MORE: SOCIAL MEDIA | MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

The internet represents a fundamental shift in how Americans connect with one another, gather information and conduct their day-to-day lives. For more than 15 years, Pew Research Center has documented its growth and distribution in the United States. Explore the patterns of internet and home broadband adoption below.

Internet use over time

When Pew Research Center began systematically tracking Americans’ internet usage in early 2000, about half of all adults were already online. Today, 93% of American adults use the internet.


Internet use
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet
YearU.S. adults
200052%
200155%
200259%
200361%
200463%
200568%
200671%
200774%
200874%
200976%
201076%
201179%
201283%
201384%
201484%
201586%
201688%
201889%
201990%
202193%

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Who uses the internet

For some demographic groups – such as young adults, college graduates and those from high-income households – internet usage is near ubiquitous. Even so, adoption gaps remain based on factors such as age, income, and education.


Internet use by age
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet, by age
18-2930-4950-6465+
200070%61%46%14%
200172%65%50%14%
200276%70%54%18%
200378%72%56%22%
200477%75%61%24%
200583%79%66%28%
200686%82%70%32%
200789%85%71%35%
200889%84%72%38%
200992%84%75%40%
201092%85%74%43%
201194%87%77%46%
201296%91%79%54%
201397%92%81%56%
201497%92%81%57%
201597%95%82%63%
201699%96%87%64%
201898%97%87%66%
2019100%97%88%73%
202199%98%96%75%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Internet use by race/ethnicity
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet, by race/ethnicity
 WhiteBlackHispanic
200053%38% 
200157%40% 
200260%47% 
200363%50% 
200465%49% 
200570%55% 
200672%59% 
200775%64% 
200875%63% 
200979%69% 
201078%68%71%
201181%72%72%
201284%77%79%
201385%79%80%
201485%79%81%
201587%81%82%
201688%85%88%
201889%87%88%
201992%85%86%
202193%91%95%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. White and Black adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Internet use by gender
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet, by gender
 MenWomen
200054%50%
200157%53%
200261%57%
200363%60%
200466%61%
200569%67%
200672%70%
200775%73%
200874%73%
200977%75%
201077%76%
201180%78%
201283%82%
201384%84%
201484%84%
201586%86%
201689%86%
201889%88%
201990%91%
202194%93%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Internet use by income
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet, by annual household income
 Less than $30,000$30,000-$49,999$50,000-$74,999$75,000+
200034%58%72%81%
200136%60%75%84%
200239%64%76%85%
200341%66%81%87%
200444%68%83%88%
200549%73%86%92%
200652%75%86%92%
200758%74%86%93%
200854%78%88%95%
200960%79%92%95%
201061%81%88%95%
201164%85%90%97%
201270%87%93%97%
201372%86%93%97%
201474%86%93%96%
201576%86%94%97%
201679%90%95%98%
201881%93%97%98%
201982%93%97%98%
202186%91%98%99%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Internet use by education
% of U.S. adults who use the internet, by education level
 Less than high school graduateHigh school graduateHigh school or lessSome collegeCollege graduate
200019%40% 67%78%
200121%43% 68%81%
200224%48% 73%83%
200325%51% 75%85%
200427%53% 76%86%
200532%58% 80%89%
200637%61% 83%91%
200740%65% 85%92%
200838%65% 86%93%
200940%68% 87%94%
201041%68% 87%93%
201143%72% 89%94%
201252%75% 91%96%
201354%75% 92%96%
201455%76% 91%96%
201562%78% 92%96%
201668%81% 94%98%
201865%84% 93%97%
201971%84% 95%98%
2021  86%97%98%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. ‘High school or less’ includes both ‘Less than high school graduate’ and ‘High school graduate’. The 2021 sample is too small to separate these two categories.

