Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In 2013, almost six out of ten children, ages three to 17 (57 percent), used
the Internet at home, nearly six times as many as in 1997 (11 percent).
Seventy-nine percent had a computer at home, up from 15 percent in
1984.
Importance
Home access to computers and the Internet has expanded dramatically over the last two
decades, and the ways children, youth, and adults use these tools are in rapid flux, as new
technologies are developed. For example, Internet-enabled devices now include not only
computers, but televisions, electronic books, and other handheld devices such as music
players and cell-phones. Increasingly, the lines are blurred between computers and many other
types of electronic media.
Young people are most likely to use a computer for social networking, playing games, and
watching videos. Ten percent report reading magazines or newspapers online. Among older
youth (in grades seven through twelve), more than half (55 percent) have looked up online
1
health information.
Research on the effects of home computer and Internet use on children is limited and often
does not control for the presence of other potentially confounding factors. However, there is
widespread concern that children may be exposed to sexually explicit, violent, and other age-
inappropriate content on the Internet. Research, while inconclusive about the impact of
nonviolent sexually explicit material, has consistently demonstrated that exposure to violent
material (both sexual in nature and not) is associated with desensitization to violence,
increased hostility and imitation of violent behaviors, and greater anxiety and fear among
2
children and youth. In addition, time spent with a computer may take the place of time spent
exercising or being active, and may put children at risk for obesity, and eye, wrist, and back
3
problems.
There is little evidence that having a computer at home improves student’s academic
performance, or narrows achievement gaps associated with race or socio-economic status. To
the contrary, the available evidence suggests that widespread provision of home computers
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would have negative effects on academic achievement overall.
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
December 2015
Trends
The proportion of children with home access to computers increased steadily until 2012, from
15 percent in 1984 to 76 percent in 2003, to 85 percent in 2012. In addition, the percentage of
children who use the Internet at home rose from 11 percent in 1997, the first year for which
such estimates are available, to 42 percent in 2003, and to 62 percent in 2012. However, both
computer ownership and Internet usage at home decreased in 2013, to 79 and 57 percent,
respectively. (Figure 1)
Figure 1
Percentage of Children Ages 3 to 17 Who Have Access to a
Computer at home and Who Use the Internet at Home,
Selected Years, 1984-2013
100.0
84.9
75.5
80.0
70.4 78.5
Home Computer Access
65.0
62.0
60.0
Percent
49.7 57.1
41.1 42.0
40.0
31.9
30.4
Home Internet Use
24.2
20.0
15.3 10.8
0.0
1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015
S ourc e: D ata for 1 9 84: Kominski, R. "C omputer U se in the U nited S tates:1984." Current Population Reports, S eries P -23, N o. 1 55, U .S . D epartment of C ommerce
E c onomics and S tatistics A dministration, U .S. C ensus Bureau, M arch 1 998. D ata for 1 9 89: Kominski, R. " C omputer U se in the U nited S tates:1 989." C urrent P opulation
Reports , Series P -23, N o. 1 71, U .S. D epartment of C ommerce Economics and S tatistics A dministration, U .S. C ensus Bureau, O ctober 1 989. D ata for 1 9 93: " Computer
U s e in the U nited States: O ctober 1 993" U .S. D epartment of C ommerce Economics and S tatistics Administration, U .S. C ensus Bureau, O ctober 1 993. D ata for 1 9 97:
N ewburger, E . C . "C omputer U se in the U nited States: 1 997, P opulation Characteristics" C urrent P opulation Reports, P 20-522, U .S. D epartment of C ommerce E conomics
and Statistics Administration, U .S . C ensus Bureau, O ctober 1 997. D ata for 2 0 00: N ewburger, E . C . " H ome C omputers and I nternet U se in the U nited S tates: S pecial
S tudies " C urrent P opulation Reports, P 2 3-207, U .S. D epartment of C ommerce E conomics and S tatistics A dministration, U .S. C ensus Bureau, A ugust 2 000.
D ata for 2 0 01: C hild T rends calculations of data from U .S . C ens us. " Computer and I nternet U se in the U nited S tates, 2 001." T ables 2 A and 4 A.
