How many Americans are vegetarian or vegan, has that share changed since Gallup first asked in 1999, who is most likely to say so, and what does that mean for a Thanksgiving table? Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll answers the first three, and a little arithmetic covers the fourth.
The short answer
In Gallup’s July 1 to 19, 2026 poll of 1,200 US adults, 5% said they consider themselves vegetarian and 2% said they consider themselves vegan, about 1 in 20 and 1 in 50 (our arithmetic). The poll’s margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Gallup asks two separate questions. The first is “In terms of your eating preferences, do you consider yourself to be a vegetarian, or not?” and the second asks the same about being vegan.
Steady since 1999
| Gallup poll | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| September 1999 | 6% | not asked |
| July 2001 | 6% | not asked |
| July 2012 | 5% | 2% |
| July 2018 | 5% | 3% |
| July 2023 | 4% | 1% |
| July 2026 | 5% | 2% |
The first reading was taken September 23 to 26, 1999; every later one was taken in July. Gallup says the vegetarian share “has remained within a narrow 4% to 6% range since Gallup first asked the question in 1999,” and that vegan identification, first measured in 2012, “has stayed between 1% and 3% in every reading since.” The move from 4% in 2023 to 5% in 2026 is a 1 point change, inside the 2026 poll’s margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 points (our arithmetic).
Who says they are vegetarian
In the 2026 poll’s tables, 8% of adults ages 18 to 34 said they were vegetarian, compared with 3% of those 55 and older.
What the numbers measure
These are self-descriptions in a telephone poll. People said whether they consider themselves vegetarian or vegan; Gallup did not ask what they actually ate.
A meatless Thanksgiving
At a 5% share, a Thanksgiving gathering of 20 adults would include about one vegetarian, on average (our arithmetic). That guest can fill a plate from the sides alone, or from a vegetable main such as a roasted squash, while the turkey goes to everyone else. The kitchen gets busy either way: Thanksgiving is the top day for home cooking fires.
The short version
In Gallup’s July 2026 poll, 5% of US adults said they were vegetarian and 2% said they were vegan, shares that have stayed in a narrow range since Gallup began asking.
Last checked: 2026-10-22, against Gallup’s August 24, 2026 Consumption Habits release and its July 1 to 19, 2026 topline. This article was machine-checked against the sources above and has not been expert-reviewed. Spotted an error or a newer public figure? Please tell us on our contact page with the article link and we will review it.
Sources
- S1 Megan Brenan, “U.S. Marijuana Smoking at Record High, Cigarettes at Low”, Gallup, August 24, 2026 (Consumption Habits, July 1 to 19, 2026). https://news.gallup.com/poll/713645/marijuana-smoking-record-high-cigarettes-low.aspx . Saved copy accessed Oct 22, 2026.
- S2 Gallup Poll Social Series: Consumption Habits, final topline and tables, July 1 to 19, 2026 (Princeton Job 26-07-007), questions 66 and 67. https://news.gallup.com/file/poll/713663/2026_08_Lifestyle%20Topline%20and%20Tabs.pdf . Saved copy accessed Oct 22, 2026.