Source: Surveys conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Internet use by community type
% of U.S. adults who say they use the internet, by community type
 UrbanSuburbanRural
200053%56%42%
200155%59%46%
200261%63%49%
200364%65%51%
200465%67%53%
200569%70%60%
200671%73%62%
200775%77%63%
200875%77%63%
200973%76%68%
201078%79%69%
201180%81%73%
201284%84%75%
201386%85%78%
201485%85%79%
201587%88%78%
201689%90%81%
201892%90%78%
201991%94%85%
202195%94%90%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys conducted during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Home broadband use over time

The proportion of American adults with high-speed broadband service at home increased rapidly between 2000 and 2010. In recent years, however, broadband adoption growth has been much more sporadic. Today, roughly three-quarters of American adults have broadband internet service at home.


Home broadband use
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home
 U.S. adults
3/31/20001%
3/1/20016%
9/10/20017%
9/19/20017%
10/1/20016%
10/7/20016%
10/18/20018%
11/18/20018%
12/23/20019%
1/31/20029%
5/19/200211%
7/26/200211%
10/6/200215%
10/27/200212%
11/24/200215%
12/22/200212%
3/24/200315%
3/25/200316%
5/20/200316%
6/24/200316%
8/3/200317%
12/14/200319%
3/1/200424%
3/17/200425%
6/17/200423%
7/3/200425%
11/22/200426%
11/30/200425%
2/9/200529%
3/21/200529%
6/7/200533%
12/8/200537%
12/31/200536%
2/6/200641%
3/28/200642%
4/6/200642%
8/31/200643%
12/4/200646%
12/30/200644%
9/5/200751%
12/2/200754%
1/13/200851%
5/11/200854%
8/10/200858%
8/31/200857%
12/4/200856%
12/20/200855%
4/19/200962%
6/21/200962%
9/14/200962%
12/27/200959%
1/19/201061%
5/30/201064%
9/13/201060%
11/24/201060%
12/21/201062%
5/22/201160%
8/26/201162%
1/8/201267%
2/19/201265%
4/3/201266%
11/10/201268%
12/9/201265%
5/19/201370%
9/30/201370%
4/12/201566%
7/12/201567%
11/15/201567%
4/4/201670%
11/6/201673%
1/10/201865%
2/7/201973%
2/8/202177%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Who has home broadband

As is true of internet adoption more broadly, home broadband adoption varies across demographic groups. Racial minorities and those with lower levels of education and income are less likely to have broadband service at home.


