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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedSeptember 10, 2026Miami-Dade County

Ipsos poll finds Sept. 11 remains among the most historic events in Americans' lifetimes

Photo: WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

A new Ipsos poll shows that about half of U.S. adults name the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as one of the most important historic events in their lifetimes. Despite the enduring legacy of the event, only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults plans to mark the 25th anniversary with specific commemorative activities.

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Why It Matters

The polling data details public perception, personal impact, and confidence in government counter-terrorism capabilities a quarter-century after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Key Facts

  • About half of U.S. adults name the 9/11 attacks in an open-ended Ipsos poll question about the most important historic occurrences in their lifetimes.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic was mentioned by 31% of U.S. adults as a defining lifetime event.
  • About two-thirds of Americans say 9/11 impacted the country 'a great deal.'
  • Roughly 3 in 10 U.S. adults state the attacks permanently changed the way they live their lives, according to Gallup polling.
  • Only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults plans to do something to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
  • Among adults under 35, about half name the pandemic as a top impactful event, while about one-third mention 9/11.
  • About 6 in 10 adults born after the 9/11 attacks first learned about them in a class or through schoolwork, per Pew Research Center data.
  • Roughly 55% of U.S. adults have 'a great deal' or 'a fair amount' of confidence in the U.S. government to protect citizens from future terrorism, down from 88% immediately after the attacks.
  • About one-third of U.S. adults are 'very' or 'somewhat' worried that they or a family member will become a terrorism victim.
  • The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,013 adults between August 21 and August 23 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Who's Mentioned

locationBloomingdale“New Jersey town where David Bronkhurst resides.”OrganizationGallup“Polling organization tracking public confidence.”PersonJohn F. Kennedy“Former U.S. President whose assassination was cited by older adults.”PersonPeltz“Reporter based in New York.”locationOnamia“Minnesota town where Clara Kiel resides.”PersonClara Kiel“88-year-old retired secretary in Onamia, Minnesota.”PersonKainoa Ilac“18-year-old from California heading to college in Los Angeles.”PersonKevin Noel“51-year-old resident who witnessed events near the World Trade Center.”locationLos Angeles“City where Kainoa Ilac is heading for college.”OrganizationPew Research Center“Polling organization that conducted a survey regarding younger adults.”OrganizationIpsos“Polling organization that conducted the survey.”PersonDonald Trump“U.S. President whose election was cited as a historic event.”PersonBarack Obama“Former U.S. President whose election was cited as a historic event.”locationMeridian“Mississippi city where Lakesha Crowell attended school.”PersonDavid Bronkhurst“49-year-old resident of Bloomingdale, New Jersey.”locationWorld Trade Center“Site of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York.”PersonLakesha Crowell“Resident who remembers 9/11 from a Meridian, Mississippi, classroom.”