Commentary

Growth in US Affluent Online

Growth in US Affluent Online

According to a recent report from Nielsen//NetRatings, US households making annual salaries of between $100,000 and $150,000 represent the fastest growing income group online, rising by 20% between September 2001 and September 2002. Following close behind, reports Nielsen, is the income group of those making between $150,000 and $999,999, increasing by 14% over the same period of time.

It is important to note, however, that Nielsen finds the income group with the largest unique audience online is actually that with annual household salaries between $50,000 and $74,999, with roughly 37.3 million people as of September 2002. The income bracket of between $100,000 and $149,999 has 14.9 million unique at-home and at-work users as of September.

Internet Users by Household Income (Million users; $x000)

September 2001September 2002Year/Year Growth
< $257.0%7.1%2%
25-49.930.632.35
50-74.933.737.311
75-99.918.620.712
100-149.912.514.920
150-999.95.66.414

Source: Nielsen//Netratings, Sept 2002

To put the Nielsen numbers into better perspective, eMarketer's North America Online Report presents data from the US Department of Commerce (DoC) which indicates that as of September 2001, 44.5 million internet users came from households making $75,000 and over. The DoC numbers also indicate that 30.1 million internet users came from households making between $50,000 and $74,999.

Mediamark Research reported in May 2002 that just 8.9% of households making $150,000 and over had used the internet before, whereas 25.2% of people from households making between $50,000 and $74,999 had used the internet.

Income (x000) and Internet Users as % of Population

$150$75-150$50-75<$50
Total adults5.9%22.9%20.7%50.5%
Any Internet usage8.933.025.232.9
Have Internet access From anywhere7.728.623.939.8
Have home net access9.533.625.231.6
Have work net access11.940.425.821.9
Used net past 30 days from anywhere9.033.225.332.5
Used net past 30 days from home10.135.025.229.7
Used net past 30 days from work12.942.425.818.9

Source: Mediamark Research, Inc May, 2002

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