D ata for 2 0 03: C hild T rends calculations using data from U .S. C ensus. "C omputer and I nternet Use in the U nited States: October 2 003."
T ables 2 A and 4 A . http://www.c ens us .gov/population/www/s oc demo/computer/2 003.html. D ata for 2 0 1 0-2013:: C hild T rends' original analysis of
O c tober C urrent P opulation Survey
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Figure 2
Percentage of Children Ages 3-17 Who Have Access to
Computers and Use the Internet at Home,
by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2013
100
91
87 Home Computer Access Home Internet Use
80
64 65 66
62
60
Percent
48 47
40
20
0
Non-Hispanic White Black Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander
Source: Child Trends' original analysis of the July 2013 Current Population Survey.
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Figure 3
Percentage of Children Ages 3 to 17 Who Have Access
to Computers at Home, by Income Level, 2013
100
94
86
80
80
68
62 61
60
Percent
49
40
20
0
Under $15,000 $15,000-19,999 $20,000-24,999 $25,000-34,999 $35,000-49,999 $50,000-74,999 $75,000+
Source: Child Trends' original analysis of the July 2013 Current Population Survey
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Figure 4
Percentage of Children Ages 3-17 Who Have Access to
Computers and Use the Internet at Home,
by Parental Education, 2013
100
94
Home Computer Access
Home Internet Use
84
80
68 70
61
60
Percent
51
48
39
40
20
0
Less than high school High school diploma/GED Some college Bachelor's degree or more
diploma
Source: Child Trends' original analysis of the July 2013 Current Population Survey
.
Differences by Age
Home internet usage rises with increasing age. One in three children ages three to five years
use the Internet at home, compared with 54 percent of six- to eleven-year-olds and 72 percent
of twelve- to 17-year-olds. (Appendix 2)
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International Estimates
The World Economic Forum has issued a report which includes 2012 country-level data on the
percentage of households with a personal computer and access to the Internet. Available at:
www3.weforum.org/docs/Global_IT_Report_2012.pdf (page 362)
National Goals
None.
Related Indicators
Watching Television: www.childtrends.org/?indicators=watching-television
Definition
Children who have access to a computer at home are defined as those living in a household
with at least one computer. Some year-to-year changes in the data may be a result of changes
in question wording.
Between 1984 and 1997, this was any household that responded yes to the question: “Is there a
computer in this household?” In 2000, the question was changed to: “Is there a personal
computer or laptop in this household?” In 2001 and 2003, the question was “Is there a
computer or laptop in this household?” In 2010, the question was: “At home, do you or any
member of this household own or use a desktop, laptop, netbook or notebook computer?” In
2011 and 2012, the question was: “How many desktop, laptop, netbook, notebook, and tablet
computers are there in use in this household?” In 2013, the question was changed to “Does
anyone in this household use a desktop, laptop, netbook or notebook computer, or a tablet
computer such as an Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy, at home?”
Children and youth who use the Internet at home are defined as those who answered yes to
whether they access the Internet at home; question wording has changed slightly since 1997.
Since 2011, the question has specifically referred to accessing the Internet at home using
mobile devices.
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Data Sources
Data for 2010-2013: Child Trends' original analysis of the Current Population Survey.
Income data for 2003: Day, J. C., Janus, A., and Davis, J. (2005). Computer and
Internet use in the United States: 2003. U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population
Reports, http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf.
All other data for 2003: Child Trends calculations using data from U.S. Census.
