Survey of 2,000 U.S. adults (35–64): 38.6% bought gold or silver in the last 12 months; millennials lead; 91.7% of buyers say they’re equally/more likely to buy again.

Home » Blog » Survey of 2,000 U.S. adults (35–64): 38.6% bought gold or silver in the last 12 months; millennials lead; 91.7% of buyers say they’re equally/more likely to buy again.

Disclosure: We are reader-supported. If you purchase from a link on our site, we may earn a commission.  Learn more

Last Updated on: 5th January 2026, 09:23 pm

2026 Survey Results • Gold IRA Guide

We surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults ages 35–64 to understand what is driving (and holding back) real-world precious metals investing heading into 2026.

Note: Findings reflect U.S. adults ages 35–64 (not all Americans). Percentages are self-reported and collected online; some questions allowed multiple selections.

Disclosure: This page summarizes original survey results for informational purposes only. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Investing involves risk, and outcomes vary. If you want help interpreting options for your situation, consider speaking with a qualified professional.

38.6%Bought gold or silver as an investment in the past 12 months (base: n=2000)
50.6%Men reported buying (vs 27.0% of women)
47.5%Millennials (35–44) had the highest buying rate
34.8%Of buyers, this many bought via an IRA route (including Gold/Silver IRAs)
61.9%Of buyers, this many bought physical coins/bars
91.7%Of buyers, this many are equally or more likely to buy again in the next 12 months

Executive summary

This survey suggests precious metals participation is higher than many people assume. Buying skews strongly toward millennials (35–44) and men, and most buyers report momentum (they expect to buy again). For non-buyers, the biggest unlocks are practical: pricing, trusted recommendations, and clearer education on how gold and silver investing works.

  • 38.6% of U.S. adults ages 35–64 said they bought gold or silver as an investment in the last 12 months (n=2000).
  • Millennials (35–44) were the most active buyers (47.5%) vs ages 45–54 at 37.3% and ages 55–64 at 28.9%.
  • Men reported far higher participation (50.6%) than women (27.0%).
  • Among recent buyers, the most common path was physical coins/bars (61.9%), followed by an IRA route (including Gold/Silver IRAs) (34.8%). If you’re new to the IRA side, see our explainer on a IRA rollover page.
  • Among recent buyers, 91.7% said they are equally likely or more likely to buy again in the next 12 months (48.2% more likely, 43.5% equally likely).
  • Among non-buyers, the top friction point was I don’t have enough money/spare cash right now (53.6%).
  • The top trigger that could pull non-buyers in was a gold/silver price drop (39.3%). Other common unlocks were a trusted recommendation or better education (36.8%) and lower fees/premiums with clearer pricing on metals (26.3%). For context on recent moves and long-term history, see gold price data.
  • Non-buyers said they would most trust independent financial advisors (40.8%) and financial news outlets (34.0%).

Survey Methodology

  • Fielded: January 2, 2026 (online)
  • Sample: n=2000 U.S. adults ages 35–64
  • Geography: Respondents across all U.S. states plus D.C.
  • Margin of error: approximately ±2.2% at the 95% confidence level (full sample; subgroup MOE is larger)
  • Notes: Some questions allowed multiple responses; those charts are labeled accordingly.
  • Source: Gold IRA Guide commissionned a Pollfish™ online study
  • Weighting: Pollfish provided post-stratification weights (range: 0.82–1.16; mean ≈ 1.00). Results on this page are shown unweighted unless noted. Applying weights yields a very similar topline for Q1 (38.1% weighted vs 38.6% unweighted).

For journalists: If you’d like the full downloadable and filterable report (including crosstabs and question wording), email info@goldiraguide.org.

Full survey questionnaire (question wording and response options)

Below is the questionnaire as presented to respondents (U.S. adults ages 35–64). Some questions allowed multiple selections and are labeled accordingly.

Q1. In the last 12 months, did you buy any gold or silver as an investment?

  • Yes
  • No
Q2. (If Yes to Q1) In the last 12 months, how did you buy gold or silver? (Select all that apply)

  • Physical coins or bars
  • Through an IRA route (including Gold/Silver IRAs)
  • Through an ETF/fund
  • Mining stocks
Q3. (If Yes to Q1) What did you buy in the last 12 months?

  • Gold only
  • Silver only
  • Both gold and silver
Q4. (If Yes to Q1) Roughly how much did you buy in total over the last 12 months (USD)?

  • Under $500
  • $500–$2,000
  • $2,000–$10,000
  • $10,000–$50,000
  • $50,000–$100,000
  • $100,000+
Q5. (If Yes to Q1) Thinking about the next 12 months, how likely are you to buy gold or silver again?

