TV Basics Television Households

TV Basics: Television Households
In 1950, television penetration of U.S. households was only 9.0%. Within only five years it was up to 64.5%. By 1965 it reached 92.6%, and from there it has grown to its current 98.9% level.

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Year	Total U.S. HH (000)	TV HH (000)	% HH With TV
1950	43,000	3,880	9.0
1955	47,620	30,700	64.5
1960	52,500	45,750	87.1

1970	61,410	58,500	95.3
1971	62,910	60,100	95.5
1972	64,850	62,100	95.8
1973	67,210	64,800	96.4
1974	68,310	66,200	96.9
1975	70,520	68,500	97.1
1976	71,460	69,600	97.4
1977	73,100	71,200	97.4
1978	74,700	72,900	97.6
1979	76,240	74,500	97.7
1980	77,900	76,300	97.9
1981	81,840	79,900	98.1
1982	83,120	81,500	98.1
1983	84,940	83,300	98.1
1984	85,430	83,800	98.1
1985	86,530	84,900	98.1
1986	87,590	85,900	98.1
1987	89,130	87,400	98.1
1988	90,270	88,600	98.1
1989	92,030	90,400	98.2
1990	93,760	92,100	98.2
1991	94,800	93,100	98.2
1992	93,680	92,100	98.3
1993	94,710	93,100	98.3
1994	95,860	94,200	98.3
1995	97,060	95,400	98.3
1996	97,540	95,900	98.3
1997	98,610	97,000	98.4
1998	99,680	98,000	98.3
1999	101,240	99,400	98.2
2000	102,680	100,800	98.2
2001	104,080	102,200	98.2
2002	107,400	105,500	98.2
2003	108,620	106,700	98.2
2004	110,420	108,400	98.2
2005	111,630	109,600	98.2
2006	112,260	110,200	98.2
2007	113,410	111,400	98.2
2008	114,890	112,800	98.2
2009	115,760	114,500	98.9

Source: The Nielsen Company-NTI, Sept. each year Note: 2009 growth is partially due to Nielsen’s update of the national TV penetration estimates for HH by Race & Ethnicity.

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