of U.S. adults own a cellphone
Cellphones are nearly universal in the United States, according to Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey of U.S. adults.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗U.S. MOBILE REFERENCE
U.S. Smartphone & Wireless Statistics: 2026
A current snapshot of smartphone ownership, wireless connectivity, and mobile data use in the United States.
LAST UPDATEDNovember 9, 2026
14 source-backed facts from Pew Research Center and CTIA.
THE BIG PICTURE
Phones are part of nearly every day.
Smartphones sit at the center of how people communicate, navigate, work, watch, shop, and stay connected. These figures bring together recent U.S. ownership and wireless-use data in one place for readers who need a reliable, easy-to-check reference.
VIEW THE STATISTICS ↓of U.S. adults own a smartphone
About nine in ten U.S. adults reported owning a smartphone in Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of adults under 50 own a smartphone
Smartphone ownership was 97% among U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 and among those ages 30 to 49.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of adults 65 and older own a smartphone
Smartphone use also reaches a large majority of older adults, though ownership remains lower than among younger age groups.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of adults rely on a smartphone without home broadband
Pew defines these adults as owning a smartphone but not subscribing to home broadband service.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of adults ages 18 to 29 are smartphone-only internet users
Young adults were the age group most likely to rely on a smartphone without a home broadband subscription.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of U.S. adults use a smartphone almost constantly
Pew found that another 60% of adults use a smartphone several times a day, showing how routinely phones fit into everyday life.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of U.S. adults say they spend too much time on a smartphone
The share rises to 70% among adults ages 18 to 29 in Pew Research Center’s May and June 2026 survey.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗of U.S. adults tried to cut back on smartphone use
Pew asked about efforts during the past 12 months; 46% said they had not tried to cut back.
Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗wireless connections were in service
CTIA reported more than 600 million wireless connections in the United States at year-end 2025.
CTIA Annual Survey, 2026 ↗wireless connections for every person
The 2025 count works out to roughly 1.8 wireless connections for every person in the United States.
CTIA Annual Survey, 2026 ↗of wireless connections were not phones
Wearables, health devices, sensors, and other connected equipment made up nearly half of wireless connections at year-end 2025.
CTIA Annual Survey, 2026 ↗megabytes of wireless data were used in 2025
U.S. mobile wireless data traffic reached 159.3 trillion megabytes in 2025, up 20% from the year before.
CTIA Annual Survey, 2026 ↗Americans subscribe to 5G home internet
CTIA reported nearly 16 million 5G home subscribers in 2025, including more than 3.9 million net new subscribers that year.
CTIA Annual Survey, 2026 ↗WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOW
Mobile access is an everyday utility.
Ownership is widespread across every age group, but a meaningful share of Americans rely on a smartphone as their main way online. At the same time, the country’s wireless network supports more connected devices and more data use each year.
For everyday phone users, that makes the practical details matter: a case that protects the device, charging gear that fits the routine, and power that travels well. Explore phone cases, chargers and cables, or power banks from Snap & Grip.
METHODOLOGY & SOURCES
How to use this page.
Each figure above links to the source used for that statistic. Pew Research Center’s ownership figures come from its survey of 5,511 U.S. adults conducted January 30 through June 18, 2026. Its smartphone-use figures come from a separate survey of 9,750 U.S. adults conducted May 26 through June 1, 2026. CTIA’s wireless figures come from its 2026 annual survey, which reports year-end 2025 industry data.
Figures are presented as reported by their sources. This page is updated when a key source publishes newer data, while individual statistic links stay in place for easy reference.
CITE THIS PAGE
Snap & Grip. “U.S. Smartphone & Wireless Statistics: 2026.” Updated November 9, 2026. https://snap-n-grip.com/mobile-accessory-statistics