About the Census
stirring up the stewth
Our Mission
To understand and celebrate Boulder's soup culture through community-driven data collection, revealing what our neighbors truly love in a bowl.
Project Overview
The Boulder Soup Census 2025 is a community research project designed to understand soup consumption habits, preferences, and demographics across Boulder, Colorado. Through street intercept surveys conducted at various locations throughout the city, we're gathering data to answer the central question behind our mission.
Methodology
Survey Design
Our survey collects the following information from willing participants:
- Soup Attitude: How respondents feel about soup on a 1-5 scale (1=hate, 5=love)
- Consumption Frequency: When they last ate soup
- Favorite Varieties: Up to three favorite soup types
- Purchasing Habits: Whether they buy, make, or both
- Format Preferences: Canned, carton, frozen, deli, cup, restaurant, or homemade
- Demographics: Household size and age band (optional)
Data Collection
We conduct street intercept surveys at high-traffic locations around Boulder, including:
- Grocery stores and farmers markets
- Pearl Street Mall
- University Hill
- Neighborhood commercial districts
- Community events
Survey Timeline
Field Work: November 2025 - January 2026
Data Processing: February 2026
Results Publication: Rolling updates as data is processed
Data Analysis & Privacy
Anonymization
All survey responses are fully anonymous. No personally identifiable information is collected or published.
Aggregation & Reporting
Results are aggregated across all responses to show overall trends, top soup varieties, consumption patterns, and demographic correlations. Individual responses are never published—only aggregate statistics and visualizations.
Why Soup?
Soup is a universal comfort food that crosses cultural, economic, and age boundaries. By studying soup preferences, we gain insights into:
- Cultural diversity and food traditions in Boulder
- Seasonal consumption patterns
- Homemade vs. commercial food preferences
- Community food culture and shared tastes
Plus, it's fun! Food surveys engage people in a way that feels playful and conversational, making data collection a delightful community interaction rather than a chore.
The Team
The Boulder Soup Census is an independent community research project. We're soup enthusiasts, data lovers, and Boulder residents curious about our neighbors' tastes.
Get Involved
Interested in participating or helping with data collection? We're always looking for survey volunteers! Contact us at bouldersoupcensus@gmail.com.
Survey Materials
All survey materials, including forms, respondent cards, and data templates, are generated using custom Python tools. The complete toolkit is available for other communities interested in running similar projects.