session focused on identifying and using appropriate technologies to conduct research on low-income populations

1. PewInternet.org
Technology use by different
income groups
Annual Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
May 29, 2013
Mary Madden: Senior Researcher, Pew Internet Project
Email: mmadden@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @mary_madden

2. Which Pew are you?
• Part of the Pew Research Center, a
nonpartisan “fact tank” based in DC.
• PRC’s mission: provide high quality, impartial
research that is freely available to the public
• Data from nationally representative telephone
surveys of U.S. adults (on landlines and cell
phones)
• For 13+ years of tech use data:
www.pewinternet.org

3. Keep in mind…
Low income = <30K in HH income/per yr
- 10-15% respondents don’t report income
- Lower levels of education
- Higher proportion of young adults + seniors
More likely to be:
• African-American or Hispanic
• Living in rural areas

4. Internet users – 85% of adults
December 2012
73%
90% 95% 99%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

5. Broadband at home – 68% of adults
December 2012
47%
71%
86% 89%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50k $5K-$75K Over $75K

6. Cell phones - 89% of adults
January 2013
85%
89%
97% 97%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

7. Mobile devices are changing the
way we think about
connectivity…

8. “Cell-mostly” internet use
• 31% of cell internet users do most of their
online browsing on their phones
Less than $30K = 43%*
$30K-50K = 36%*
$50-75K = 24%
Over $75K = 21%

9. Other devices

10. Desktop or laptop - 78% of adults
December 2012
59%
81%
89%
96%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

11. Tablet- 31% of adults
January 2013
26% 24%
30%
50%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

12. Internet activities

13. Search engines
% of internet users in February 2012
84%
93%
97% 95%
45%
54%
66%
76%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"

14. Health information in past 12 months
% of internet users in September 2012
65%
71%
81% 80%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

15. SNS – 67% of internet users
December 2012
Less than $30K = 72%
$30K-50K = 65%
$50-75K = 66%
Over $75K = 66%

16. Cell phone activities

17. Use email via phone
% of cell owners September 2012
39%
45%
56%
70%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

18. Get news on phone
% of cell users in April 2012
29% 31%
43%
53%
11%
19%
22%
33%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"

19. Mobile pix
% of cell owners September 2012
77%
83% 85%
90%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

20. Texting
% of cell owners September 2012
78% 78%
89% 90%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

21. Use social networking site on phone
% of cell users in April 2012
38% 40%
48%
45%
25%
29%
36%
32%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"

22. Do banking on phone
% of cell users in September 2012
27%
31%
34% 35%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K

23. Get health information on phone
% of cell users in April 2012
20%
23%
25%
32%
4% 3% 2%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"

24. Visit govt. website on phone
% of cell users in April 2012
15% 14%
22% 21%
3% 2%
4% 4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"

25. Teens (12-17)

26. Teen Internet Access Demographics
% of teens in each demographic group
Access the
Internet
Mobile Access
to Internet
(phone, tablet,
etc)
Access
Internet
Mostly on Cell
Phone
All teens, ages 12-17 (n=802) 95% 74% 25%
Teen Gender
a Boys(n=405) 97b 72 20
b Girls (n=397) 93 76 29a
Age of Teen
a 12-13 (n=246) 93 71 16
b 14-17 (n=556) 96 76 29a
Parent Household Income
a Less than $30,000/yr (n=154) 89 66 30c
b $30,000-$49,999 (n=155) 94 72 25c
c $50,000-$74,999 (n=110) 99a 79 14
d $75,000+ (n=335) 99ab 79a 24c
Source: Pew Internet Teens and Privacy Management Survey, July 26-September 30, 2012. N=802 parents of teens ages 12-17 and 802
teens ages 12-17. Margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points.
Note: Columns marked with a superscript letter (a) or another letter indicate a statistically significant difference between that row and the
row designated by that superscript letter. Statistical significance is determined inside the specific section covering each demographic trait.

27. Twitter and social networking site usage demographics
Among teen internet users, the % who use a SNS or Twitter, by demographic
Use a social
networking site
Use Twitter
All teen internet users (n=778) 81% 24%
Gender
a Boys (n=395) 79 19
b Girls (n=383) 84 31
a
Age
a 12-13 (n=234) 65 13
b 14-17 (n=544) 89
a
30
a
Annual Household Income
a Less than $50,000 (n=292) 83 24
b $50,000 or more (n=440) 78 24

28. Thanks!
Mary Madden: Senior Researcher, Pew Internet Project
Email: mmadden@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @mary_madden