Large-Screen Computer Ownership: A Call to Action

This paper provides an analysis of previously unpublished demographic-specific data on individuals and households that either: (1) lack any type of computing device, or (2) rely exclusively on smartphones for their internet connectivity. According to data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), 1 in 7 households in the United States fit into one of these categories and thus lack large-screen computers. However, this rate varied widely across socioeconomic characteristics. To demonstrate this variation, the authors used the Census Bureau’s Microdata Access Tool (MDAT) to compile data on the lack of computer ownership and smartphone-only reliance across specific demographics such as age, educational attainment, employment status, and race and ethnicity. Comparisons between 2016 (initial data) and 2023 allow for an assessment of how computer access has changed over time. Since 2016, there has been a dramatic shift in how households use technology, with rates of “no computer” access dropping while “smartphone-only” access has increased. Significant differences exist among states in terms of the percentage of households without large-screen computers. Some of these state-level differences may be driven by underlying demographic differences.