Rural and urban cellphone use are equal, but rural users are much less likely to have smartphones

With the Internet set to celebrate its 25th birthday in March, the Pew Research Center decided to examine how Americans use it, as well as their use of cell phones and smart phones. While getting access to broadband in rural areas has been a constant problem, the survey found that the gap between rural and urban Internet use is fairly small, as is the gap between cell phone use. The biggest gap was in smartphone use. The survey was based on 1,006 telephone interviews. Use by income, age, and education were not split up by rural, urban or suburban areas. (Pew graphic)

Pew found that the Internet is used by 87 percent of all adults, 88 percent of urban adults, 87 percent of suburban adults and 83 percent of rural adults. Numbers varied dramatically by age groups. Among respondents 15 to 19, Internet use was 97 percent, and among ages 30 to 49 it was 93 percent. Use dropped to 88 percent for those 50 to 64, and 57 percent for respondents 65 and older.

Income, where rural populations generally rank lower, were also factors. Ninety-seven percent of college graduates said they use the Internet, while 76 percent with a high school degree or less use it. Ninety-three percent of households with incomes of $50,000 or more use the Internet, and 99 percent with household incomes of $75,000 or more use it, while only 77 percent of households with incomes of $30,000 or less use it.

Ninety percent of adults said they use a cell phone, with 88 percent of in rural and urban areas saying they use one, but only 92 percent in suburban areas. Use was high among younger respondents, with 98 percent of those aged 15 to 19 having one, and 97 percent of those ages 30 to 49. Use dropped to 88 percent among those 50 to 64, and 74 percent for respondents 65 and older.

While rural respondents were just as likely as urban ones -- 88 percent -- to say they use a cellphone, they were much less likely to use a smartphone: only 43 percent, compared to 58 percent overall, 64 percent in urban areas and 60 percent in suburbs. Smartphone use dropped significantly as age rose: 83 percent of those 18-29 years old, 74 percent for the 30-49 group, 49 percent for 50-to-64-year-olds, and 19 percent for those 65 and older. Smartphone use rose with education an income. To read the full report click here.