Home broadband use by age
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by age
 18-2930-4950-6465+
3/31/20001%1%0% 
3/1/20017%8%5%1%
9/10/20019%9%6%1%
9/19/200110%9%7%1%
10/1/20018%8%5% 
10/7/20018%9%4%1%
10/18/200110%9%7%2%
11/18/200110%10%5%2%
12/23/200112%11%5%2%
1/31/200214%10%7%1%
5/19/200214%13%9%2%
7/26/200212%14%9%3%
10/6/200218%19%13%2%
10/27/200219%17%7%1%
11/24/200222%18%11%2%
12/22/200217%14%11%3%
3/24/200322%20%12%2%
3/25/200323%20%13%3%
5/20/200320%19%16%4%
6/24/200324%19%15%3%
8/3/200325%21%14%3%
12/14/200328%25%14%4%
3/1/200434%28%22%5%
3/17/200433%31%23%7%
6/17/200427%30%20%7%
7/3/200432%31%24%7%
11/22/200436%32%23%7%
2/9/200537%35%27%9%
3/21/200538%37%26%7%
6/7/200544%39%32%7%
12/8/200546%45%34%11%
12/31/200546%43%34%11%
2/6/200651%48%40%13%
3/28/200654%47%45%13%
4/6/200655%51%38%14%
8/31/200652%54%41%14%
12/4/200661%54%41%16%
12/30/200658%55%40%15%
9/5/200766%60%50%17%
1/13/200864%63%47%21%
5/11/200869%68%49%19%
8/10/200870%67%55%27%
8/31/200873%68%52%24%
12/4/200872%68%51%24%
12/20/200867%63%52%26%
4/19/200974%71%60%30%
6/21/200974%75%58%31%
9/14/200978%69%61%29%
12/27/200977%67%56%25%
1/19/201079%70%57%27%
5/30/201076%74%62%30%
9/13/201078%68%56%27%
11/24/201075%71%58%27%
12/21/201071%71%63%33%
5/22/201172%72%57%28%
8/26/201176%70%60%30%
2/19/201272%74%65%35%
4/3/201275%77%62%39%
11/10/201276%78%66%41%
12/9/201275%74%62%41%
5/19/201380%78%69%43%
9/30/201381%77%68%47%
4/12/201575%73%66%40%
7/12/201575%76%62%48%
11/15/201575%74%67%47%
4/4/201680%78%66%49%
11/6/201677%81%75%51%
1/10/201867%70%68%50%
2/7/201977%77%79%59%
2/8/202170%86%79%64%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Home broadband use by race
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by race/ethnicity
 WhiteBlackHispanic
3/31/20001%1% 
9/10/20018%3% 
9/19/20017%6% 
10/1/20016%3% 
10/7/20017%  
10/18/20018%5% 
12/23/20019%5% 
1/31/20029%5% 
5/19/200211%6% 
7/26/200211%6% 
10/6/200214%12% 
10/27/200213%7% 
11/24/200215%11% 
12/22/200213%4% 
3/24/200316%7% 
3/25/200317%7% 
5/20/200317%8% 
6/24/200318%9% 
8/3/200318%12% 
12/14/200320%12% 
3/1/200425%13% 
3/17/200425%20% 
6/17/200425%10% 
7/3/200426%14% 
11/22/200427%16% 
11/30/200428%  
2/9/200532%13% 
3/21/200530%14% 
6/7/200534%18% 
12/8/200539%24% 
12/31/200538%22% 
2/6/200642%24% 
3/28/200640%35% 
4/6/200643%32% 
8/31/200644%34% 
12/4/200648%33% 
12/30/200645%37% 
9/5/200751%42% 
12/2/200756%38% 
1/13/200853%41% 
5/11/200856%41% 
8/10/200857%48% 
8/31/200857%46% 
12/4/200859%39% 
12/20/200859%43% 
4/19/200964%43% 
6/21/200965%  
9/14/200968%51% 
12/27/200963%50% 
1/19/201063%49% 
5/30/201066%54% 
9/13/201064%50%49%
11/24/201065%49%43%
12/21/201066%51%49%
5/22/201165%49%46%
8/26/201166%49%51%
1/8/201267%60% 
2/19/201269%57%44%
4/3/201270%54%51%
11/10/201272%60%47%
12/9/201270%53%49%
5/19/201374%64%53%
9/30/201374%62%56%
4/12/201570%52%50%
7/12/201571%56%53%
11/15/201573%55%47%
4/4/201675%66%47%
11/6/201678%65%58%
1/18/201872%57%47%
2/7/201979%66%61%
2/8/202180%71%65%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. White and Black adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Home broadband use by gender
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by gender
 MenWomen
3/31/20001%1%
3/1/20017%5%
9/10/20018%6%
9/19/20019%5%
10/1/20017%5%
10/7/20018%5%
10/18/200111%4%
11/18/20019%6%
12/23/200110%7%
1/31/200210%7%
5/19/200212%9%
7/26/200212%9%
10/6/200217%12%
10/27/200215%9%
