Different　thermal　demands　and　preferences　between　individuals　lead　to　a　low　occupant　satisfaction　rate,　despite　the　high　energy　consumption　by　HVAC　system.　This　study　aims　to　quantify　the　difference　in　thermal　demands,　and　to　compare　the　influential　factors　which　might　lead　to　those　differences.　With　the　recently　released　ASHRAE　Database,　we　quantitatively　answered　the　following　two　research　questions:　which　factors　would　lead　to　marked　individual　difference,　and　what　the　magnitude　of　this　difference　is.　Linear　regression　has　been　applied　to　describe　the　macro-trend　of　how　people　feel　thermally　under　different　temperatures.　Three　types　of　factors　which　might　lead　to　different　thermal　demands　have　been　studied　and　compared　in　this　study,　i.e.　individual　factors,　building　characteristics　and　geographical　factors.　It　was　found　that　the　local　climate　has　the　most　marked　impact　on　the　neutral　temperature,　with　an　effect　size　of　3.5　degrees　C;　followed　by　country,　HVAC　operation　mode　and　body　built,　which　lead　to　a　difference　of　more　than　1　degrees　C.　In　terms　of　the　thermal　sensitivity,　building　type　and　local　climate　are　the　most　influential　factors.　Subjects　in　residential　buildings　or　coming　from　Dry　climate　zone　could　accept　2.5　degrees　C　wider　temperature　range　than　those　in　office,　education　buildings　or　from　Continental　climate　zone.　The　findings　of　this　research　could　help　thermal　comfort　researchers　and　designers　to　identify　influential　factors　that　might　lead　to　individual　difference,　and　could　shed　light　on　the　feature　selection　for　the　development　of　personal　comfort　models.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.