How Many People Use Social Media in the US? (2020–2029)
With social networks ranking among the top product discovery platforms, there’s no question that brands need to brands need to leverage them to increase reach and boost sales.
But before building a social media marketing plan, you need to better understand the landscape. If your target audience lives in the United States, this means knowing the answer to the question: How many people use social media in the US?
How many Americans use social media: key data
- The number of social media users in the US is projected to reach 307.06 million in 2025. By 2029, this figure is set to rise to 326.74 million.
- Millennials (aged 28–43) are the largest demographic of social media users, with 68.8 million users in 2024. They are expected to remain the leading user group through at least 2027.
- Meta-owned platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger) dominate social media usage in the US, with Facebook alone used by 75.3% of the adult population.
How many people use social media in the US: table
|
Year |
Number of social media users in the US |
Annual growth |
|
2020 |
268.54 million |
|
|
2021 |
278.79 million |
+3.8% |
|
2022 |
286.71 million |
+2.8% |
|
2023 |
294.10 million |
+2.6% |
|
2024 |
300.86 million |
+2.3% |
|
2025 |
307.06 million |
+2.1% |
|
2026 |
312.74 million |
+1.8% |
|
2027 |
317.99 million |
+1.7% |
|
2028 |
322.84 million |
+1.5% |
|
2029 |
326.74 million |
+1.2% |
How many Americans use social media: 2020–2025
Recent data on social media usage in the US shows that the number of social media users there is forecast to hit 307.06 million in 2025, marking a 2.1% annual increase. In the study, a social media user is defined as an internet user who accesses a social network at least once a month using any device.
Despite the rise, this growth rate is slower than in previous years. In 2020, there were 268.54 million social media users in the US, increasing by 3.8% in 2021, to 278.79 million. The following year saw the number of social media users in the US rise by 2.8%, to 286.71 million. In 2023, this figure grew by a further 2.6%, to 294.1 million, before a 2.3% increase in 2024 pushed it over the 300 million milestone for the first time, totaling 300.86 million.
From 2020 to 2025, the number of social media users in the US is projected to grow by a total of 14.3% and at an average annual growth rate of 2.7%.
How many Americans use social media: 2026–2029
Industry analysts expect social media usage in the US to continue rising in the coming years, albeit at a slower rate.
In 2026, the growth in the number of social media users in the US is forecast to slow to 1.8%, which will bring the total number to 312.74 million. Over the succeeding three years, the number of social media users in the US is forecast to rise by between 1.2% and 1.7% each year. By 2029, experts predict there will be 326.74 million people in the US using social media.
From 2026 to 2029, the number of social media users in the US is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.5%, adding 14 million active users.
US social media use by age
As of 2024, millennials (aged 28–43) lead in social media usage, with 68.8 million users. Millennials are projected to continue being the largest group of social media users in the US through at least 2027. They are followed by Gen Z (aged 12–27), accounting for 60.7 million users.
Gen X (aged 44–59) ranks third with 51.2 million users, while baby boomers (aged 60–78) have 36.4 million users.
Social media usage in the US: top platforms
According to the latest data on social media usage in the US, Meta-owned platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger—are the most popular networks there. More than three-quarters (75.3%) of the adult population are active users of Facebook, while just over three-fifths say they use Instagram (63.9%) and Facebook Messenger (61.3%) actively.
TikTok ranks next, used by 50.2% of the population. Rounding out the five most popular social media in the US is iMessage, with 44.7%.