Internet Access
Percentage of U.S. adults online, with broadband at home, and owning smartphones (2000–2025)
Nearly all U.S. adults now report using the internet, up from 52% in 2000
About eight in ten adults subscribe to high-speed internet at home
Nine in ten adults own a smartphone, up from 35% when first tracked in 2011
Only 3% of adults had broadband at home in 2000, when 34% still used dial-up
Internet Access Over Time
Comparative Dataset
| Date | Internet Use (%) | Home Broadband (%) | Smartphone Ownership (%) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 52 | 3 | — | [1] |
| 2001 | 55 | 6 | — | [1] |
| 2002 | 59 | 11 | — | [1] |
| 2003 | 61 | 16 | — | [1] |
| 2004 | 63 | 24 | — | [1] |
| 2005 | 68 | 33 | — | [1] |
| 2006 | 71 | 42 | — | [1] |
| 2007 | 74 | 47 | — | [1] |
| 2008 | 74 | 55 | — | [1] |
| 2009 | 76 | 63 | — | [1] |
| 2010 | 76 | 66 | — | [1] |
| 2011 | 79 | — | 35 | [1] |
| 2012 | 83 | 66 | 46 | [1] |
| 2013 | 84 | 70 | 56 | [2] |
| 2014 | 84 | — | — | [2] |
| 2015 | — | 67 | — | [14] |
| 2016 | — | 73 | 77 | [1] |
| 2018 | — | 65 | — | [1] |
| 2019 | 90 | 73 | 81 | [3] |
| 2021 | 93 | 77 | 85 | [4] |
| 2023 | 95 | 80 | — | [5] |
| 2025 | 96 | 78 | 91 | [6] |
Context
Internet adoption among U.S. adults grew from 52% in 2000 to 96% by 2025. The fastest growth occurred between 2000 and 2012, when usage rose by roughly 30 percentage points. Since 2013, adoption has continued climbing more gradually, approaching near-universal levels among working-age adults while gaps persist among those 65 and older and in lower-income households.
Home broadband subscriptions followed a different trajectory, rising steeply from 3% in 2000 to 66% by 2010 as cable and DSL replaced dial-up. Broadband adoption plateaued in the mid-2010s, dipping from 70% in 2013 to 67% in 2015 before recovering to 80% in 2023. The slight decline to 78% in 2025 may reflect increased reliance on smartphone-only internet access among some households, as well as changes in survey methodology.
Smartphone ownership grew rapidly from 35% in 2011 to 91% in 2025. The spread of mobile internet access has narrowed some digital divides by providing connectivity without requiring a fixed broadband subscription. Pew Research Center's shift from phone-only surveys (2000–2021) to mixed-mode surveys incorporating web and mail (2023 onward) may affect direct comparisons across some data points.
Citations & Data Sources
- 01.
Pew Research Center. Demographics of Internet and Home Broadband Usage in the United States. Internet and broadband fact sheet with historical trend data
www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband - 02.
Pew Research Center. Americans' Internet Access: Percent of Adults 2000–2015. Historical internet use data for 2000–2015
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/06/26/americans-internet-access-2000-2015 - 03.
Pew Research Center. Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2019. Survey of U.S. adults on broadband and smartphone use, 2019
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/06/13/mobile-technology-and-home-broadband-2019 - 04.
Pew Research Center. Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021. Survey of U.S. adults on broadband and smartphone use, 2021
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/06/03/mobile-technology-and-home-broadband-2021 - 05.
Pew Research Center. Americans' Use of Mobile Technology and Home Broadband. Survey of 5,733 U.S. adults, May 19–Sep. 5, 2023
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-use-of-mobile-technology-and-home-broadband - 06.
Pew Research Center. Internet use, smartphone ownership, digital divides in the US: What we know. Overview of 2025 data on internet use, broadband, and smartphone ownership
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/01/08/internet-use-smartphone-ownership-digital-divides-in-u-s - 07.
Pew Research Center. Broadband vs. Dial-up Adoption Over Time. Historical data on dial-up vs. broadband home connections, 2000–2013
www.pewresearch.org/chart/broadband-vs-dial-up-adoption-over-time - 08.
Pew Research Center. Home Broadband Adoption 2005. Reports 30–33% broadband adoption in early 2005
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2005/09/21/findings - 09.
Pew Research Center. Part 1: Broadband Adoption in the United States (2006). Reports 42% broadband adoption in early 2006
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2006/05/28/part-1-broadband-adoption-in-the-united-states - 10.
Pew Research Center. Home Broadband Adoption 2007. Reports 47% broadband adoption in 2007
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2007/07/03/home-broadband-adoption-2007 - 11.
Pew Research Center. Home Broadband 2010. Reports broadband adoption trends 2008–2010
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2010/08/11/home-broadband-2010 - 12.
Pew Research Center. Digital Differences. Reports 66% broadband adoption in April 2012
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/04/13/digital-differences - 13.
Pew Research Center. Home Broadband 2013. Reports 70% broadband adoption in May 2013
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/08/26/home-broadband-2013 - 14.
Pew Research Center. Home Broadband Adoption: Modest Decline from 2013 to 2015. Reports 67% broadband adoption in July 2015
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/12/21/1-home-broadband-adoption-modest-decline-from-2013-to-2015 - 15.
Pew Research Center. Nearly Half of American Adults Are Smartphone Owners. Reports 35% smartphone ownership in 2011 and 46% in February 2012
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/03/01/nearly-half-of-american-adults-are-smartphone-owners - 16.
Pew Research Center. Smartphone Ownership 2013. Reports 56% smartphone ownership in May 2013
www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/06/05/smartphone-ownership-2013