They also represent a wider variety of occupations and are substantially less male. Overall, the sociodemographic data on access to home computers and the Internet suggest that, in spite of the recent rapid diffusion and increased access to these technologies, notable inequities still exist. Although regional differences can be found, such as lower Internet connection rates in rural and inner city areas, these disparities disappear once socioeconomic factors are taken into account. The data and research on home adoption of PCs and Internet linkages reinforce our existing understanding of early adopter patterns. Twenty years' worth of research thus consistently demonstrates the core influence of socioeconomic factors on home IT adoption.
Demographic variables are also important.
In these studies, some racial lags in home IT access emerged that could not be accounted for by level of income or education. Differences in levels of home computer ownership between blacks and whites were statistically significant after controlling for level of education, and income alone could not account for extreme disparities between white and black students with respect to computer ownership. A few other factors are suggested by the empirical research as important influences on IT adoption dynamics. In general, families with children and married parents were more likely to adopt PCs or link to the Internet than single people, couples without children, single heads of household, or households headed by very young adults. Finally, there appears to be a gender difference in the decision to purchase a home computer.