11/24/200218%11%
12/22/200214%11%
3/24/200318%13%
3/25/200318%14%
5/20/200319%13%
6/24/200319%14%
8/3/200319%15%
12/14/200322%17%
3/1/200427%21%
3/17/200430%22%
6/17/200427%20%
7/3/200428%23%
11/22/200429%23%
11/30/200427%24%
2/9/200531%27%
3/21/200531%28%
6/7/200536%30%
12/8/200540%34%
12/31/200539%32%
2/6/200642%39%
3/28/200645%39%
4/6/200646%39%
8/31/200647%40%
12/4/200649%43%
12/30/200647%42%
9/5/200754%49%
12/2/200758%51%
1/13/200855%48%
5/11/200857%52%
8/10/200858%58%
8/31/200859%54%
12/4/200861%52%
12/20/200856%54%
4/19/200963%61%
6/21/200962%61%
9/14/200964%60%
12/27/200961%58%
1/19/201065%58%
5/30/201064%64%
9/13/201062%59%
11/24/201060%61%
12/21/201065%60%
5/22/201160%60%
8/26/201165%59%
1/8/201267%67%
2/19/201266%64%
4/3/201266%66%
11/10/201268%67%
12/9/201265%66%
5/19/201371%69%
9/30/201370%70%
4/12/201565%66%
7/12/201567%67%
11/15/201567%67%
4/4/201672%68%
11/6/201674%72%
1/10/201866%64%
2/7/201973%73%
2/8/202177%77%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Home broadband use by income
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by annual household income
 Less than $30,000$30,000-$49,999$50,000-$74,999$75,000+
3/31/20000%0%1%2%
9/10/20012%4%8%20%
9/19/20013%8%10%16%
10/1/20012%5%8%14%
10/7/20013%4%  
10/18/20014%5%10%19%
11/18/20014%7%11%18%
12/23/20014%7%10%23%
1/31/20024%6%11%22%
5/19/20025%8%13%25%
7/26/20024%10%14%23%
10/6/20026%11%26%32%
10/27/20027%10%12%26%
11/24/20027%13%16%34%
12/22/20025%12%16%27%
3/24/20037%11%22%32%
3/25/20037%11%22%33%
5/20/20037%14%25%30%
6/24/20037%14%21%37%
8/3/20038%14%22%38%
12/14/20039%16%25%42%
3/1/200410%23%36%46%
3/17/200413%25%27%49%
6/17/200412%18%31%48%
7/3/200412%19%35%48%
11/22/200413%25%34%54%
11/30/200412%24%37%50%
2/9/200515%27%32%58%
3/21/200515%27%38%56%
6/7/200518%29%44%63%
12/8/200521%30%46%64%
12/31/200517%30%52%63%
2/6/200622%32%51%67%
3/28/200629%40%52%69%
4/6/200622%44%49%68%
8/31/200622%39%56%74%
12/4/200626%44%50%77%
12/30/200624%46%61%73%
12/2/200740%52%69%78%
1/13/200828%51%61%77%
5/11/200831%53%67%82%
8/10/200838%59%68%79%
8/31/200836%53%71%83%
12/4/200831%61%73%85%
12/20/200833%57%69%83%
4/19/200939%61%79%85%
6/21/200945%53%83%87%
9/14/200942%66%82%88%
12/27/200941%62%78%83%
1/19/201045%61%74%87%
5/30/201042%65%79%87%
9/13/201040%64%80%88%
11/24/201042%66%75%89%
12/21/201041%65%81%88%
5/22/201140%70%79%88%
8/26/201141%65%81%89%
1/8/201247%67%81%88%
2/19/201245%64%82%91%
4/3/201246%68%85%87%
11/10/201247%71%83%90%
12/9/201246%69%79%89%
5/19/201354%70%84%88%
9/30/201352%71%85%91%
4/12/201544%72%83%90%
7/12/201547%64%78%89%
11/15/201545%68%81%88%
4/4/201649%73%80%91%
11/6/201653%71%83%93%
1/10/201845%67%79%87%
2/7/201956%72%87%92%
2/8/202157%74%87%92%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Home broadband use by education
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by education level
 Less than high school graduateHigh school graduateHigh school or lessSome collegeCollege graduate
3/31/2000 1% 0%1%
3/1/20012%4% 8%11%
9/10/20012%5% 8%13%
9/19/20011%4% 11%12%
10/1/2001 5% 6%10%
10/7/2001 4% 8%11%
10/18/20013%6% 9%12%
11/18/20011%5% 11%14%
12/23/20013%4% 11%17%
1/31/20024%4% 11%16%
5/19/20023%6% 14%18%
7/26/20023%7% 15%17%
10/6/20023%10% 20%24%
10/27/20029%6% 13%22%
11/24/20024%10% 18%24%
12/22/20022%7% 15%23%
3/24/20034%12% 17%26%
3/25/20034%12% 18%27%
5/20/20035%11% 20%25%
6/24/20035%10% 24%24%
8/3/20034%12% 20%29%
12/14/20039%12% 24%31%