Computer and Internet use in the United States: October 2003. Tables 2A and 4A.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/2003.html
Data for income 2001: U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics
Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. (2002). A nation online: How Americans are
expanding their use of the Internet. Table 5-1.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/index.html
All other data for 2001: U.S. Census Bureau. (2001). Computer and Internet use in the
United States. Table 2A and 4A.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/2001.html
Data for 2000: Newburger, E. C. (2001). Home computers and Internet use in the
United States: Special studies. Current Population Reports, P23-207, U.S. Department
of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. Table B.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/p23-207.pdf
Data for 1997: Newburger, E. C. (1999). Computer use in the United States: 1997,
population characteristics. Current Population Reports, P20-522, U.S. Department of
Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. Detailed
table 2. http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/1997.html
Data for 1993: U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration,
U.S. Census Bureau. (1993). Computer use in the United States: October 1993. Table C.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/1993.html
Data for 1989: Kominski, R. (1991). Computer use in the United States: 1989. Current
Population Reports, Series P-23, No. 171, U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and
Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. Detailed table 2.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/1989.html
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Data for 1984: Kominski, R. (1988). Computer use in the United States: 1984. Current
Population Reports, Series P-23, No. 155, U.S. Department of Commerce Economics
and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. Detailed table 2.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/computer/publications/1984.html
http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/technical-documentation.html
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Total 15.3 24.2 31.9 49.7 65.0 70.4 75.5 82.9 83.2 84.9 78.5
Gender
Male 16.8 25.2 31.5 50.1 65.3 70.0 75.2 82.6 83.2 84.8 78.3
Female 13.6 23.1 32.4 49.3 64.8 70.9 75.9 83.3 83.3 85.1 78.7
Age
3 to 5 years 10.8 16.8 10.9 40.6 58.0 62.9 70.2 78.7 79.2 82.7 75.8
6 to 11 years 15.3 22.1 23.3 49.1 64.1 - - 82.4 82.7 85.2 77.4
12 to 17 years 16.8 27.7 28.0 55.1 69.5 - - 85.7 86.0 87.4 80.9
3 to 5 years 10.8 16.8 10.9 40.6 58.0 62.9 70.2 78.7 79.2 82.7 75.8
6 to 9 years 14.3 20.7 21.9 47.0 - 67.8 73.3 81.6 82.1 84.8 76.6
10 to 14 years 17.6 26.6 27.6 54.7 - 73.3 78.0 84.9 84.7 86.7 79.7
15 to 17 years 15.7 27.7 27.4 54.7 - 76.1 79.2 85.9 86.6 87.7 81.7
Race and Hispanic Origin
White 17.1 26.7 35.8 - 69.7 75.3 79.6 85.1 84.7 86.6 80.8
White, non-Hispanic - - - 61.5 77.3 82.8 86.5 90.5 91.0 91.4 86.8
Black3 6.1 10.6 13.0 24.2 42.5 45.5 54.0 70.6 74.1 74.5 65.0
Hispanic 4.6 9.6 12.1 23.0 37.1 46.7 54.9 71.4 69.2 75.4 66.2
Asian and Pacific
Islander - - - - 71.9 81.3 - 91.8 93.5 91.5 90.7
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(computer at home) 1984 1989 1993 1997 2000 2001 2003 2010 2011 2012 2013
Householder's Education
Less than high school
diploma 4.2 6.4 7.6 15.2 30.1 37.8 46.6 57.2 57.5 62.8 51.4
High school diploma/GED 12.0 16.6 20.7 40.1 55.8 64.2 68.4 77.3 76.9 77.6 68.2
Some college 20.5 30.6 37.4 57.1 74.8 77.2 81.9 88.5 88.3 89.0 84.2
Bachelor's degree or
more 30.4 48.6 62.7 80.0 89.9 92.1 93.5 95.7 96.7 97.4 94.3
Family Structure
Family households - - - - 65.2 70.6 75.7 83.1 83.3 85.0 78.5
Married-couple
household 17.8 28.3 38.3 59.0 73.6 78.8 82.3 88.4 88.5 90.6 84.9
Male householder 8.9 19.2 23.2 33.4 48.8 57.4 64.2 75.8 76.5 77.7 71.1
Female householder 7.2 11.0 13.9 25.3 43.0 48.7 58.0 70.0 71.7 72.9 64.6
