Internet Usage Statistics in the United States
Published September 15, 2026 · StatsGalore
Adults who said they use the internet [1]
In Pew Research Center's 2025 survey, 96% of U.S. adults said they used the internet. Reported use was nearly universal among adults under age 50, while the figure for adults age 65 and older was 90%. [1]
The numbers
| Age group | Share using the internet | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All adults | 96% | [1] |
| 18–29 | 99% | [1] |
| 30–49 | 99% | [1] |
| 50–64 | 96% | [1] |
| 65+ | 90% | [1] |
Adoption measures whether, not how much
The survey measures whether adults say they use the internet. It does not measure hours online, the quality of a connection, or the number of devices a person owns. A person using the internet occasionally and a person connected throughout the day can both be counted.
The adult population is also important. These figures should not be applied to children or relabeled as a share of all U.S. residents. A youth survey would need its own sampling and questions.
[1]Why the remaining gap matters
Even when a national adoption figure is high, it can leave a meaningful group of nonusers. A service that assumes everyone is online may still be difficult to reach for people outside that group.
The age comparisons are descriptive. They do not prove why a person uses or avoids the internet, and they do not measure confidence with online tasks. Use, skills, reliability, and affordability are distinct questions.
[1]Internet use and home broadband are different
Someone can use the internet through a smartphone, a workplace, or another location without subscribing to home broadband. A broadband-subscription percentage should therefore not be substituted for the internet-use percentage.
The reverse comparison also needs care because different surveys can define broadband differently and may count households rather than adults. A difference between published figures can reflect definitions instead of a contradiction.
[1]Long-term comparisons cross a survey change
Pew changed its survey mode in 2023, moving away from the earlier telephone-only approach. Its fact sheet marks that transition. A long historical series should retain that qualification when comparing estimates across the change.
The percentages are survey estimates rather than a registry of every internet user. Rounding and sampling uncertainty mean small numerical differences should not automatically be described as meaningful changes.
[1]Sources & notes
Pew Research Center Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet, 2025 survey of 5,022 U.S. adults conducted February 5–June 18. Percentages are rounded self-reports. Survey mode changed in 2023.
Source review: 2026-09-15. Article publication and underlying data dates are separate. How we use statistics · Suggest a correction