12 Types of Demographic Questions To Ask Your Customers

Developing marketing strategies that are mindful of the nuances of your target audience can improve your brand relations. One effective way to do this is by asking demographic questions in surveys, which help you understand who your customers are and how they prefer to buy.

Demographic surveys ask personal questions that identify different attributes of the survey respondents. Demographic survey data helps you better understand your customer base and tailor marketing to the segments within it.

Here’s why asking demographic questions sets your business up for success—and how to do it in ways that yield accurate, actionable data.

Developing marketing strategies that are mindful of the nuances of your target audience can improve your brand relations. One effective way to do this is by asking demographic questions in surveys, which help you understand who your customers are and how they prefer to buy.

Demographic surveys ask personal questions that identify different attributes of the survey respondents. Demographic survey data helps you better understand your customer base and tailor marketing to the segments within it.

Here’s why asking demographic questions sets your business up for success—and how to do it in ways that yield accurate, actionable data.

Why use demographic data in your business?

Demographic information refers to statistical data about the attributes of a surveyed population. It’s a valuable part of market research because it allows you to segment consumers into groups based on shared traits. It can also help you decide how best to reach those groups, determine which audience is best to target, and prevent biases when conducting research, including underrepresentation.

Types of demographic questions to ask your customers

• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Marital status
• Education
• Employment
• Household income
• Living situation
• Language
• Family and dependents
• Media consumption
• Buying preferences

The more you know about who you want to sell to, the better off your business will be. Here are some examples of demographic survey questions you can utilize as you collect information about your target audience:

Age

Knowing the age groups of your customers shows whether you need to do a better job targeting Gen Z customers or baby boomers. Different ages may require different marketing methods and messages.

Use age ranges rather than exact ages. For this and any other sensitive questions, include a “Prefer not to answer” option. Offering choice improves completion rates without compromising data quality. For example, you can ask:

Which of the following age ranges do you currently fall into?

• 18–24
• 25’34
• 35’44
• 45’54
• 55’64
• 65+
• Prefer not to answer

Gender

Gender demographics help you develop marketing that’s inclusive to all gender identities your brand may appeal to. Questions regarding gender identity should be multiple choice with options not to answer and to clarify their situation. Include an open-ended option for this question—as well as for any others that may require a brief explanation. For example, ask:

Which of the following genders do you identify with?

• Female
• Male
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say
• Other (please specify)

Ethnicity

Collecting demographic data regarding ethnicity enables you to gain deeper insights into the backgrounds and cultural identities of your customers, allowing you to make your marketing more inclusive. You can use the US Census Bureau’s ethnic categories as a baseline. Make sure to include options for participants to choose more than one option in a checkbox format, fill in their own answer, or not answer at all.

You might ask:

Which of the following groups best represents your ethnicity? Select all that apply:

• Black or African American
• Native American
• Hispanic
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• Middle Eastern or North African
• Asian
• White/European
• Prefer not to answer
• Other (please specify)

Marital status

Knowing your customers’ marital status may provide a deeper understanding of their stage of life and social situation, which can help you be more sensitive to their needs in your marketing messaging. It can also help you better segment your audience, personalize campaigns, and meet customers where they are in their life journey.

Singles may be more responsive to products or services that highlight independence, flexibility, or social experiences. Newly married couples might prioritize big-ticket purchases like housing, travel, or financial planning. Divorced or widowed customers may have unique needs that marketers can address with sensitivity, whether it’s financial services, wellness products, or opportunities for social connection. For example, ask:

Which category best describes your marital status?

• Married
• Single
• Domestic partnership
• Divorced
• Separated
• Widowed
• Never married
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to answer

Education

Education data gives you insight into elements of buyer personas such as purchasing power, professional goals, and the types of content or messaging that will resonate. Knowing your audience’s education levels can also reveal how to frame certain benefits your company may offer, such as affordability or professional advancement. This type of segmentation allows you to better target campaigns and align your marketing strategies with the values, aspirations, and communication styles of different groups. You might ask:

Which best describes your highest level of education?

• High school diploma or GED
• Some college, but no degree
• Technical certification
• Associate’s degree
• Bachelor’s degree
• Graduate school (e.g., master’s, Ph.D., M.D., etc.)
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to answer

Employment

Demographics on the employment status of your customers give you some idea of what their spending potential may be. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of this question, this is another situation where giving respondents the option not to answer is recommended.

Employment insights also help marketers tailor messaging based on lifestyle and priorities. For instance, full-time employees may be more receptive to convenience and time-saving products, while students or part-time workers might be drawn to affordability and flexibility. Knowing where your customers fall on the employment spectrum can sharpen audience segmentation and guide product positioning. You can ask:

Which of the following best describes your current employment status?

• Employed (part-time)
• Employed (full-time)
• Self-employed
• Not employed
• Retired
• Not working due to disability
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to answer

Household income

Similar to employment status, household income data can inform you of how much money consumers are able to spend based on how much they are earning. Multiple choice formatting with different ranges of income makes this question feel less invasive. For example, you might ask:

Which range does your annual household income fall within?

