Indicator 1: Prevalence of Computer Access at Home

In 2015, the percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer was highest for children with family incomes of over $100,000 (97 percent) and lowest for children with family incomes of less than $10,000 (58 percent). The percentage of children living in households that had a handheld computer or smart mobile phone was also highest for children with family incomes of over $100,000 (96 percent) and lowest for children with family incomes of less than $10,000 (74 percent).

Prior research suggests access to computers outside of the classroom varies by child and family characteristics. Lower rates of computer access at home were found among children from families with lower incomes, children whose parents had lower levels of educational attainment, and children who were of racial/ethnic minorities (DeBell and Chapman 2006; Gant, Turner-Lee, and Li 2010). This indicator uses data from the American Community Survey (ACS) to examine the percentages of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had different types of computers at home in 2015, by selected child and family characteristics.

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Figure 1.1. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer: 2010 and 2015

¹ In addition to the types of computers specified, includes a small percentage (less than 1 percent) of children whose households have "Some other type of computer" not listed in the survey questions.
² Households indicating that they had computers/devices in both categories—that is, desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computers as well as handheld computers or smart mobile phones—were counted only once in the total. Therefore, the total is less than the sum of the two categories.
NOTE: Data are based on children living in households and exclude children living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Percentages refer to children whose household members own or use at home any of the specified devices. Estimates for 2010 are based on the Current Population Survey, while estimates for 2015 are based on the American Community Survey. As a result, estimates for 2010 may not be comparable to those for 2015.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October 2010; and American Community Survey (ACS), 2015. See Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 702.10.

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In 2015, about 94 percent of children ages 3 to 18 lived in households that had a computer: 85 percent of children lived in households with a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer, and 89 percent of children lived in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone.¹ In 2010, about 85 percent of children ages 3 to 18 lived in households with a computer: 83 percent lived in households with a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer, and 25 percent lived in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone. Estimates for 2010 are based on the Current Population Survey (CPS), while estimates for 2015 are based on the ACS. As a result, estimates for 2010 may not be comparable to those for 2015, though the questionnaire items were similar in nature.

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Figure 1.2. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and race/ethnicity: 2015

¹ In addition to the types of computers specified, includes a small percentage (less than 1 percent) of children whose households have "Some other type of computer" not listed in the survey questions.
NOTE: Data are based on children living in households and exclude children living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Percentages refer to children whose household members own or use at home any of the specified devices. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2015. See Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 702.10.

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In 2015, the percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer was highest for Asian children (96 percent), followed by White children (91 percent), children of Two or more races (89 percent), Pacific Islander children (80 percent), Hispanic children (75 percent), Black children (75 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native children (69 percent). Higher percentages of Asian children (93 percent), children of Two or more races (93 percent), and White children (92 percent) lived in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone than of Pacific Islander children (84 percent), Hispanic children (83 percent), Black children (83 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native children (76 percent). In addition, the percentages of children living in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone were higher for Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Black children than for American Indian/Alaska Native children.

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Figure 1.3. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and age: 2015

¹ In addition to the types of computers specified, includes a small percentage (less than 1 percent) of children whose households have "Some other type of computer" not listed in the survey questions.
NOTE: Data are based on children living in households and exclude children living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Percentages refer to children whose household members own or use at home any of the specified devices. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded estimates.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2015. See Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 702.10.

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The percentages of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer in 2015 were higher for children in older age subgroups. For instance, 88 percent of children ages 15 to 18 and 87 percent of children ages 11 to 14 lived in households with a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer, compared with 83 percent of children ages 5 to 10 and 81 percent of children ages 3 and 4. In addition, higher percentages of children ages 15 to 18 and 11 to 14 (89 percent each) lived in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone than of children ages 5 to 10 and ages 3 and 4 (88 percent each) in 2015.

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Figure 1.4. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and highest level of education attained by either parent: 2015

¹ In addition to the types of computers specified, includes a small percentage (less than 1 percent) of children whose households have "Some other type of computer" not listed in the survey questions.
NOTE: Data are based on children living in households and exclude children living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Percentages refer to children whose household members own or use at home any of the specified devices. Highest education level refers to that of any parent residing with the child (including an adoptive or stepparent). Includes only children who resided with at least one of their parents.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2015. See Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 702.10.

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The percentages of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer in 2015 were also higher for children whose parents had higher levels of educational attainment. For instance, the percentages of children ages 3 to 18 living in households with a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer in 2015 were higher for children whose parents had attained a bachelor's or higher degree (97 percent) and those whose parents had attained an associate's degree (92 percent) than for children whose parents had attained some college education (85 percent), those whose parents had completed only high school (73 percent), and those whose parents had not completed high school (58 percent). Similarly, the percentages of children living in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone were higher for those whose parents had attained a bachelor's or higher degree (96 percent), an associate's degree (93 percent), and some college education (90 percent) than for those whose parents had completed only high school (82 percent) and those whose parents had not completed high school (72 percent).

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Figure 1.5. Percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer, by type of computer and family income: 2015

¹ In addition to the types of computers specified, includes a small percentage (less than 1 percent) of children whose households have "Some other type of computer" not listed in the survey questions.
NOTE: Family income shown in current dollars. Data are based on children living in households and exclude children living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Percentages refer to children whose household members own or use at home any of the specified devices.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2015. See Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 702.10.

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The percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households that had a computer increased with family income. For example, the percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households with a desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computer was highest for children with family incomes over $100,000 (97 percent) and lowest for children with family incomes of less than $10,000 (58 percent). Similarly, the percentage of children ages 3 to 18 living in households with a handheld computer or smart mobile phone in 2015 was highest for children with family incomes over $100,000 (96 percent) and lowest for children with family incomes of less than $10,000 (74 percent).

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¹ Households indicating that they had computers/devices in both categories—that is, desktop, laptop, netbook, or notebook computers as well as handheld computers or smart mobile phones—were counted only once in the total. Therefore, the total is less than the sum of the two categories.

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