Most say where they live is the "real" America and few would support their state leaving the union, although support for secession is more common among Republicans
Over the past years, increasingly partisan battles have left the impression that America is more divided than ever. Even so, research from YouGov shows that majority of Americans still feel a strong stake in these United States. In a new poll, we asked Americans two questions: whether they consider the area where they live part of the "real" America and whether they would support their state if it decided to leave the United States.
When asked whether they live in "real" America, the overwhelming majority of Americans (72%) say they do. Only 13% do not believe they live in "real" America.
Although a majority of Americans in every demographic group say they belong to the "real" America, this belief is more commonplace among some. Older Americans especially are more likely to say they live in the "real" American with 85% of those above 65 saying they do, while only 64% of those 18-29 say so.
Supporting the place of small town America at the heart of the American experience, those who live in towns are also the more likely than those who live elsewhere to say they live in "real" America. 80% say they do. Those in suburbs are the least likely with 67% saying the area where they live is part of the "real" America.
Just as most Americans say they live in the "real" America, few would be willing to support their state seceding from the United States. Overall, 20% would support their state forming a new country, while 60% would not support it.
While partisan affiliation does not figure in much with Americans' viewing the area where they live as "real" America, it has far more effect on whether they would be willing to support secession. Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to support their state leaving the union. 33% of Republicans would support their state seceding while only 8% of Democrats would.
This finding of more support among Republicans for their states leaving the United States fits in well with an earlier YouGov poll which showed Republicans were more likely to perceive that Republican-voting states were net contributors to the federal budget.
