New national benchmark finds 32.9 million people in the United States still lack access to a large-screen computer
NORTH CONWAY, NH / ACCESS Newswire / October 7, 2026 / Digitunity today released its National Computer Ownership Index, a new benchmark for tracking the state of computer ownership in the United States, how the gap is changing, who is most affected, and where action is still needed.
Digitunity's analysis of 2024 American Community Survey data finds that 32.9 million people in the United States are without reliable access to a large-screen computer. Of those, 7.1 million have no computing device at all, while 25.8 million rely exclusively on a smartphone for online access. That represents roughly 1 in 10 people and about 1 in 8 U.S. households.
The Index also shows that the computer ownership gap is changing, but not disappearing. Since 2016, the number of people without any computing device has fallen from 21.9 million to 7.1 million, while the smartphone-only population has grown from 20.9 million to 25.8 million. Overall, the number of people without a large-screen computer declined by nearly 9.9 million over that period.
The gap is not evenly distributed. Nearly 1 in 3 adults without a high school diploma (28.8%) lack a large-screen computer. Among unemployed people, 12% lack a large-screen computer, and 16.9% of adults aged 65 and older do, too.
"The data shows real progress, but it also shows why computer ownership continues to matter," said Karisa Tashijian, Digitunity's Chief Program Officer. "More people are connected than they were eight years ago, but millions are still relying on smartphones for tasks that increasingly assume and require access to a computer."
The Index also draws on research showing that desktop and laptop ownership is associated with greater "beneficial internet use," including job searches, telehealth, and access to government services.
The National Computer Ownership Index will track computer ownership trends nationally, by state, by county, and across population groups over time. The public page includes methodology and supporting data, with additional analyses planned around specific populations and geographies.
Explore the National Computer Ownership Index
About Digitunity
Digitunity is a national nonprofit working to make computer ownership possible for everyone. Nearly 33 million people in the United States lack access to a large-screen computer at home, limiting participation in education, employment, healthcare, and other essential parts of modern life. Digitunity shapes and strengthens the systems that expand computer ownership by working across technology supply, reuse, refurbishment, and community distribution.
Contact:
Miye McCullough, pr@digitunity.org
SOURCE: Digitunity Inc
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/digitunity-launches-national-computer-ownership-index-1233962
