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Home computers are playing an increasingly 

important role in our lives. In a short time, it 

seems that home computers have gone from 

an expensive luxury item to a necessity, but 

how many households actually own computers—and who is likely to own a computer? 

Data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey 

(CE) program at the U.S. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics (BLS) show that the percentage of 

U.S. households owning computers (desktops and laptops) has increased steadily 

over the past decade, reaching 75.6 percent 

in 2008. This summary provides two sets of 

data showing averages for all consumer units 

(CUs)1 and for those that own at least one 

computer. The percentage of computer ownership and the average number of computers 

owned are also classified by age group and 

by education level for CUs.

Current Spending Topics

More than 75 Percent of 

American Households Own 

Computers

Consumer Expenditures: 2008

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2010 Volume 1, Number 4

48.2

54.1

58.3

62.4

67.5 68.3 71.3 73.9 75.6

0

40

10

30

20

50

60

70

80

90

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Year

Chart 1. Percent of computer ownership, all consumer units, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000-08
About 3 of every 4 CUs owned a home computer in 2008, compared with less than half of 

all CUs in 2000. (Chart 1 tracks the percentage 

of CUs that owned a computer from 2000 to 

2008). From 2000 through 2004, there was a 

large increase in the percentage of CUs that 

owned a computer, jumping from 48.2 percent in 2000 to 67.5 percent in 2004. After 

2004, the computer ownership percentages 

continued to rise, but did so at a decreasing 

rate. In coming years, it will be interesting to 

see whether the 80-percent level is a plateau, 

the point at which those CUs that want to 

own a computer already own one.

 The CE data on computer ownership are 

comparable to the U.S. Census Bureau’s data 

from the Current Population Survey (CPS) 

Computer Use and Ownership Supplement 

for available years.2

 For example, in 2003 the 

CE data shows that computer ownership was 

62.4 percent, compared with 61.8 percent for 

the CPS data. The data were also comparable 

in 2001 and 2000. 

The number of computers owned per household also has increased over the past decade. Table 1 shows the average number of 

computers owned each year between 2000 

and 2008. The table also shows the average 

number of computers owned for all CUs, 

including computer owners and non-owners 

(that is, those respondents who do not own a 

computer), and for only those CUs that own 

at least one computer. In 2008, all CUs owned 

an average of 1.16 computers, more than 

double the average of .54 computers in 2000. 

For those CUs that owned at least one computer, the average increased from 1.25 computers in 2000 to 1.55 computers in 2008. 

Age

Younger age groups are more likely to own 

computers. The data classified by the age of 

the reference person reveals that by 2008 

the five youngest age groups3

 had computer ownership rates of around 80 percent. 

Chart 2 shows the percentage of computer 

ownership by age group for 2000 and 2008. 

In 2008, the 35-to-44 age group had the 

highest percentage of computer ownership, 

with 84.2 percent owning at least one computer. The 45-to-54 age group followed, 

with 81.5 percent owning at least one computer. The 75-and-older age group had the 

lowest computer ownership percentage in 

2008, with 41.9 percent owning at least one 

computer. The age group that had the highest percentage-point increase from 2000 to 

2008 was the 55-to-64 age group, with 45.4 

 C U R R E N T S P E N D I N G T O P I C S

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Table 1: Average number of computers owned, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000–08

V Characteristic 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Mean number of computers - 

all consumer units 0.54 0.62 0.69 0.79 0.91 0.97 1.03 1.09 1.16

Mean number of computers - 

owners only 1.25 1.26 1.31 1.34 1.36 1.43 1.46 1.50 1.55
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percent owning at least one computer in 

2000, compared with 78.7 percent in 2008, 

an increase of 33.3 percentage points. This 

was closely followed by the 65-to-74 age 

group, which increased their ownership 

from 31.4 percent in 2000 to 64 percent 

in 2008, a 32.7-percentage-point increase. 

Based on these trends, it will be interesting 

to see in future studies if the older groups 

end up approaching the computer ownership levels of the five younger groups.

Table 2 provides the average number of 

computers owned by age group for 2000 and 

2008. Among all CUs including non-owners, 

the 35-to-44 age group owned the highest 

average number of computers in 2008, with 

1.39 computers. The 75-and-older age group 

owned an average of 0.51 computers, the 

lowest among all age groups. Among CUs 

that owned at least one computer, the 45-

to-54 age group owned the highest average 

number of computers, with 1.7 computers in 

2008, followed closely by the 35-to-44 age 

group, with 1.67 computers.

Education

Analyzing the data by the education level4 of 

the reference person reveals that higher levels 

of educational attainment correspond to an 

increasing likelihood of owning a computer. 

Chart 3 shows the percentage of computer 

ownership by education level for 2000 and 

2008. Consumer units with reference persons 

having an advanced degree had the highest 

level of computer ownership in 2008, with 

94.2 percent owning at least one computer. 