  • More likely
  • Equally likely
  • Less likely
  • Not interested
Q6. (If No to Q1) Why did you not buy gold or silver as an investment in the last 12 months? (Select all that apply)

  • I don’t have enough money / spare cash right now
  • I didn’t know where to buy it or who to trust
  • I prefer other investments (stocks, bonds, ETFs, real estate, etc.)
  • Gold/silver prices felt too high
  • I’m not interested in gold and silver
  • I prefer crypto (Bitcoin, etc.)
Q7. (If No to Q1) What would make you more likely to invest in gold or silver in the future? (Select all that apply)

  • Gold/silver price goes down
  • I had a trusted recommendation or better education
  • Lower fees/premiums and clearer pricing on metals
  • US dollar weakens
  • Inflation rises again
  • Stock market drops
  • Banking or debt crisis
  • Major war or geopolitical crisis
Q8. (If No to Q1) What sources of information would you trust most when researching gold/silver investing? (Select all that apply)

  • Independent financial advisors
  • Financial news outlets (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg)
  • Investment research reports
  • Precious metals dealers/brokers
  • Academic studies/experts
  • Government financial regulators
Demographics collected

  • Age (35–44, 45–54, 55–64)
  • Gender
  • Household income range
  • U.S. state (including D.C.)

For journalists: Email info@goldiraguide.org for the full downloadable and filterable report.

Survey's Topline Results

Before diving into the details of the survey, it’s worth anchoring on the headline result. In our survey, 38.6% of U.S. adults ages 35–64 said they bought gold or silver as an investment in the past 12 months. While that may sound high at first glance, it sits comfortably within the range reported by other large investor surveys over the past few years, and likely reflects the fact that 2025 was a breakout year for precious metals…

For context, a 2024 Bank of America survey found that roughly 45% of respondents said they own or invest in gold in some form, while a 2024 WGC study revealed that a staggering 85% of professional investors owned some form of gold in their portfolios. Importantly, those studies were limited to a smaller sample size, didn't include silver and were not limited to recent purchases, whereas our survey specifically captures buying activity during a single 12-month period, and asked our respondents about both gold and silver.

It’s also worth noting that how people interpret “investing in gold” varies. Some respondents include physical coins and bars, others include IRA-based exposure, and some may reasonably count higher-value gold jewelry as part of their investment behavior. Combined with gold’s strong performance, heightened inflation awareness, and growing interest from younger investors, these factors help explain why participation appears elevated in 2025 — particularly among millennials, who emerged as the most active buying cohort in our data.

Topline: Precious metals participation is not niche anymore
In the last 12 months, did you buy any gold or silver as an investment? (Base: n=2000)

Bought gold or silver (last 12 months)
38.6% (n=771)

Did not buy (last 12 months)
61.5% (n=1229)

Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

Highlights that jumped out

Who is buying: Millennials lead
Share who bought gold or silver in the last 12 months (within each age cohort). (Base: n=2000)

Millennials (35–44)
47.5% (buyers n=357)

Gen X (45–54)
37.3% (buyers n=235)

Boomers/Gen Jones (55–64)
28.9% (buyers n=179)

Note: Percent is within each age cohort; “buyers n” indicates the number of buyers in that cohort.
Gender gap: Men are nearly 2x as likely to have bought gold or silver
Share who bought gold or silver in the last 12 months (within each gender). (Base: n=2000)

Male
50.6% (buyers n=496)

Female
27.0% (buyers n=275)

Note: Percent is within gender; “buyers n” indicates number of buyers in that gender.

How buyers are investing

Among people who bought in the last 12 months, physical bullion dominates, and IRA-based buying is a major channel as well. The practical takeaway is that “gold investing” is not one behavior: physical ownership, IRA-based exposure, ETFs/funds, and mining stocks each come with different tradeoffs.

Quick note: four different “gold exposures”, four different risk profiles

  • Physical bullion is about direct ownership. Your main variables are premiums, liquidity, and storage/security. For risk education on physical precious metals, see FINRA’s investor guidance on physical precious metals.
  • Gold or Silver IRAs add tax structure, but you also introduce custodians, depositories, and ongoing fees. If you want a neutral overview of how custodians fit into the process, see our IRA custodians page. For general IRA rules, the IRS covers basics in Publication 590-A: IRS Pub. 590-A (draft).
  • ETFs/funds are convenient for brokerage accounts, but they can introduce structural and counterparty considerations.
  • Mining stocks can be leveraged to the metal price, but they add business and operational risk.
How buyers got exposure
Among people who bought in the last 12 months: how did you buy it? (Base: n=771)

Physical coins or bars
61.9% (n=477)

Through an IRA route (including Gold/Silver IRAs)
34.8% (n=268)

Through an ETF/fund
32.4% (n=250)

Mining stocks
16.7% (n=129)

Note: Multiple responses allowed. Percentages may add to more than 100%.
Momentum: buyers plan to keep buying
Among people who bought in the last 12 months: what about the next 12 months? (Base: n=771)

More likely
48.2% (n=372)

Equally likely
43.5% (n=335)

Less likely
6.5% (n=50)

Not interested
1.8% (n=14)

Key headline stat: 91.7% of buyers are equally or more likely to buy again (48.2% more likely + 43.5% equally likely).

Why non-buyers stayed on the sidelines

The “why not” answers matter as much as the “why.” If you run a business, think of this like conversion friction: people don’t avoid precious metals for one single reason. It’s usually a mix of budget, confidence, and competing priorities.

