Smartphone Ownership Statistics by Age
Published September 15, 2026 · StatsGalore
Adults who said they own a smartphone [1]
Pew Research Center reports that 91% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone in 2025, while 98% owned a cellphone of some kind. Smartphone ownership differed by age, from 97% among adults ages 18 to 29 to 78% among adults age 65 and older. [1]
The numbers
| Age group | Own any cellphone | Own a smartphone | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–29 | 99% | 97% | [1] |
| 30–49 | 99% | 96% | [1] |
| 50–64 | 98% | 90% | [1] |
| 65+ | 95% | 78% | [1] |
Smartphones are included in cellphone ownership
The any-cellphone category includes smartphones. Adding the two percentages would double-count smartphone owners. The categories are useful as a comparison of the breadth of ownership, not as separate slices that should total a whole.
Small differences between categories can also reflect rounding and nonresponse. The source's specific cellphone-but-not-smartphone category is preferable to assuming every difference between displayed percentages is an exact estimate.
[1]Ownership is a person-level measure
A person with more than one smartphone still contributes one person to an ownership percentage. Device shipments, active connections, and mobile subscriptions can count units very differently.
This is why a market report can show more connections than people without contradicting an ownership survey. Multiple devices, business accounts, and the definition of an active connection all matter.
[1]The age comparison
The gap between the youngest and oldest adult groups is visible in the smartphone column. Cellphone ownership is more widespread in every age group, including those age 65 and older.
The data do not tell us whether nonowners have access to a borrowed device, prefer a different phone, or face a cost barrier. They also do not measure digital skills. A person's age or ownership status should not be used to assume their ability to use technology.
[1]Reading a survey result responsibly
Pew's figures come from self-reports in a survey of adults. They are not a technical audit of devices on a network. The population and question wording should remain attached to the figures when they are quoted.
Historical comparisons should also acknowledge Pew's change in survey mode in 2023. Very small differences from year to year can reflect sampling and measurement variation rather than a clear shift in ownership.
[1]Sources & notes
Pew Research Center Mobile Fact Sheet, February 5–June 18, 2025 survey of U.S. adults. Smartphone owners are included among cellphone owners. Figures count people, not devices or subscriptions.
Source review: 2026-09-15. Article publication and underlying data dates are separate. How we use statistics · Suggest a correction