> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.pears.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.pears.io/engage/program-activities/add-demographics-data.md).

# Add Demographics Data to a Program Activity

Learn how to enter participant demographic data for a program activity in PEARS.

The Demographics section records the demographic makeup of the participants in your program activity. The fields available depend on your reporting period and program areas.

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** The red asterisk **\*** next to the heading of a field indicates that the field is required.
{% endhint %}

## Navigate to Demographics

After completing any required custom data sections — and the **Evaluation** section, if your organization uses it — PEARS directs you to the Demographics page. You can also access this section from the program activity detail page by clicking **Demographics** in the progress panel.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Enter Total Participants

In the **Total** field, enter the total number of unique participants in the program activity. This number must be greater than zero.

![Screenshot: The top of a program activity's Demographics page showing the Auto Calculate panel, the Total field, the Method used to determine demographic makeup of participants dropdown and the Source of Data dropdown, with the Progress panel on the right](https://2560412328-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff0820LrBGQ9ZA8SC4BR1%2Fuploads%2F45GLQfjmuZYpFOFpTN9o%2Fprogram-activity-demographics-form-top-v2.png?alt=media)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Select Reach Method

In the **Method used to determine demographic makeup of participants** field, select the option that best describes how the demographic makeup was collected:

* **Actual Count** — You have self-reported demographic data for the entire population of this activity, such as survey responses or demographics for the whole class as provided by the school.
* **Estimated Count** — You have some reasonable basis or partial data on which to base an estimate, such as site-wide demographic percentages applied to a subset of the population.
* **Unknown** — You have no data and no basis for making an estimate.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** For SNAP-Ed program activities, the **Unknown** option is not available. You must select either **Actual Count** or **Estimated Count**.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Select a Data Source

In the **Source of Data** field, select the source used to determine the demographic makeup of participants from the dropdown.

If the appropriate source is not listed, select **Other** and enter the source in the text field that appears.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** This field is required for every program activity.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enter Gender Data

Enter the number of participants for each gender category:

* **Female**
* **Male**
* **Non-Binary**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**

![Screenshot: The Gender, Ethnicity and Age tables and the Race table with One Race Only and 2 or More Races columns on the Demographics page of an Extension program activity in a 2026 reporting period, filled in for 20 participants](https://2560412328-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Ff0820LrBGQ9ZA8SC4BR1%2Fuploads%2F3ydaS4t34PdDibYsHHvc%2Fprogram-activity-demographics-tables-extension-2026-v2.png?alt=media)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enter Age Data

Enter the number of participants for each age range. The age categories available depend on the program areas attached to the program activity:

**For a program activity with a SNAP-Ed program area:**

* **Less than 5 years**
* **5 – 17 years**, broken down into **5 – 7 (grades K-2)**, **8 – 10 (grades 3-5)**, **11 – 13 (grades 6-8)**, and **14 – 17 (grades 9-12)**
* **Total youth**
* **18 – 59 years**
* **60 – 75 years**
* **76 years or older**
* **Total adults**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**

**For an Extension-only program activity:**

* **Less than 5 years**
* **5 – 17 years**
* **Total youth**
* **18 – 29 years**
* **30 – 59 years**
* **60 – 75 years**
* **76 years or older**
* **Total adults**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** On a program activity with a SNAP-Ed program area, **Total youth** and **Total adults** are calculated from the age ranges above them and cannot be edited.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enter Ethnicity Data (reporting periods before 2027)

Enter the number of participants for each ethnicity category:

* **Hispanic / Latino**
* **Non-Hispanic / Latino**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enter Race Data (reporting periods before 2027)

On a program activity whose program areas are all SNAP-Ed, enter the number of participants for each race category:

* **American Indian or Alaska Native**
* **Asian**
* **Black or African American**
* **Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander**
* **White**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**

When the program activity also has an Extension program area, the Race table has two columns instead. In the **One Race Only** column, count the participants who identified with a single race. In the **2 or More Races** column, count the participants who identified with more than one race, counting each of them once for every race that applies. Then enter how many participants identified with more than one race in **# Unique participants with 2 or more races**; **# Unique participants with one race only** is calculated for you.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enter Race and Ethnicity Data (2027 and later reporting periods)

Starting with the 2027 reporting period, PEARS asks one combined **Race and Ethnicity** question in place of the separate Ethnicity and Race tables, for every program type. The table has two columns. In the **One Race/Ethnicity Only** column, count the participants who identified with a single category. In the **2 or More** column, count the participants who identified with more than one category, counting each of them once for every category that applies:

* **American Indian or Alaska Native**
* **Asian**
* **Black or African American**
* **Hispanic or Latino**
* **Middle Eastern or North African**
* **Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander**
* **White**
* **Prefer not to respond**
* **Unknown**

Then enter how many participants identified with more than one category in **# Unique Participants with Two or More Races/Ethnicities**; **# Unique Participants with One Race/Ethnicity Only** is calculated for you.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**NOTE:** The **One Race/Ethnicity Only** counts plus **Prefer not to respond**, **Unknown**, and **# Unique Participants with Two or More Races/Ethnicities** must add up to the total. No entry in the **2 or More** column can exceed the **# Unique Participants with Two or More Races/Ethnicities** count.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Save and Continue

Click the **Save and Continue** button to save the demographic data and proceed to [Mark a Program Activity as Complete](/engage/program-activities/mark-a-program-activity-as-complete.md).

To save without continuing, click the **Save** button instead.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** PEARS can fill in this page for you from survey responses, event registrations, site-wide demographics, or youth programming data. See [Auto Calculate Program Activity Demographics](/engage/program-activities/auto-calculate-demographics.md).
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**TIP:** The demographic form layout changes based on the reporting period of the program activity. Program activities with reporting periods before 2023 will see a different set of age categories and demographic fields than those with 2023+ reporting periods, and program activities with a 2027 or later reporting period replace the Ethnicity and Race tables with the single **Race and Ethnicity** table. A program activity in an earlier reporting period keeps its existing form even after your organization moves into the 2027 reporting period.
{% endhint %}