Why non-buyers stayed on the sidelines
Among people who did not buy in the last 12 months: which reasons apply? (Base: n=1229)

I don’t have enough money / spare cash right now
53.6% (n=659)

I didn’t know where to buy it or who to trust
22.7% (n=279)

I prefer other investments (stocks, bonds, ETFs, real estate, etc.)
20.4% (n=251)

I’m not interested in gold and silver
15.5% (n=190)

Gold/silver prices felt too high
14.6% (n=180)

I prefer crypto (Bitcoin, etc.)
3.5% (n=43)

Note: Multiple responses allowed. Percentages may add to more than 100%.

What would make them invest in the future

This is the most actionable section in the study. When we asked non-buyers what could change their mind, the top responses were practical: lower prices, trusted recommendations, and clearer education.

What would change their mind
Among non-buyers: what would make you more likely to invest in gold or silver? (Base: n=1229)

Gold/silver price goes down
39.3% (n=483)

I had a trusted recommendation or better education
36.8% (n=452)

Lower fees/premiums and clearer pricing on metals
26.3% (n=323)

US dollar weakens
19.4% (n=239)

Inflation rises again
17.8% (n=219)

Stock market drops
15.4% (n=189)

Banking or debt crisis
14.3% (n=176)

Major war or geopolitical crisis
7.1% (n=87)

Note: Multiple responses allowed. Percentages may add to more than 100%.

Who non-buyers trust

If you want to educate new investors, you need to meet them where their trust already lives. In this survey, independent financial advisors and established financial media lead the trust map. If you’re learning, it also helps to know what to watch out for: the FTC has warned consumers about “buy gold bars” scam pitches, and Investor.gov has general investor alerts on online and social-media fraud.

Helpful resources:
FTC consumer alert |
Investor.gov fraud alert

Who they trust most
Among non-buyers: what sources of information would you trust most? (Base: n=1229)

Independent financial advisors
40.8% (n=501)

Financial news outlets (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg)
34.0% (n=418)

Investment research reports
31.8% (n=391)

Precious metals dealers/brokers
31.0% (n=381)

Academic studies/experts
18.9% (n=232)

Government financial regulators
9.3% (n=114)

Note: Multiple responses allowed. Percentages may add to more than 100%.

So what does this mean for gold investors

These survey results highlight two realities at once: (1) participation is broader than many people assume, as millenials now represent the most active group of buyers and (2) future demand for gold and silvber may be driven mostly by practical factors like price sensitivity and provider trust, not by inflation or geopolitical instability as many would assume. If you’re researching your options, it can help to first understand how this asset class works, what costs exist (including premiums on physical bullion and IRA-related fees), and what risks apply. Speaking to your financial advisor is always a good first step. For readers who want to explore gold providers at a high level, you can browse our updated directory of gold companies. If you’re unsure where you fit, you can also start with our neutral self-assessment: Should you buy gold? (quiz). As always, do your due diligence and speak to your financial advisor before making any investment decision.

Key findings (quick summary)


  • 38.6% bought gold or silver
    38.6% of U.S. adults ages 35–64 reported buying gold or silver as an investment in the past 12 months
    (n=2,000).


  • 91.7% expect to buy again
    Among buyers, 91.7% said they’re equally likely or more likely to buy again in the next 12 months
    (n=771).


  • Millennials lead participation
    Millennials (35–44) reported the highest buying rate (47.5%) compared with ages 45–54 (37.3%) and 55–64 (28.9%).


  • Physical first, IRA is meaningful
    Among buyers, 61.9% bought physical coins/bars, and 34.8% bought via an IRA route
    (multiple responses allowed).


  • Non-buyer friction + triggers
    Among non-buyers, the most selected barrier was lack of spare cash (53.6%). Top-cited triggers were a price drop (39.3%),
    a trusted recommendation or better education (36.8%), and lower fees/premiums with clearer pricing on metals (26.3%).

Note: Some questions allowed multiple selections; percentages for those items may sum to more than 100%.

About Gold IRA Guide

Gold IRA Guide is a research-first publication focused on precious metals investing and retirement planning. We publish educational guides, data-driven analysis, and practical tools to help readers make better decisions under uncertainty.

Mark T.
Mark T.

Mark has worked in the investment industry in Chicago and New York for over 15 years. After graduating from Chicago State University with a degree in Finance, he has occupied various management positions at reputable banks and financial institutions, including: Chase, Bank of America, Wachovia, Sterling Trust and Fidelity. His experience has led him to develop a keen understanding of the current economic landscape. For the past 10 years, Mark has been working as an independent investment advisor and has helped many Americans learn how to protect and grow their savings by properly diversifying their portfolios.

Articles: 22

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FTC Disclosure: We are an independent blog that aims at providing useful information for retirement account owners interested in alternative assets like precious metals. However, our content does NOT constitute financial advice. Please speak to your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Also, the data quoted on this website represents past performance and does not guarantee future results.

 

About us   IRA-Approved Metals   Retirement Plans   Gold IRA Companies    Reviews   Jobs   Blog   Disclosure   Gold Price Widget   Contact   Inflation Calculator    Sitemap    Disclaimer    Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 Gold IRA Guide
×