Project Eagle Research Capsule (PERC) #23
September 2006

The Growth of Internet Use in Americans’ Lives:
Statistics from Three Recent Pew Surveys

The Internet’s Growing Role in Life’s Major Moments

John Horrigan and Lee Rainie
Pew Internet & American Life Project
4/19/2006

In 2005, Pew researchers repeated and expanded a major moments survey first done in January 2002. Results showed a striking increase in Internet use as a vital part in Americans’ daily lives and in their important decisions.

• On a typical day in December 2005, 44% of the entire adult population logged on to the Web, compared to 36% in 2002.
• Those who logged in from home at least once a day rose to 35% from 27% in 2002.
• About 60 million Americans (45% of Internet users) said that the Internet helped them make major decisions or handle major life episodes in the past two years. (In 2002, that figure was 45 million.)
• During the three year period since the last survey, Internet use grew by
  
  1. 54% in the number of adults who said the Internet played an important role as they helped someone cope with a major illness. Those who said the Internet played a major role as they themselves coped with a major illness increased 40%.
  2. 50% in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they pursued more training in their careers.
  3. 45% in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they made major investment or financial decisions.
  4. 43% in the number who said the Internet played a major role when they looked for a new place to live.
  5. 42% in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they decided about a college for themselves or their children.
  6. 23% in the number who said the Internet played a major role when they bought a car.
  7. 14% in the number who said the Internet played a major role when they switched jobs.
  
  
• Overall in 2005, 39% of Internet users (53 million people) said the Internet played a crucial or major role in at least one of their major life decisions.
• Only 5% said they encountered bad information during their online research.
• Only 15% said they were sometimes overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the Internet. 71% said they had all the information they needed, and 11% felt the information was incomplete.
• 57% said that online information was their most important source, compared to 37% that preferred offline information. (65% of those who bought a car claimed the Internet as the most important source of information.)
• 34% said that the capacity to connect with other people for advice or sharing of experiences was part of the decision-making dynamic.
• Among those surveyed in 2005, 50% of home Internet users (30% of all Americans) connected to the Internet using broadband technology. In 2002, only 17% of home Internet users (9% of all Americans) connected using broadband.

Internet Penetration and Impact

Mary Madden
Pew Internet& American Life Project
4/26/2006

This report summarizes the results of 3,011 of random-digit telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates between November 2005 and April 2006. Those interviewed were asked whether or not the Internet had improved various aspects of their lives.

• In April 2006, Internet penetration had reached 73% - 147 million - for all American adults. (In January 2005, that figure was 66% - 133 million).
• The share of online Americans who said the Internet had greatly improved their ability to shop doubled - from 16% to 32% - since March 2001.
• The share of online Americans who said the Internet had greatly improved their ability to do their jobs grew to 35%, up from 24% in March 2001.
• The share of online Americans who said the Internet had greatly improved the way they pursued hobbies and interests grew to 33%, up from 20% in March 2001.
• The share of online Americans who said the Internet had greatly improved the way they got information about health care grew to 20%, up from 17% in March 2001.
• Daily Internet users were twice as likely to report that Internet improved their ability to do their jobs "a lot," compared to those who went online only several times a week (45% vs. 17%).
• 39% of daily Internet users reported that the Internet improved the way they pursued hobbies and personal interests "a lot," compared to those who went online only several times a week (21%).
• Among those surveyed between February 15 and April 6, 2006, 42% connected to the Internet using broadband technology, compared to 29% in January 2005.

Home Broadband Adoption 2006

John Horrigan
Pew Internet & American Life Project
5/28/2006

The way users connect to the Internet was the subject of daily tracking surveys that compared home use from March 2005 to March 2006.

• In March 2006, 42% of all American adults had a high-speed Internet connection, compared to 30% in March 2005.
• The 40% increase in home broadband adoption was double the 20% rate of increase between March 2004 and March 2005.
• Nearly half of new Internet users between March 2005 and March 2006 subscribed initially to high-speed use at home.
• Broadband adoption grew by 68% among people in middle-income households (between $40,000 and $50,000 per year).
• Broadband adoption by African-Americans increased by 121%
• Although broadband penetration lagged far behind in rural areas, it still grew at a rate of 39%.
• In December 2005, DSL users reported an average monthly bill of $32 for Internet service, compared to $41 for cable modem users.
• 42% (31 million) of home broadband users had posted content to the Internet, compared to 35% of all Internet users.

www.spcollege.edu/eagle/research/perc/perc23.htm
For a list of previous Project Eagle Research Capsules, go to www.spcollege.edu/eagle/research/perc/index.htm
For more information, contact the project manager: lechnerj@spcollege.edu

The contents of PERC were developed under a grant from the U. S. Department of Education (DOE). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the DOE, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.