Desktop Computer Ownership Declines

Ownership of a desktop computer is becoming less common, according to a Gallup survey. Only 57 percent of Americans owned a desktop computer in 2013, down from 65 percent in 2005 as young adults increasingly turn to laptops, tablets, and smartphones for their computing needs.

Desktop computer ownership is more common among Americans aged 65 or older (58 percent) than among 18-to-29-year-olds (41 percent). Laptop computer ownership is more common among young adults (79 percent) than people aged 65 or older (41 percent).

Tablet computer ownership is more similar, with 34 percent of young adults and 25 percent of the elderly owning a tablet computer. The biggest gap is in smartphone ownership: 88 percent of young adults own a smartphone versus only 25 percent of the elderly.

Source: Gallup, Americans' Tech Tastes Change with Times