Overview
- The national survey presented June 16 found 104.9 million internet users in 2025, equal to 86.1% of the population and a 29-point rise since 2015 that added roughly 43 million people online.
- Older adults drove an unusual recent surge with people aged 75 and over rising from about 3% internet use in 2015 to roughly 30% in 2025, and the 65–74 group now at about 58%.
- Device habits have shifted: smartphones are the main access point with nearly all cellphone users on smartphones, smart TVs reach about half of users and three quarters of TV-owning households, while computer use has fallen.
- Persistent barriers limit meaningful use: about 21.7% of households say they cannot afford service and many non-users report they do not know how to use the internet, keeping advanced digital activities like e‑commerce uneven.
- The survey, applied to 65,057 households in Aug–Oct 2025, shows the urban–rural gap narrowed to about 14 points but highlights lagging southern states and points to next steps of affordability measures, infrastructure in low‑coverage states, and large-scale digital skills programs.