Pollster ratings · Head to head

Research & Polling Inc. vs. Trafalgar: which pollster is more accurate?

Research & Polling Inc. comes out ahead on 4 of 6 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index, which grades pollsters on how close their final polls came to actual results from 1998 to 2022.

★ Ahead
Research & Polling Inc.
A
Trust Score 75/100 · rank #9
 
Trafalgar Group
B-
Trust Score 48/100 · rank #38

Head to head

MeasureResearch & Polling Inc.Trafalgar
Trust Score75/100 ★48/100
Average error
how far final polls missed the result
4.2 pts4.2 pts
Versus expected
error compared with what its races predicted
1.7 better ★0.1 worse
Consistency
random miss once its tilt is removed
±4.1 pts±3.4 pts ★
Historical bias
closer to even is better
R+1 ★R+3
Winners called88% ★59%
Track record
final polls analyzed, 1998–2022
43 polls98 polls
2026 polls—13
2026 lean
versus other polls of the same races
—R+1.3

Compare them in the interactive Trust Index All pollster ratings

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Frequently asked questions

Which is more accurate, Research & Polling Inc. or Trafalgar?

They have similar average errors. Overall, research & Polling Inc. comes out ahead on 4 of 6 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index (Research & Polling Inc.: A, Trust Score 75; Trafalgar: B-, Trust Score 48).

Grades: Crosstab Trust Index, computed from FiveThirtyEight's pollster-ratings data (CC BY 4.0), 1998–2022; 2026 measures from Crosstab's polling data.

Updated 2026-10-04 · Crosstab, nonpartisan polling analysis.