With more big TV and movie entertainment coming into homes and at-home consumption rising due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TV sets are growing in size as well as in sales, according to the NPD Group.

The average size of a new U.S. TV set climbed to 51 inches from 49 inches in November 2019 (and 47 inches in November 2018), according to the marketing data research company.

Newly bought, bigger TV screens of 60 inches or more now comprise 15% of the market, up from 11% a year ago. In addition, the average age of a TV set is also now less at 4.9 years, down from 5.4 years in age last year.

TV sales are up 19% so far for 2020 -- from January 5, 2020 to December 5, 2020 -- versus the same period a year ago. Through Cyber Monday week just after the Thanksgiving holiday, sales of 65-inch TV sales grew 27%, while sales of 70-inch and larger screens soared 82%.

In terms of share of market, 65-inch and larger TV sets make up 21% of sales (up from 18% in 2019 and 13% in 2018). The NPD Group projects that in two years -- in 2022 -- TV sets that are 65 inches and above will comprise 27% of sales.

In 2020 home entertainment grew in importance as a result of the pandemic, as many people worked from home amidst work- and school-related closures, NPD Group says. The year also witnessed the rise of many at-home premium streaming services.