Five US Cities Reach 50 Percent Internet Penetration
Five US cities have reached 50 percent Internet penetration among the adult population, according to Scarborough Research.
Five US cities have reached 50 percent Internet penetration among the adult population, according to research conducted by Scarborough Research.
“Reaching the 50 percent threshold is a significant milestone for the Internet as it continues to mature into a mainstream medium,” said Scarborough President Bob Cohen. “It’s also noteworthy that we continue to see notable differences in Internet usage on a local market level, indicating that technological innovation is impacted by the interplay of local demographics, cultural, retail, and media dynamics.”
The five cities that have passed the 50 percent level include Washington, DC (59.9 percent); San Francisco (56.1 percent); Austin, TX (55.5 percent); Seattle (53.3 percent), and Salt Lake City (50 percent).
Scarborough measured Internet usage over a one-year period from both home and work for its findings. The data was compiled from February 1998 to February 1999 from the Scarborough 12-month database. More than 170,000 interviews from adults age 18 and over were conducted in 64 leading US markets.
| Internet Penetration in 64 US Markets | |
|---|---|
| Market | Percent of adults online |
| Washington, DC | 59.9 |
| San Francisco | 56.1 |
| Austin, TX | 55.5 |
| Seattle/Tacoma | 53.3 |
| Salt Lake City | 50.0 |
| Dallas/Ft. Worth | 49.6 |
| Denver | 49.0 |
| Houston | 48.8 |
| Los Angeles | 48.7 |
| Norfolk/Newport News | 48.5 |
| Portland, OR | 48.1 |
| San Diego | 46.8 |
| Sacramento/Stockton | 46.3 |
| Kansas City | 46.1 |
| Boston | 46.0 |
| Providence/New Bedford | 46.0 |
| Baltimore | 45.7 |
| Raleigh/Durham, NC | 45.7 |
| Syracuse | 45.5 |
| Atlanta | 45.1 |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul | 45.0 |
| Chicago | 44.8 |
| New York | 43.7 |
| Phoenix | 43.4 |
| Albany/Troy, NY | 43.1 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 43.1 |
| Indianapolis | 42.3 |
| Las Vegas | 41.8 |
| Miami/Ft. Lauderdale | 41.8 |
| Philadelphia | 41.5 |
| Columbus, OH | 41.1 |
| Hartford/New Haven | 40.9 |
| St. Louis | 40.8 |
| New Orleans | 40.5 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 40.5 |
| Orlando/Daytona/MLB | 40.3 |
| Oklahoma City | 39.7 |
| Greensboro/W. Salem, NC | 39.7 |
| Des Moines, IA | 39.2 |
| Harrisburg/York, PA | 39.2 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 38.9 |
| Detroit | 38.8 |
| Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM | 38.4 |
| Cleveland | 37.3 |
| Greenville, SC | 37.1 |
| Lexington, KY | 37.0 |
| West Palm Beach, FL | 36.9 |
| Tampa/St. Petersburg | 36.7 |
| Charlotte | 36.7 |
| Memphis, TN | 36.1 |
| Buffalo, NY | 35.9 |
| Knoxville, TN | 35.9 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 35.8 |
| Nashville, TN | 35.8 |
| Fresno/Visalia, CA | 35.8 |
| Louisville, KY | 35.5 |
| Dayton, OH | 34.6 |
| San Antonio, TX | 34.2 |
| Wichita/Hutchinson, KS | 32.8 |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA | 32.8 |
| Charleston/Huntington, WV | 32.4 |
| Birmingham, AL | 32.2 |
| Tulsa, OK | 32.2 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 30.8 |
| Source: Scarborough Research | |
