25+ senior internet usage statistics — most-used online activities, frequency of use, social media adoption, online shopping, and health information seeking among adults 65+.
47%of adults 65+ shopped online in the past month
— Pew Research, 2024
61%use online banking — up from 30% in 2016
— American Bankers Association, 2024
$220Bannual online spending by adults 65+ in the US
— eMarketer, 2024
Amazonused by 58% of senior online shoppers — by far the dominant platform
— AARP, 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time do seniors spend online?
Adults 65+ who are internet users average 3.1 hours online per day — up from 1.8 hours in 2019 (Nielsen). 61% go online daily, and 78% of daily users say the internet is 'very important' to their life. The pandemic permanently accelerated senior internet engagement.
What do older adults use the internet for most?
Health information is #1 (72%), followed by email (67%), video calling (54%), and online shopping (47%). Health information seeking is uniquely important — it's often the first motivation for seniors to get online, and it's a strong predictor of deeper internet engagement.
Do seniors use social media?
50% use Facebook — the dominant senior platform. 23% use YouTube. Instagram and TikTok have small but growing senior audiences. TikTok is growing 3× faster for this age group than any other platform, driven by health, hobby, and family content. Most senior social media use is passive (viewing) rather than active (posting).