3/1/20047%16% 31%40%
3/17/200410%19% 31%39%
6/17/20048%16% 29%38%
7/3/20046%18% 28%42%
11/22/20047%14% 31%47%
11/30/2004 13% 31%47%
2/9/200512%19% 34%47%
3/21/20059%20% 36%47%
6/7/200513%23% 39%52%
12/8/200513%27% 44%56%
12/31/200514%25% 44%55%
2/6/200619%29% 50%58%
3/28/200619%30% 49%63%
4/6/200617%32% 48%63%
8/31/200612%31% 52%66%
12/4/200617%34% 55%69%
12/30/200616%32% 53%68%
9/5/200726%39% 63%72%
12/2/200722%43% 63%75%
1/13/200821%40% 61%72%
5/11/200829%39% 64%78%
8/10/200824%48% 68%78%
8/31/200822%44% 67%82%
12/4/200820%45% 67%81%
12/20/200817%43% 65%84%
4/19/200927%51% 69%82%
6/21/2009 46% 75%86%
9/14/200925%54% 71%84%
12/27/200924%45% 73%82%
1/19/201028%49% 71%82%
5/30/201031%51% 75%86%
9/13/201022%49% 72%82%
11/24/201022%50% 71%82%
12/21/201027%51% 76%80%
5/22/201122%48% 71%83%
8/26/201122%52% 73%85%
1/8/201223%56% 80%87%
2/19/201225%52% 76%90%
4/3/201234%55% 74%87%
11/10/201229%55% 78%87%
12/9/201227%56% 73%85%
5/19/201337%57% 78%89%
9/30/201328%58% 80%90%
4/12/201522%53% 75%86%
7/12/201530%54% 74%87%
11/15/201522%56% 75%88%
4/4/201624%59% 80%90%
11/6/201634%62% 80%91%
1/10/201824%56% 68%85%
2/7/201946%59% 77%93%
2/8/2021  59%80%94%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. ‘High school or less’ includes both ‘Less than high school graduate’ and ‘High school graduate’. The 2021 sample is too small to separate these two categories. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Home broadband use by community type
% of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home, by community type
 UrbanSuburbanRural
3/31/20001%1%0%
3/1/20017%7%2%
9/10/20018%8%3%
9/19/20019%8%3%
10/1/20016%7%3%
10/7/20017%9%2%
10/18/20019%9%2%
12/23/200111%10%4%
1/31/20029%11%4%
5/19/200210%14%4%
7/26/200212%13%3%
10/6/200218%17%6%
10/27/200216%13%6%
11/24/200218%17%6%
12/22/200216%13%6%
3/24/200318%17%8%
3/25/200319%17%9%
5/20/200320%17%8%
6/24/200318%20%7%
8/3/200320%19%9%
12/14/200321%23%10%
3/1/200426%29%10%
3/17/200427%29%14%
6/17/200427%27%12%
7/3/200429%29%12%
11/22/200429%28%16%
11/30/200429%29%11%
2/9/200529%33%19%
3/21/200532%33%18%
6/7/200538%34%21%
12/8/200541%40%23%
12/31/200536%40%23%
2/6/200642%46%24%
3/28/200638%39%19%
4/6/200645%47%25%
8/31/200646%46%28%
12/4/200647%51%29%
12/30/200648%46%32%
9/5/200752%54%35%
12/2/200760%56%41%
1/13/200854%56%34%
5/11/200856%59%38%
8/10/200863%59%43%
8/31/200857%62%40%
12/4/200855%61%44%
12/20/200854%57%36%
4/19/200962%63%42%
6/21/200958%60%43%
9/14/200960%63%50%
12/27/200960%64%47%
1/19/201064%63%52%
5/30/201067%69%49%
9/13/201062%63%51%
11/24/201061%65%55%
12/21/201062%68%52%
5/22/201162%63%52%
8/26/201164%65%55%
1/8/201274%69%48%
2/19/201265%70%53%
4/3/201267%70%53%
11/10/201270%71%55%
12/9/201264%67%63%
5/19/201370%73%62%
9/30/201370%74%60%
4/12/201565%69%58%
7/12/201568%72%50%
11/15/201567%71%56%
4/4/201672%71%61%
11/6/201673%76%63%
1/10/201867%70%58%
2/7/201975%79%63%
2/8/202177%79%72%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. The Center has used several different question wordings to identify broadband users in recent years, which may account for some variance in broadband adoption figures between 2015 and 2018. Our survey conducted in July 2015 used a directly comparable question wording to the one conducted in January 2018.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2000-2021.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Smartphone dependency over time

