Demographics and Internet Usage in the United States: Who's Online and Why
Over the last two decades, internet usage in the United States has increased dramatically, changing how people live, work, and communicate. However, internet usage varies among the population. Age, income, education level, and geographic region all have a considerable impact on who goes online, when, and why. Understanding these trends demonstrates how social and economic forces influence and shape digital connectedness. Age is one of the most important determinants of internet usage. Younger generations, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, are virtually exclusively online, using the internet for everything from education and employment to leisure and social networking. Older persons, particularly those over 65, are rapidly adopting digital technology, but they still fall behind younger users in terms of frequency and confidence. However, the pandemic has increased seniors' online engagement, notably for healthcare access and remaining in touch with fam...