Internet Growth Continues – 58% of Adults Access Web.

The number of adults accessing the web increased by 8.5 percent last year in the 85 metro markets surveyed by The Media Audit.

Collectively, 74.5 million out of a total adult population in the 85 markets of approximately 128.3 million “logged on during the past month.” For the previous year the collective total was 68.7 million. As a percent of the population being surveyed, those accessing the Internet increased from 54.9 percent in 2000 to 58.0 percent in 2001.

According to The Media Audit data, three metro markets have surpassed 70 percent access and 30 markets have surpassed 60 percent. “Growth slows after the individual markets achieve about 60 percent access,” says Bob Jordan, co-chairman of International Demographics, Inc., which produces The Media Audit. The sample size in each market ranges from 700 to 1,800 interviews. Collectively, the sample size for all 85 markets is 122,000.

Broader Audience

Jordan also said that as the Internet continues to grow, it is becoming more reflective of the total US population. “The median age is increasing and the median income is decreasing as you would expect. The Internet is no longer the exclusive playground of the young and affluent. It’s looking more and more like a very essential utility for people of all ages.”

Leading the 85 metro markets in Internet access are Madison, Wisconsin and Washington, DC, each with 73.4 percent, and Ann Arbor, Michigan with 70.2 percent. “How much more growth is there beyond 70 percent?” Jordan asks. “It’s very difficult, maybe impossible, to make a fact-based projection. Content and cost would seem to be among the primary variables influencing growth and it’s difficult to predict the future of those factors. We think it’s reasonable to expect continued, but moderate growth.”

The 30 markets with access rates of more than 60 percent are: Austin, 68.8; Denver, 68.4; Seattle-Tacoma, 67.4; Des Moines, 67.1; Minneapolis-St. Paul, 67.1; San Jose, 66.8; Atlanta, 66.1 Hartford, 66.0; Columbia-Jefferson City, 65.7; Sacramento, 65.3; Boston, 64.8; Raleigh/Durham, 64.6; Orlando, 64.4; Cedar Rapids, 64.3; Salt Lake, 63.5; San Francisco, 63.3; Indianapolis, 63.2; San Diego, 62.6; Portland, 62.4; Spokane, 61.6; Reno, 61.5; Richmond, 61.5; Phoenix, 61.2; Baltimore, 60.7; Omaha-Council Bluffs, 60.6; Colorado Springs, 60.6. Norfolk, 60.5; Kansas City, 60.4; Las Vegas, 60.3; Chicago, 60.2.

For more information at http://www.themediaaudit.com