Growth of Internet usage in the USA

Written By H. Pike Oliver

The growth of internet usage in the U.S. has been remarkable. Here's a general overview of the trends in five-year increments:

  • 1980–1995: Minimal internet use. The internet was still in its infancy and mainly used by researchers, academics, and government institutions. Per capita usage time was negligible.

  • 1995–2000: The internet became accessible to the public with the rise of web browsers like Netscape and services like AOL. Per capita usage increased but remained limited due to slower connection speeds and fewer accessible devices.

  • 2000–2005: With broadband adoption growing, people began spending more time online—around 3-5 hours per week on average.

  • 2005–2010: Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter surged in popularity, driving up online activity. The average time spent online increased to 10-15 hours per week per capita.

  • 2010–2015: Mobile devices revolutionized internet use, with smartphones making online access nearly constant. Per capita time reached about 20-25 hours per week.

  • 2015–2020: Streaming services, online shopping, and mobile apps pushed online time even higher, nearing 30 hours per week per capita.

  • 2020–2025: During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet usage skyrocketed due to remote work, online learning, and virtual socializing. Per capita usage now averages 40 hours per week or more, depending on demographics.

Growth in Internet users in the United States from 1990 to 2022

World Bank, Internet users for the United States [ITNETUSERP2USA], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ ITNETUSERP2USA, March 19, 2025.

Percentage of population using the Internet in the United States from 2000 to 2024

Statista. (2024, September 20). Percentage of population using the internet in the United States from 2000 to 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/209117/us-internet-penetration/

Daily internet usage per capita in North America from 2011 through 2021.

Petrosyan, A. (2024, January 9). North America: daily internet usage per capita 2011-2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/645644/north-america-daily-time-per-capita-internet/

Sources

  1. Internet users for the United States. FRED. (2024, September 19). https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ITNETUSERP2USA

  2. Statista. (2024, September 20). Percentage of population using the internet in the United States from 2000 to 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/209117/us-internet-penetration/

  3. Petrosyan, A. (2024, January 9). North America: daily internet usage per capita 2011-2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/645644/north-america-daily-time-per-capita-internet/

H. Pike Oliver

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, H. Pike Oliver has worked on real estate development strategies and master-planned communities since the early 1970s, including nearly eight years at the Irvine Company. He resided in the City of Irvine for five years in the 1980s and nine years in the 1990s.

As the founder and sole proprietor of URBANEXUS, Oliver works on advancing equitable and sustainable real estate development and natural lands management. He is also an affiliate instructor at the Runstad Department of Real Estate at the University of Washington.

Early in his career, Oliver worked for public agencies, including the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research where he was a principal contributor to An Urban Strategy for California. Prior to relocating to Seattle in 2013, Oliver taught real estate development at Cornell University and directed the undergraduate program in urban and regional studies. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association and a founder and emeritus member of the California Planning Roundtable.

Oliver is a graduate of the urban studies and planning program at San Francisco State University and earned a master’s degree in urban planning at UCLA.

https://urbanexus.com
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