When asked how frequently they used the Internet, about two-thirds of adults in Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA), roughly 1.9 million adults, responded that they used the Internet at least once per day. While men and women in SEPA have similar Internet usage patterns (66.8% and 64.2%, respectively, use the Internet at least once daily), they also are about equally likely to be non-Internet users, with 17.7% of men indicating they do not use the Internet and 20.2% of women indicating the same. In total, about one in five adults in SEPA (19.1%) do not use the Internet, representing about 563,000 adults.
Two-thirds of SEPA adults use the Internet at least once per day
For those who do not use the Internet, the most common reason cited was lack of access. More than one-third of adults who do not use the Internet (36.5%) indicated they did not have access or did not have a computer. This represents approximately 201,900 adults. The second most common reason was lack of interest, cited by 31.7% of adult non-Internet users, or about 175,300 adults.
The survey also found a difference between urban and suburban users. Philadelphia residents are more likely to be non-Internet users than are their suburban counterparts. More than a quarter (27.3%) of Philadelphia adults do not use the Internet, compared with 16.5% of Delaware County adults, 14.0% of Bucks County adults, 13.8% of Montgomery County adults and 12.2% of Chester County adults.
Philadelphia residents are more likely to be non-Internet users than their suburban counterparts
Poverty was also a factor. Adults living in poverty are much more likely to be non-Internet users than are non-poor adults: 42.5% of adults living below the federal poverty line do not use the Internet, versus 16.0% of adults living above the federal poverty line.2 Latino adults (34.7%) and black adults (28.1%) are more likely to be non-Internet users than white adults (15.6%).
About one in five uninsured adults (20.9%) and one in ten insured adults (10.6%) do not use the Internet, indicating that many of the same individuals who have difficulty accessing health care may face barriers to obtaining health information.
For more information about PHMC’s Community Health Data Base 2010 Household Health Survey, contact Rose Malinowski Weingartner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The 2010 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey shows that Internet use is linked to age; younger adults are more likely than older adults to be daily Internet users and less likely to be non-Internet users.
- 78.2% of adults ages 18–39 use the Internet at least once per day, and 6.5% of adults in this age range report that they never use the Internet.
- 71.9% of adults ages 40–49 use the Internet at least once per day, and 11.4% of adults in their 40s report that they never use the Internet.
- 66.5% of adults ages 50–59 use the Internet at least once per day, and 16.6% of adults in their 50s report that they never use the Internet.
- 54.6% of adults ages 60–74 use the Internet at least once per day, and 20.0% of adults 60–74 report that they never use the Internet.
- 24.0% of adults age 75+ use the Internet at least once per day, and 30.8% of adults 75 and older report that they never use the Internet.
1 Anderson, Jacqueline, et al. “Understanding the Changing Needs of the US Online Consumer, 2010: An Empowered Report: How Online and Mobile Behaviors are Changing.” Forrester Research. 13 Dec 2010. Web. 29 June 2011.
2 Poverty level is defined as below or above 100% of the federal poverty line. Poverty level is calculated based on family size and household income. For example, a family of four with an annual income of $22,050 in 2010 was considered to be living in poverty.
