Mystery Pollster Mark Blumenthal cites a National Center for Health Statistics study concerning the growth in cell-phone only households, a concern for pollsters who can’t reach them, as well as a Pew Study which finds that this group is distinct from the rest of the population:

A new study of the issue finds that cell-only Americans – an estimated 7%-9% of the general public – are significantly different in many ways from those reachable on a landline. They are younger, less affluent, less likely to be married or to own their home, and more liberal on many political questions.

It doesn’t look like the study controlled for age in the base numbers, and aren’t younger people generally less affluent, less likely to be married or own their own home, and more liberal on many political questions? What the study really says is that young people aren’t reachable by pollsters because they are in cell phone only households. Don’t worry, though, young people don’t vote!  When they did control for age, most of the differences look like they’re for things that correlate strongly with affluence and urbanization, which makes intuitive sense.

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