Total............................................................. 111.1 26.7 28.8 20.6 13.1 22.0 16.6 38.6

Personal Computers

Do Not Use a Personal Computer........... 35.5 17.1 10.8 4.2 1.8 1.6 10.3 20.6

Use a Personal Computer....................... 75.6 9.6 18.0 16.4 11.3 20.3 6.4 17.9

Most-Used Personal Computer

Type of PC

Desk-top Model.................................. 58.6 7.6 14.2 13.1 9.2 14.6 5.0 14.5

Laptop Model...................................... 16.9 2.0 3.8 3.3 2.1 5.7 1.3 3.5

Hours Turned on Per Week

Less than 2 Hours.............................. 13.6 3.1 3.9 3.4 1.7 1.6 1.8 4.8

2 to 15 Hours...................................... 29.1 3.4 7.0 6.6 4.5 7.6 2.3 7.1

16 to 40 Hours.................................... 13.5 1.3 3.2 2.2 2.3 4.5 0.9 2.8

41 to 167 Hours.................................. 6.3 0.8 1.1 1.3 0.9 2.3 0.5 1.2

On All the Time.................................. 13.0 1.1 2.7 2.9 2.0 4.4 0.8 2.1

Status of PC When Not Being Used

Left On............................................... 12.5 1.3 2.6 2.4 1.9 4.3 0.9 2.4

Completely Turned Off....................... 43.6 6.3 11.7 9.6 6.5 9.5 4.3 11.9

Manually Put into Sleep Mode............ 19.4 1.9 3.6 4.4 2.9 6.6 1.2 3.7

CPU Goes to Sleep When PC is Left On

Yes................................................. 9.1 1.0 1.8 1.7 1.2 3.3 0.7 1.8

No................................................... 3.4 0.3 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.0 0.2 0.6

Type of Monitor Used

Desk-top

CRT (Standard Monitor).................. 45.0 6.6 11.6 10.2 6.5 10.1 4.4 12.1

Flat-Panel LCD............................... 13.6 1.0 2.6 2.8 2.7 4.5 0.6 2.4

Laptop (Flat-panel LCD)..................... 16.9 2.0 3.8 3.3 2.1 5.7 1.3 3.5

Status of Monitor When Not in Use

Screen-Saver..................................... 6.1 0.6 1.3 1.4 1.0 1.9 0.4 1.2

Automatic Sleep Mode....................... 4.4 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 1.6 0.4 0.9

Monitor is Turned Off.......................... 2.0 Q 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.7 Q 0.3

Second Most-Used Personal Computer

Use a Second Personal Computer......... 25.3 1.3 3.8 4.9 4.1 11.1 1.1 3.7

Type of PC

Desk-top Model.................................. 15.8 0.8 2.6 3.2 2.8 6.5 0.7 2.4

Lap-top Model.................................... 9.4 0.5 1.2 1.7 1.3 4.7 0.4 1.3

Hours Turned on Per Week

Less than 2 Hours.............................. 8.2 0.4 1.4 2.0 1.5 2.9 0.4 1.4

2 to 15 Hours...................................... 9.9 0.5 1.4 1.8 1.5 4.6 0.4 1.5

16 to 40 Hours.................................... 3.2 Q 0.4 0.5 0.6 1.6 Q 0.4

41 to 167 Hours.................................. 1.2 Q Q Q Q 0.8 N Q

On All the Time.................................. 2.8 Q 0.5 0.4 0.4 1.4 Q 0.3

 Million U.S. Housing Units

Home Electronics Usage Indicators

Table HC7.12 Home Electronics Usage Indicators by Household Income, 2005

Below 

Poverty 

Line

Eligible for 

Federal 

Assistance1

2005 Household Income

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

Less than 

$20,000

$20,000 to 

$39,999

$40,000 to 

$59,999

$60,000 to 

$79,999

$80,000 or 

More

Energy Information Administration:

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables
 Million U.S. Housing Units

Home Electronics Usage Indicators

Table HC7.12 Home Electronics Usage Indicators by Household Income, 2005

Below 

Poverty 

Line

Eligible for 

Federal 

Assistance1

2005 Household Income

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

Less than 

$20,000

$20,000 to 

$39,999

$40,000 to 

$59,999

$60,000 to 

$79,999

$80,000 or 

More

Status of PC When Not in Use

Left On............................................... 3.2 Q 0.6 0.6 0.5 1.5 Q 0.4

Completely Turned Off....................... 17.8 1.0 2.8 3.7 3.0 7.3 0.9 2.8

Manually Put into Sleep Mode............ 4.2 0.2 0.4 0.7 0.6 2.4 Q 0.5

CPU Goes to Sleep When PC is Left On

Yes................................................. 2.2 Q 0.3 0.4 0.3 1.0 Q 0.3

No................................................... 1.0 N Q Q Q 0.4 N Q

Type of Monitor Used

Desk-top

CRT (Standard Monitor).................. 11.6 0.6 2.2 2.4 2.2 4.2 0.6 2.0

Flat-Panel LCD............................... 4.2 Q 0.4 0.8 0.6 2.3 Q 0.4

Laptop (Flat-panel LCD)..................... 9.4 0.5 1.2 1.7 1.3 4.7 0.4 1.3

Monitor Goes to Sleep When Not in Use

Screen-Saver..................................... 1.7 Q Q Q 0.4 0.8 Q 0.2

Automatic Sleep Mode....................... 1.0 Q Q 0.3 Q 0.5 Q Q

Monitor is Turned Off.......................... 0.5 N Q Q Q QN Q

Use of Internet

Have Access to Internet

Yes..................................................... 66.9 7.2 15.1 14.6 10.4 19.6 4.9 14.0

