• by April 25, 2002

The number of adults accessing the web increased by 8.5% last year in the 85 metro markets surveyed by The Media Audit.

Collectively, 74.5 million out of a total adult population in the 85 markets of approximately 128.3 million "logged on during the past month." For the previous year the collective total was 68.7 million. As a percentage of the population being surveyed, those accessing the Internet increased from 54.9% in 2000 to 58.0% in 2001.

According to The Media Audit data, three metro markets have surpassed 70% access and 30 markets have surpassed 60%. "Growth slows after the individual markets achieve about 60% access," says Bob Jordan, co-chairman of International Demographics, Inc., which produces The Media Audit.

Broader Audience

Jordan also said that as the Internet continues to grow, it is becoming more reflective of the total US population. "The median age is increasing and the median income is decreasing as you would expect. The Internet is no longer the exclusive playground of the young and affluent. It's looking more and more like a very essential utility for people of all ages."

Leading the 85 metro markets in Internet access are Madison, Wisconsin and Washington, DC, each with 73.4%, and Ann Arbor, Michigan with 70.2%. "How much more growth is there beyond 70%?" Jordan asks. "Its very difficult, maybe impossible, to make a fact-based projection. Content and cost would seem to be among the primary variables influencing growth and its difficult to predict the future of those factors. We think it's reasonable to expect continued, but moderate growth."

The 30 markets with access rates of more than 60% are: Austin, 68.8%; Denver, 68.4%; Seattle-Tacoma, 67.4%; Des Moines, 67.1%; Minneapolis-St. Paul, 67.1%; San Jose, 66.8%; Atlanta, 66.1%; Hartford, 66.0%; Columbia-Jefferson City, 65.7%; Sacramento, 65.3%; Boston, 64.8%; Raleigh/Durham, 64.6%; Orlando, 64.4%; Cedar Rapids, 64.3%; Salt Lake, 63.5%; San Francisco, 63.3%; Indianapolis, 63.2%; San Diego, 62.6%; Portland, 62.4%; Spokane, 61.6%; Reno, 61.5%; Richmond, 61.5%; Phoenix, 61.2%; Baltimore, 60.7%; Omaha-Council Bluffs, 60.6%; Colorado Springs, 60.6%; Norfolk, 60.5%; Kansas City, 60.4%; Las Vegas, 60.3%; and Chicago, 60.2%.