U.S. internet user demographics - age groups - Statistics & Facts

When looking at the over 307 million internet users in the United States, more than four in ten internet users are aged between 30 and 49 years, mirroring the demographic makeup of the population. However, younger generations, especially individuals between 18 and 29 years, remain the most active internet users in the country, as nearly half of them stated being almost constantly online. Conversely, adults aged 65 and older represent the highest share of the unconnected population in the United States.

Smartphones reign among connected device usage

In the United States, smartphones were the most popular devices used to go online as of December 2022. In the year before, almost two in ten users between 18 and 54 years spent 40 hours or more using their smartphones on a weekly basis. Around a quarter of surveyed Gen Z adults and Millennials, or respondents between 18 and 34 years, reported spending 20-29 hours using a smartphone per week. Furthermore, smartphone ownership among children in the United States has also increased in recent years, with 97 percent of 17-year-olds stating to own the device.

Online activities across different age groups

Usage of social media is one of the most popular online activities in the United States. As of 2021, sending text or instant messages was the most popular online activity among U.S. internet users, ahead of e-mail. The range of online activities among smartphone users varies across different age groups. U.S. internet users aged between 18 and 34 years were more likely than any other age group to watch videos on their smartphones, and also the ones who were most into mobile gaming. Audiences between 35 and 64 years also watched videos online but preferred a TV set connected to the internet. Out of all age groups, online users aged 35 to 54 years were the ones most likely to research and purchase products via smartphone, and adults aged 55 years and older were the most eager users of online weather services.

Social media preferences differ by age

Facebook, the most popular social media website in the United States as of December 2022, had its most significant user base among 25–34-year-olds. Instagram was also used mainly by the same age group, around 28 percent, while being almost equally popular among young adults aged 18–24. YouTube is popular across all age groups, as May 2022 data showed that around nearly nine in ten U.S. online users between 18 and 44 years used the platform. TikTok, another video-sharing social media platform, also has gathered immense popularity among younger age groups, as a quarter of its U.S. users are between 10 and 19 years old, and over 22 percent were 20 to 29 years old.

E-commerce activities among user groups

The e-commerce market in the United States has been booming over the past years, with online shopping being a popular activity among young and old alike. A 2022 survey revealed that roughly 55 percent of U.S. Millennials named an online retailer like Amazon a preferred place to shop, and a similar share of 53 percent of Generation X consumers felt the same. Additionally, Gen Z shoppers were ones most likely to purchase products via social media. When making a decision related to an online purchase, an essential factor for all generational cohorts was fast delivery. Millennials and Gen Z shoppers in the United States and United Kingdom especially highlighted this factor in a 2022 survey, while Gen Z shoppers were least likely to be swayed by sustainable packaging but were the most interested in a sustainable delivery route.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

U.S. age group with the biggest online usage rate: 18-29 years

Share of 18-29 year olds in the U.S. who are almost constantly online: 48%

Share of 65+ year olds in the U.S. with no internet access at home: 25%

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