As summer heats up, grilling emerges as a popular pastime for many Americans, but not everyone is firing up the barbecue. A recent survey conducted by CivicScience from May 1 to July 3, 2025, reveals intriguing distinctions between those who have grilled in the past 30 days and those who have not.
Out of 6,926 respondents, 35% reported grilling, while 65% did not. This data highlights a significant divide in summertime culinary activities. Grilling appears to be more popular among men, with 56% of grillers being male, compared to 44% female.
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Income levels also play a role in grilling habits. Among those who grilled, the largest group, 19%, earned between $0 and $29,999. Interestingly, this income bracket also represented the highest percentage, 29%, among non-grillers. This suggests that lower-income individuals may have diverse reasons for choosing or avoiding grilling, possibly influenced by access to resources or lifestyle preferences.
Education levels further differentiate grillers from non-grillers. Among grillers, 25% held a high school diploma or GED, while 19% had a bachelor’s degree. In contrast, non-grillers were more likely to have only a high school education, at 31%, with 17% holding a bachelor’s degree. This disparity may reflect varying interests or opportunities related to culinary activities.
Parental status also influences grilling habits. Nearly half of the grillers, 49%, were parents, compared to 37.0% of non-grillers. This suggests that family dynamics might encourage grilling as a communal activity. Additionally, 23% of grillers were grandparents, slightly less than the 24% among non-grillers, indicating that grilling is not solely a pastime for younger generations.
Age distribution among grillers is relatively even across several age groups, with those aged 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65 or older each comprising 18% to 19% of grillers. This even spread suggests that grilling appeals to a broad age range. In contrast, non-grillers skew older, with 21% aged 65 or older, indicating that older individuals may prefer other culinary activities or have different lifestyle preferences.
These findings provide a snapshot of grilling habits in the United States during the summer of 2025. The data reveals that grilling is not just a culinary activity but a reflection of broader demographic trends, including gender, income, education, and family dynamics. As summer continues, these insights offer a deeper understanding of how Americans choose to enjoy their time outdoors.
This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights. Our AI content creation tool, DataScribe, supported the article.