---
title: "About Two-in-Ten Americans Own Tablet Computers"
description: "As of January 2012, about two-in-ten Americans said they owned a tablet computer, nearly double the number that said they did before the holiday gift-giving season in December 2011."
date: "2012-07-16"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2012/07/16/about-two-in-ten-americans-own-tablet-computers/"
---

# About Two-in-Ten Americans Own Tablet Computers

About two-in-ten Americans (19%) said they owned a tablet computer in early 2012, almost twice as many as said they did near the end of 2011 (10%).

Surveys by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project also show a steep rise in e-book ownership over the holiday gift-giving season, jumping from 10% in December 2011 to 19% in January 2012. The number of Americans owning at least one of these digital reading devices increased from 18% in December to 29% in January.

The surge in ownership of tablet computers was especially notable among those with higher levels of education and those living in households earning $75,000 or more. Just more than a third of those living in households earning at least $75,000 (36%) said they own a tablet computer. And nearly a third of those with college educations or higher (31%) said they own one of the devices. Additionally, those under age 50 saw a large leap in tablet ownership. [Read More](http://www.libraries.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/internet/2012/01/23/tablet-and-e-book-reader-ownership-nearly-double-over-the-holiday-gift-giving-period/)