Television Viewing Statistics by Age
Published September 15, 2026 · StatsGalore
Watching television accounted for an average of 2.61 hours per day among people age 15 and older in 2025. In the American Time Use Survey, 74.3% reported watching on their diary day. Those who watched averaged 3.51 hours. [1] [2]
The numbers
| Age group | Average hours per day | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15–19 | 1.48 | [1] [2] |
| 20–24 | 2.07 | [1] [2] |
| 25–34 | 1.89 | [1] [2] |
| 35–44 | 1.76 | [1] [2] |
| 45–54 | 2.26 | [1] [2] |
| 55–64 | 3.06 | [1] [2] |
| 65–74 | 4.20 | [1] [2] |
| 75+ | 4.43 | [1] [2] |
The largest television averages are among older adults
Adults age 75 and older recorded 4.43 hours daily, and those ages 65 to 74 recorded 4.20 hours. Both estimates were above the all-person average. The age groups in the table should be compared using the same population-average column.
The relationship is not perfectly increasing at every age. Adults ages 20 to 24 recorded more time than adults ages 25 to 34 and 35 to 44. Describing the results simply as each older group watching more would miss those differences.
[1] [2]Viewers and the whole population
The average among viewers is higher because it leaves out diary days with no television viewing. That distinction matters when a headline says Americans watch a certain number of hours daily. A figure drawn only from viewers needs that qualification.
The participation rate is also a daily measure. Someone who did not watch on the sampled day might watch regularly on other days. It would be incorrect to describe the complement of the daily participation rate as the share of people who never watch television.
[1] [2]Time use is different from audience ratings
These estimates come from a time diary, not a measurement of a particular channel's audience. They cannot identify the most popular program, the number of streaming subscriptions, or the reach of a sporting event.
Television time is part of the survey's broader leisure and sports category. It should not be added to that parent category as if the two were separate. The total leisure figure already includes the television component.
[1] [2]Comparisons need a consistent definition
A study of total screen time can include work, school, games, messaging, and other activities that are not television viewing. Using its total beside this table without explaining the different definitions would create a misleading comparison.
The table describes the main activity respondents reported. It does not establish how attentively they watched or whether another task happened at the same time. Nor does it establish that a higher viewing average causes a particular health or social outcome.
[1] [2]Sources & notes
Age comparisons come from BLS ATUS Table 11A. Overall participation and participant-duration measures come from Table 1. All figures refer to 2025, include all days of the week, and cover people age 15 and older.
The 2025 ATUS did not collect diaries for September 30–November 11 during the federal shutdown. Under the existing weighting method, later fourth-quarter diaries represent the missing days as well. See the BLS collection notice before making year-to-year comparisons.
Source review: 2026-09-15. Article publication and underlying data dates are separate. How we use statistics · Suggest a correction