CUs that include reference persons with 

bachelor’s degrees have a computer ownership rate of 90.3 percent. CUs with reference 

persons that have less than a high school education reported computer ownership of 42.2 

percent in 2008, the lowest among all education levels. CUs with reference persons that 

had some college or associate degrees had 

the highest percentage-point increase from 

 C U R R E N T S P E N D I N G T O P I C S
2000 to 2008, rising from 55.7 percent in 2000 

to 84.3 percent in 2008. This was followed 

closely by CUs with reference persons who 

were high school graduates, increasing from 37.7 

percent in 2000 to 66 percent in 2008. 

Table 2 provides the average number of 

computers owned, classified by the education level of the reference person for 2000 and 

2008. The table shows the average number of 

computers owned for all CUs (including computer owners and non-owners) and for only 

those CUs that own at least one computer. 

Among the education groups, all CUs (including computer owners and non-owners) whose 

reference persons had an advanced degree 

owned 1.7 computers in 2008, the highest 

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 C U R R E N T S P E N D I N G T O P I C S

average number of computers. CUs with reference persons who had bachelor’s degrees 

followed with 1.54 computers. CUs whose 

reference person did not have a high school 

degree owned with 0.52 computers the lowest average number of computers in 2008 .

For CUs who owned at least one computer, 

those with reference persons who had an 

advanced degree owned the highest average number of computers in 2008, with 1.81 

computers. This was followed by CUs with 

reference persons holding bachelor’s degrees, 

with an average of 1.72 computers. The group 

with less than a high school education owned 

1.27 computers, the lowest average number 

of computers in 2008. 

Table 2. Average number of computers owned, by age and education of the reference

 person, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000 and 2008

Characteristic Average number of

computers owned

Average number of computers

owned – owners only

Age 2000 2008 2000 2008

Under 25 0.50 1.10 1.21 1.44

25-34 years 0.57 1.20 1.21 1.49

35-44 years 0.69 1.39 1.25 1.67

45-54 years 0.71 1.37 1.32 1.70

55-64 years 0.51 1.17 1.24 1.50

65-74 years 0.33 0.87 1.18 1.37

75 years and older 0.14 0.51 1.12 1.24

Education

Less than high school 

graduate 0.16 0.52 1.11 1.27

High school graduate 0.39 0.88 1.15 1.35

Some college or 

associates degree 0.62 1.28 1.23 1.54

Bachelor’s degree 0.84 1.54 1.33 1.72

Advanced degree 0.95 1.70 1.36 1.81
are available upon request from the Division of 

Consumer Expenditure Surveys. The data that are 

used to create the tables are also included in the 

CE public-use microdata files. BLS sells CD-ROMs 

containing annual CE public use microdata. Information about the microdata, including an order 

form, is available at http://www.bls.gov/cex/

csxmicro.htm.

Data tables, CE publications, a glossary, survey 

forms, and other information are available at 

www.bls.gov/cex. For further information, 

please contact Steve Henderson at 202-691-

5124 or e-mail at Henderson_S@bls.gov.

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 C U R R E N T S P E N D I N G T O P I C S

These data are derived from an unpublished 

inventory of durable goods collected during the 

first interview in Section 1, Part C of the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey questionnaire. 

This section is used to create an inventory of 

household appliances, including major kitchen 

appliances, washers and dryers, televisions, and 

computers. During this portion of the interview, 

a field representative asks the respondent how 

many computers the CU owns. Using this information, tables showing the percent of CUs 

that report owning selected durables, including 

computers, are generated annually. These tables 

15.4

37.7

55.7

70.8

77.0

42.2

66.0

84.3

90.3 94.2

20

40

60

80

100

Less than

high school 

High school 

graduate

Some

college 

Bachelor's degree Advanced degree

Chart 3. Percentage of computer ownership by education level, 

Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2000 and 2008

2000

2008

Percent ownership

Notes

1

 A consumer unit is defined as members of a household related by blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal arrangement; a single person 

living alone or sharing a household with others but who is financially independent; or two or more persons living together who share 

responsibility for at least 2 out of 3 major types of expenses—food, housing, and other expenses. For the purposes of this summary, the 

terms consumer unit and household are used interchangeably.

2

 U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey: Computer Use and Ownership Supplement http://www.census.gov/population/

www/socdemo/computer.html.

3

 Age group is determined by the age of the reference person, who is the first person mentioned by the respondent when asked to “start 

with the name of the person or one of the persons who owns or rents the home.” It is with respect to this person that the relationship of 

the other CU members is determined.

4

 Education level is defined as the number of years of formal education of the reference person, on the basis of the highest grade completed. If enrolled at time of the interview, the interviewer records the grade currently attended. Persons not reporting the extent of their 

education are classified under no school or not reported. The category of no school or not reported was not included in this analysis.