Nonfamily household - - - - 50.0 54.9 61.7 68.9 74.7 76.1 75.0
Household Income
Under $25,000 7.2 11.4 11.6 20.0 32.9 40.0 47.2 60.9 62.2 65.0 54.0
Under $15,000 4.6 6.8 7.6 15.6 27.3 33.3 42.8 54.2 57.9 62.1 48.5
$15,000-19,999 9.3 14.5 16.2 21.3 36.0 - 49.2 69.3 66.2 66.8 62.3
$20,000-24,999 13.0 22.0 19.0 31.0 41.9 - - 70.1 69.3 70.6 61.4
$25,000-$49,999 22.7 31.0 32.9 51.4 63.5 68.7 74.3 82.3 79.2 82.1 74.0
$25,000-34,999 19.4 26.2 27.4 43.0 53.9 59.7 - 78.2 74.1 77.6 67.6
$35,000-49,999 27.8 38.0 37.5 58.1 71.4 75.7 - 86.0 83.4 86.1 79.6
$50,000-74,999 - 47.9 55.8 72.4 82.6 86.9 88.1 90.9 93.5 93.0 86.4
$75,000+ - 62.8 75.2 88.4 93.2 94.9 95.6 95.9 97.1 97.8 94.4
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(computer at home) 1984 1989 1993 1997 2000 2001 2003 2010 2011 2012 2013
Region
Northeast 19.3 30.4 35.3 54.0 70.2 75.4 81.8 87.6 89.0 87.8 81.7
Midwest 15.9 24.0 32.5 53.7 68.6 74.3 77.6 82.9 86.3 86.0 82.6
South 12.3 20.6 26.9 43.6 60.9 65.4 71.4 80.3 79.5 82.8 74.4
West 15.8 25.1 36.1 51.2 63.6 70.1 75.5 83.9 82.5 85.5 79.1
Metropolitan Status
Metropolitan - - - - 65.9 - - 83.5 84.1 85.6 79.1
Inside central city - - - - 53.4 - - 78.1 78.7 80.2 72.7
Outside central city - - - - 72.8 - - 86.9 87.1 89.1 83.0
Nonmetropolitan - - - - 61.1 - - 80.1 78.3 80.9 74.8
1
Wording of the question has changed slightly over time, and some year-to-year changes may be a result of changes in question wording. Between 1984
and 1997, the question was: “Is there a computer in this household?”. In 2000, the question was changed to: “Is there a personal computer or laptop in
this household?”. In 2001 and 2003, the question was “Is there a computer or laptop in this household?”. In 2010, the question was: “At home, do you or
any member of this household own or use a desktop, laptop, netbook or notebook computer?”. In 2011 and 2012, the question was: “How many desktop,
laptop, netbook, notebook, and tablet computers are there in use in this household?”. In 2013, the question was changed to “Does anyone in this
household use a desktop, laptop, netbook or notebook computer, or a tablet computer such as an Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy, at home?”.
2
In most years, data were collected in October. However, in 2000, data were collected in August; in 2001, data were collected in September; and, in 2011
3
Estimates for 1997 are for non-Hispanic blacks only.
Source: Data for 1984: Kominski, R. (1998). Computer use in the United States: 1984: Bureau of the Census. Data for 1989: Kominski, R. (1989).
Computer use in the United States: 1989: Bureau of the Census. Data for 1993: Education and Social Stratification Branch. (1993). Use of computers at
home and school by persons 3 to 17 years old: October 1993. Suitland, MD: Bureau of the Census. Data for 1997: Newburger, E. C. (1997) Computer use
in the United States: 1997: Bureau of the Census. Data for 2000: Newburger, E. C. (2000) Computer use in the United States: Special studies: Bureau of
the Census. Income data for 2001: Bureau of the Census. (2002). A nation online: how Americans are expanding their use of the Internet: Bureau of the
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
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Census. All other data for 2001: Child Trends calculations using data from U.S. Census. Computer and Internet Use in the United States, 2001: Tables 2A
and 4A. Income data for 2003: Day, J. C., Janus, A., and Davis, J. (2005) Computer and internet use in the United States: 2003: U.S. Census Bureau,
Current Population Reports. Available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf. All other data for 2003: Child Trends calculations using data
from U.S. Census. "Computer and Internet Use in the United States: October 2003." Tables 2A and 4A. available at:
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/computer/2003.html. Data for 2010-2013: Child Trends' original analysis of the Current Population
Survey.
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Home Computer Access and Internet Use
December 2015
(Internet at home) 1997 2000 2001 2003 2010 2011 2012 2013
Householder's Education
Less than high school
diploma 1.9 11.1 17.2 19.9 32.9 36.0 39.8 39.1
High school diploma/GED 6.1 24.3 35.3 35.6 50.6 51.0 55.8 48.2
Some college 11.5 34.9 45.5 46.3 61.0 61.5 64.7 60.7
Bachelor's degree or more 23.2 46.6 59.1 57.3 70.3 69.1 75.0 69.6
Family Structure
Family households - 30.5 41.2 42.1 56.8 57.6 62.2 57.2
Married-couple
household 13.1 35.1 46.6 46.4 61.6 61.2 67.0 61.8
Male householder 7.5 23.9 33.4 35.1 50.0 52.0 57.4 50.3
Female householder 4.5 17.8 26.7 30.4 45.0 49.3 51.5 47.7
Nonfamily household - 24.8 31.6 33.6 46.6 49.0 47.6 44.5
Household Income
Under $25,000 2.4 10.7 17.5 19.2 34.7 38.7 40.4 38.4
Under $15,000 1.7 7.7 14.3 16.5 30.1 35.4 36.0 33.4
$15,000-19,999 3.3 12.9 - 19.9 41.8 43.1 42.9 47.3
$20,000-24,999 3.7 15.2 - - 40.1 42.6 48.9 44.0
$25,000-$49,999 8.0 26.9 36.5 37.6 52.7 51.9 56.7 51.7
$25,000-34,999 6.2 21.0 28.9 - 47.0 48.9 52.6 48.6
$35,000-49,999 9.5 31.8 42.4 - 57.8 54.4 60.5 54.4
$50,000-74,999 17.8 39.9 52.1 50.8 63.1 64.4 69.9 62.3
$75,000+ 27.3 51.7 63.4 63.4 73.0 71.3 77.3 71.0
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(Internet at home) 1997 2000 2001 2003 2010 2011 2012 2013
Region
Northeast 13.3 35.5 47.2 49.2 61.7 61.4 66.8 60.2
Midwest 10.3 32.1 43.5 44.8 58.3 61.6 65.1 61.9
South 9.2 27.6 38.7 38.7 53.8 54.1 58.8 53.5
West 11.7 29.0 37.5 38.9 56.5 56.5 61.1 56.2
Metropolitan Status
Metropolitan - 30.8 - - 57.7 58.4 63.2 57.6
Inside central city - 23.7 - - 51.0 53.1 57.1 51.7
Outside central city - 34.7 - - 61.9 61.2 67.5 61.1
Nonmetropolitan - 28.7 - - 51.3 52.2 55.4 54.3
1
In most years, data were collected in October. However, in 2000, data were collected in August; in 2001, data were collected in September; and, in 2011
2
Estimates for 1997 are for non-Hispanic blacks only.
Source: Data for 1997: Newburger, E. C. (1997) Computer use in the United States: 1997: Bureau of the Census. Data for 2000: Newburger, E. C. (2000)
Computer use in the United States: Special studies: Bureau of the Census. Income data for 2001: Bureau of the Census. (2002). A nation online: how
Americans are expanding their use of the Internet: Bureau of the Census. All other data for 2001: Child Trends calculations using data from U.S. Census.
Computer and Internet Use in the United States, 2001: Tables 2A and 4A. Income data for 2003: Day, J. C., Janus, A., and Davis, J. (2005) Computer and
internet use in the United States: 2003: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports. Available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-
208.pdf. All other data for 2003: Child Trends calculations using data from U.S. Census. "Computer and Internet Use in the United States: October 2003."
Tables 2A and 4A. available at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/computer/2003.html. Data for 2010-2013: Child Trends' original
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Endnotes
1 2
Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., and Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M : Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-
exposure to inappropriate material on the Internet: Summary of a Workshop. Board on Children, Youth,
and Families and Computer Science and Telecommunications Board. Joah G. Iannotta, ed. Washington,
3
Shields, M. K., and Behrman, R. E. (Fall/Winter 2000). Children and computer technology: Analysis and
recommendations. The Future of Children, 10(2): 4-30. Available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/1602687
4
See, for example, Clotfelter, C. T., Ladd, H. F., and Vigdor, J. L. (2008). Scaling the digital divide: Home
computer technology and student achievement. Durham, NC: Duke University. Available at
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/events/colloquia/Vigdor_ScalingtheDigitalDivide.pdf
5
Rideout, V. J. et al., op. cit.
6
Hispanics may be any race, though whites in this report refer to non-Hispanic whites only.
17