---
title: "More Necessary: Cell or Landline Phone?"
description: "Despite the increasing use of cell phones, more Americans say landline phones are a necessity than say the same about mobile phones."
date: "2010-09-13"
authors:
  - name: "Pew Research Center"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2010/09/13/more-necessary-cell-or-landline-phone/"
---

# More Necessary: Cell or Landline Phone?

Americans are moving away from landline phones. While only a decade ago, nearly all homes had a landline phone (97% of U.S. households in 2001), today, just 74% of homes have a landline. Furthermore, 82% of adults now use a cell phone, up from 53% in 2000. Still, more Americans say a landline phone is a necessity (62%) than say a cell phone is a necessity (47%) while a majority (52%) consider a cell phone to be a luxury you can live without. Age is a large factor in “the balance of necessity” between the cell and landline phone. Young Americans have made the switch; fully 59% of adults ages 18-29 regard a cell phone as a necessity while just 46% say the same about a landline phone. Among adults older than age 30, however, the landline phone remains more important. This is especially true of adults ages 65 and older. Just 29% of older Americans consider a cell phone to be a necessity, while 77% say landlines are a necessity. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/1702/luxury-necessity-television-landline-cell-phone)