Dial-up (phone)............................... 26.8 3.9 7.0 6.9 4.1 4.9 2.4 7.1

DSL................................................ 19.1 1.6 3.8 3.7 3.2 6.9 1.2 3.5

Cable Modem................................. 20.8 1.6 4.1 4.0 3.0 8.0 1.2 3.3

No...................................................... 8.7 2.5 2.9 1.8 0.9 0.8 1.5 3.9

Status of DSL Connection When Not in Use

Turned Off...................................... 5.0 0.6 1.3 0.7 0.9 1.4 0.4 1.1

Left On............................................ 14.2 1.0 2.5 2.9 2.2 5.5 0.8 2.4

Status of Cable Modem When Not in Use

Turned Off...................................... 4.1 0.5 0.9 1.0 0.6 1.1 0.4 0.8

Left On............................................ 16.7 1.2 3.2 3.0 2.4 6.9 0.8 2.5

Have a Wireless Router

Yes................................................. 2.4 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.9 0.3 0.6

No................................................... 12.7 0.6 1.7 1.8 1.7 6.9 0.5 1.2

No DSL or Modem Connection....... 27.0 4.0 7.1 7.0 4.2 4.7 2.5 7.2

Primary Use of PC(s) 

Personal Use......................................... 39.8 4.4 9.7 8.8 6.0 11.0 2.7 8.5

Recreation............................................. 14.4 2.2 3.7 3.4 2.4 2.7 1.3 3.9

Education/School................................... 10.3 1.9 2.6 2.4 1.4 2.0 1.6 3.7

Home Business...................................... 7.6 0.7 1.1 1.2 1.1 3.3 0.5 1.3

Telecommuting...................................... 3.5 0.4 0.8 0.6 0.4 1.4 0.2 0.6

Telecommuting by Personal Computer

1 or 2 Days per Week............................ 0.8 Q Q 0.3 Q 0.3 Q Q

3 to 5 Days per Week............................ 1.3 Q 0.4 Q Q 0.6 Q Q

More than 5 Days per Week.................. 1.4 0.2 0.3 Q Q 0.5 Q 0.4

Energy Information Administration:

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables
 Million U.S. Housing Units

Home Electronics Usage Indicators

Table HC7.12 Home Electronics Usage Indicators by Household Income, 2005

Below 

Poverty 

Line

Eligible for 

Federal 

Assistance1

2005 Household Income

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

Less than 

$20,000

$20,000 to 

$39,999

$40,000 to 

$59,999

$60,000 to 

$79,999

$80,000 or 

More

PC Printer................................................. 65.4 7.1 15.0 14.0 10.4 19.1 4.6 13.7

With Built-in Fax/Copier......................... 27.7 2.4 5.5 5.6 4.7 9.5 1.7 4.7

Without Built-in Fax/Copier.................... 37.8 4.7 9.5 8.4 5.7 9.6 3.0 9.1

Use a Color Television Set......................... 109.7 26.1 28.5 20.4 12.9 21.9 16.3 37.8

Weekday Hours Turned on per Day

Less than 1 Hour.................................... 6.2 1.5 1.6 1.1 0.5 1.5 1.0 2.0

1 to 3 Hours........................................... 49.1 9.1 12.3 10.1 6.3 11.3 5.3 13.7

Most of the Day...................................... 46.0 12.3 12.0 8.1 5.2 8.4 7.9 17.4

On All the Time...................................... 8.4 3.2 2.6 1.2 0.8 0.7 2.1 4.6

No Television......................................... 1.4 0.7 0.3 Q Q Q 0.4 0.8

Weekend Hours Turned on per Day

Less than 1 Hour.................................... 7.3 2.5 1.9 0.8 0.7 1.3 1.5 3.2

1 to 3 Hours........................................... 35.9 7.5 9.0 6.9 4.1 8.4 4.8 10.9

Most of the Day...................................... 56.4 12.5 14.9 11.0 7.0 11.0 7.7 18.6

On All the Time...................................... 10.1 3.5 2.6 1.8 1.0 1.1 2.3 5.0

No Television......................................... 1.4 0.7 0.3 Q Q Q 0.4 0.8

TV-Based Game System Usage per Week

Use a TV-Based Game System............. 34.7 5.9 8.3 7.3 5.1 8.1 4.9 11.4

Less than 5 Hours.............................. 19.9 3.5 4.9 4.2 2.8 4.5 2.8 6.7

5 to 10 Hours...................................... 8.9 1.3 1.9 1.7 1.7 2.4 1.2 2.5

11 to 15 hours.................................... 2.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.7

16 to 20 Hours.................................... 1.5 0.3 0.4 0.3 Q 0.2 0.3 0.6

More than 20 Hours............................ 2.1 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.9

Do Not Use a TV-Based Game System. 75.0 20.2 20.2 13.1 7.8 13.7 11.4 26.4

 Q = Data withheld either because the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50 percent or fewer than 10 households were sampled.

 N = No cases in reporting sample.

 Notes: ● Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals. ● See Glossary for definition of terms used in these tables.

 Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Forms EIA-457 A, B, C of the 2005 

Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Information Administration:

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables