How many people would like to live this way?

I once commissioned the Gallup organization to survey the American people on this very question.  The exact wording was:

As a new way to live in America, the idea has been suggested of building factories in rural areas -- away from cities -- and running them on part-time jobs. Under this arrangement the man and the woman would each work 3 days a week and 6 hours a day.  People would have enough spare time to build their own houses, to cultivate a garden and for hobbies and other outside interests.  How interested would you be in this way of life?

Over half of the adult population expressed interest in the idea, including 40 percent who said they were either "definitely" or "probably" interested.  Surprisingly, almost two-thirds of the college educated expressed interest, as did 58% of those with family incomes in the top quarter of the population.



These latter two findings are important -- particularly from an employer's point of view -- because they indicate it is not primarily the poor and uneducated who are attracted to the idea.  A complete analysis of the results is contained in a special report Gallup issued, The Public's Attitudes Towards a New Way of Life in America, from which the tables below are taken:

	For the nation as a whole:
		Per Cent
	Definitely interested	16%
	Probably interested	24%
	Possibly interested	19%
	Definitely not interested	35%
	Don't know	6%
	Total	100%
	Number of interviews	1524

	By educational attainment:
		College	High School	Grade School
	Definitely	15%	16%	18%
	Probably	27%	23%	21%
	Possibly	22%	20%	10%
	Definitely not	32%	36%	40%
	Don't know	4%	5%	11%
	Total	100%	100%	100%
	Number of interviews	511	783	227

	By family income (2007 dollars):
		$72,000 or more	45,000-72,000	35,000-45,000	Under 35,000
	Definitely	9%	13%	18%	22%
	Probably	22%	25%	26%	22%
	Possibly	27%	19%	21%	15%
	Definitely not	40%	38%	32%	32%
	Don't know	2%	5%	3%	9%
	Total	100%	100%	100%	100%
	Number of interviews	339	465	138	531

	By gender:
			Men		Women
	Definitely interested		17%		16%
	Probably interested		21%		26%
	Possibly interested		19%		19%
	Definitely not interested		38%		33%
	Don't know		5%		6%
	Total		100%		100%
	Number of interviews		763		761

	By age:
		18-24	25-34	35-49	50+
	Definitely interested	18%	19%	15%	14%
	Probably interested	29%	25%	23%	21%
	Possibly interested	19%	19%	24%	16%
	Definitely not interested	32%	32%	34%	40%
	Don't know	2%	5%	4%	9%
	Total	100%	100%	100%	100%
	Number of interviews	224	336	345	609
	By those over 50 years of age:
		50-59	60-69	70+
	Definitely interested	16%	12%	13%
	Probably interested	22%	22%	20%
	Possibly interested	18%	18%	11%
	Definitely not interested	38%	38%	44%
	Don't know	6%	10%	12%
	Total	100%	100%	100%
	Number of interviews	252	208	149