Online in the Golden Years According to a recent SeniorNet report, 46% of US seniors (people age 50 and older) have been using the internet for over five years. Additionally, 41% have
been online for between two and five years, and 76% taught themselves how to use the net.
Amount of Time US Seniors Have Been Online (% of Respondents)
- <6 mos 1%
- 6-11 mos
3%
- 12-23 mos 8%
- 2-5 yrs 41%
- > 5 yrs 46%
source: SeniorNet Nov 2002
SeniorNet surveyed 2,084 people in the US age 50 and older between September and November
2002 and determined that 94% of seniors use the net to communicate with friends and family.
Online Activities Among US Seniors (% of respondents)
- Stay in touch with friends
and relatives 94%
- Stay current with news and events 72%
- Research health information 70%
- Make purchases online 52%
- Research other topics 51%
-
Research products/services to purchase offline 49%
- Research or check stocks and investments 38%
- Play games 35%
- Genealogy research 27%
- Access discussions 17%
-
Access chat rooms 13%
- Perform investment transaction 13%
- Buy or sell on eBay 12%
- Other 15%
Source: SeniorNet, November 2002
Contrary to the
popular belief that older internet users were taught how to use the net by their children or grandchildren, SeniorNet finds that 76% say they taught themselves. Another 37% say they took a class to
learn and just 30% say they got help from a relative.
eMarketer's report compares 2001 estimates on the number of seniors online:
US Seniors (65+) Online (% of population)
Census
Bureau 9/01 12.8% Pew Internet & American Life Project 9/01 15% Scarborough Research 2001 30%
Source: eMarketer & others More recently, Forrester Research estimates that
45% of seniors in North America, age 58 and older, are online.
Tech Profile of Seniors and Boomers in North America
| Boomers (age 48-57) | Seniors (age 58+) |
| HH Income | $60,843 | $43,687 |
| College degree | 36% | 24% |
| Have computer | 70% | 55% |
| Have mobile phone | 56% | 41%
|
| Have PDA | 7% | 2% |
| Are online | 64% | 45% |
| At-home broadband access | 17% | 12% |
Source: Forrester Research,
Dec 2002 You can find out more here.