• $0–$29,999
• $30,000–$49,999
• $50,000–$74,999
• $75,000–$99,999
• $100,000–$149,000
• $150,000 or more
• Prefer not to answer

Living situation

Survey data regarding your customers’ current living situation gives you insight into their lifestyle, potential spending capability, and financial priorities, allowing you to make informed decisions on which products and services to market to them.

Living arrangements also reveal useful context for targeting and messaging. For instance, homeowners may be more interested in long-term investments like home improvement services, insurance, or durable goods than renters. People living with roommates or family could respond better to products marketed around sharing or affordability, whereas individuals living alone may prioritize personalization or ease of use. You might ask:

What best describes your current living situation?

• Homeowner
• Renter
• Living with parents/family
• Temporary housing
• Student housing
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to answer

Language

Understanding the primary language spoken in consumer households allows you to communicate with buyers in their preferred way. It also lets you know if you need to update your marketing materials in other languages. Make sure to allow users to select multiple responses, since there are plenty of multilingual households out there.

Language also shapes cultural context and buying behavior, which makes it a critical factor in marketing. Messaging in someone’s native language doesn’t just improve clarity: It builds trust, strengthens brand image, and reduces the risk of miscommunication that could damage your company’s reputation. It also allows you to adapt campaigns to cultural nuances, idioms, and preferences that resonate with specific communities. For example, ask:

What is the primary language spoken in your household?

• English
• Spanish
• Japanese
• Chinese
• Korean
• Tagalog
• French
• Italian
• Arabic
• Other (please specify)

Family and dependents

Knowing how many children live in your customers’ households gives you a deeper understanding of buyer needs and spending capabilities. Families with dependents often have distinct purchasing patterns, such as prioritizing convenience, safety, education, and budget-friendly options. Marketing that acknowledges family size can help you position products as solutions that fit specific household dynamics, from bulk-buy savings to time-saving services. You might ask:

How many dependents are in your household?

• None
• 1
• 2
• 3+
• Prefer not to say

Media consumption

Demographics on media consumption reveal which platforms customers spend the most time on, helping you choose the right channels for your marketing campaigns. Asking where customers get their news, entertainment, or social updates can show you whether to invest more in social ads, podcasts, streaming platforms, or traditional outlets.

Knowing that a key segment prefers TikTok over cable news helps refine your ad spend, strengthen customer retention by meeting audiences where they already are, and shape your brand image to align with the media environments your customers trust. You might ask:

What is your primary source for news?

• Social media
• Internet
• Television
• Radio
• Newspaper (hard copy)
• Newspaper (online)
• Magazines
• Other (please specify)

Buying preferences

Discovering the buying preferences of your customers informs you of where to make your products available to them, which could be online marketplaces, direct-to-consumer websites, brick-and-mortar stores, or subscription models.

Understanding preferences boosts customer retention and shows you’re attentive to how people like to buy things. It also provides insights for future research and strategy from a behavioral perspective, helping you retain customers long-term and refine your brand image. You could ask:

Where do you prefer to make purchases?

• Online via a brand’s website
• Online marketplace, such as Amazon
• Mobile brand app
• Physical store
• Other (please specify)

Best practices for collecting demographic data

• Be intentional
• Incentivize survey participation
• Stay curious
• Remember you’re talking to real people

When done thoughtfully, demographic surveys can provide powerful insights without alienating respondents. These best practices can help you collect useful data while keeping the process respectful, efficient, and engaging:

Be intentional

Demographic surveys take time to complete and resources to analyze their findings. To be efficient, have a clear goal of what data you hope to gather and what you aim to achieve with that information.

When you know exactly what you’re looking for, you avoid overwhelming participants with unnecessary questions and save your team the burden of sifting through irrelevant data. This clarity ensures that every response ties directly back to your objectives, making the results more actionable and easier to translate into business decisions.

Incentivize survey participation

Demographic research asks customers to volunteer their time and valuable information to your survey. Motivate them by offering discounts or complimentary items in exchange for their participation.

Incentives show that you value their time and increase the likelihood of higher response rates. A stronger response pool also gives you more insights, which leads to better-informed strategies. Even small rewards—like a discount code or entry into a giveaway—can meaningfully boost engagement.

Stay curious

While it’s helpful to have pre-categorized responses, you can occasionally allow customers the option to fill in their own survey responses. This can mine more intel than multiple-choice questions, and it can help prevent blind spots in communication.

Open-ended responses can also surface new categories you hadn’t considered, giving you a more authentic picture of your audience. They also let customers express themselves in their own terms, which can uncover language or priorities that help refine your messaging.

Remember you’re talking to real people

Be mindful that you’re often asking sensitive questions when you collect demographic information. Use your best judgment to determine when to allow participants the option to opt out of a particular question.

Respecting boundaries builds trust and improves the overall survey experience. If respondents feel safe, they’re more likely to answer honestly, which results in higher-quality data.