Pollster ratings · Head to head

UMass Lowell vs. YouGov: which pollster is more accurate?

UMass Lowell 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
University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Public Opinion
A
Trust Score 80/100 · rank #5
 
YouGov
B-
Trust Score 44/100 · rank #43

Head to head

MeasureUMass LowellYouGov
Trust Score80/100 ★44/100
Average error
how far final polls missed the result
3.4 pts ★5 pts
Versus expected
error compared with what its races predicted
1.5 better ★0.1 better
Consistency
random miss once its tilt is removed
±3.3 pts ★±4.8 pts
Historical bias
closer to even is better
D+1.6D+1.3 ★
Winners called85%87% ★
Track record
final polls analyzed, 1998–2022
21 polls481 polls
2026 polls142
2026 lean
versus other polls of the same races
—D+1.4

2026 races both have polled

RaceUMass Lowell (latest)YouGov (latest)
Maine GovernorPingree 49, Charles 38 (R+0.8 vs. avg)Pingree 47, Charles 36

Compare them in the interactive Trust Index All pollster ratings

More comparisons: Emerson College vs. YouGov · University of New Hampshire Survey Center vs. YouGov · New York Times/Siena College vs. YouGov · Beacon Research/Shaw & Co. Research vs. YouGov · Rasmussen Reports vs. YouGov · Ipsos vs. YouGov · InsiderAdvantage vs. YouGov · Siena College vs. YouGov

Frequently asked questions

Which is more accurate, UMass Lowell or YouGov?

UMass Lowell has the smaller average error (3.4 pts vs. 5 pts). Overall, uMass Lowell comes out ahead on 4 of 6 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index (UMass Lowell: A, Trust Score 80; YouGov: B-, Trust Score 44).

Have UMass Lowell and YouGov polled the same 2026 races?

Yes: 1 race in Crosstab's data, including Maine Governor.

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.