There has been a steady decline of those who use smartphones as their primary means of online access at home in recent years. Today, 15% of American adults are “smartphone-only” internet users – meaning they own a smartphone, but do not have traditional home broadband service.


Smartphone dependency
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones
 U.S. adults
20138%
2014
201513%
201612%
2017
201820%
201917%
202115%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Who is smartphone dependent

Reliance on smartphones for online access is especially common among younger adults, lower-income Americans and those with a high school education or less.


Smartphone dependency by age
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by age
 18-2930-4950-6465+
201312%9%7%3%
201519%16%11%7%
201617%13%11%7%
201828%24%16%10%
201922%18%14%12%
202128%11%13%12%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Smartphone dependency by race
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by race
 WhiteBlackHispanic
20136%10%16%
201510%19%23%
20169%15%23%
201814%24%35%
201912%23%25%
202112%17%25%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. White and Black adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Smartphone dependency by gender
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by gender
 MenWomen
20139%8%
201514%13%
201612%12%
201820%19%
201917%16%
202114%15%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Smartphone dependency by income
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by annual household income
 Less than $30,000$30,000-$49,999$50,000-$74,999$75,000+
201312%9%5%5%
201520%15%10%6%
201621%12%10%5%
201831%22%14%9%
201926%20%10%6%
202127%19%6%6%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Smartphone dependency by education
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by education level
 Less than high school graduateHigh school graduateHigh school or lessSome collegeCollege graduate
201314%11%8%4%
201521%17%14%6%
201627%15%12%5%
201839%22%21%10%
201932%24%16%4%
2021  23%15%4%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. ‘High school or less’ includes both ‘Less than high school graduate’ and ‘High school graduate’. The 2021 sample is too small to separate these two categories.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER


Smartphone dependency by community type
% of U.S. adults who say they do not use broadband at home but own smartphones, by community type
 UrbanSuburbanRural
20139%7%9%
201515%12%15%
201612%12%14%
201822%17%17%
201917%13%20%
202116%12%17%
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.

Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted 2013-2021. Data for each year based on a pooled analysis of all surveys containing broadband and smartphone questions fielded during that year.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Find out more

Find more in-depth explorations of internet and home broadband patterns in the U.S. by following the links below.

7% of Americans don’t use the internet. Who are they? April 2, 2021
Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021 June 3, 2021
Digital divide persists even as Americans with lower incomes make gains in tech adoption June 22, 2021
Home broadband adoption, computer ownership vary by race, ethnicity in the U.S. July 16, 2021
Home digital divides persist between rural, urban and suburban America August 19, 2021
Americans with disabilities less likely than those without to own some digital devices September 10, 2021

All reports and blog posts related to internet access.