product, and marketing strategy. Price of the product may have different influences for various categories. For example, an expensive meat analog or restaurant meal may be affordable for one group, but not another. A large package of food may be suitable for one family unit, but not a smaller family or single person. Thus, some individuals consuming vegan meals may be looking for meat analogs, while others may be seeking inexpensive and less processed beans.
* The Northeast Includes CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT. The Midwest includes IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, and WI. The South includes AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. The West includes AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WY, and WA.
With U.S. adults 18 and over numbering about 267 million**, we can estimate the number of vegetarians in the U.S. adult population, (5%) based on this poll, to be approximately thirteen million adults. Vegans included in the vegetarian figure (3% would be around eight million adults.
**https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/6538-adult-population-by-age-group#detailed/1/any/false/1096,2545,1095,2048,574,1729,37,871,870,573/2803/13515,13516
SURVEY METHOD: This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of The Vegetarian Resource Group from January 6-8, 2026, among 2,096 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to plus or minus 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For more information, contact The Vegetarian Resource Group at [email protected] or (410) 366-8343.
To see other vegan and vegetarian polls, go to www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll
For more information on veganism, vegan recipes, ingredients, vegan college scholarships, and vegetarian restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, see www.vrg.org
