Number of American Homes with Wireless Only Telephones Continues to Grow

NCHS has released a new report with data from the National Health Interview Survey Early Release Program looking at selected estimates of telephone coverage for the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population

The estimates use January–June 2015 data and are based on in-person interviews that are conducted throughout the year to collect information on health status, health-related behaviors, and health care access and utilization. The survey also includes information about household telephones and whether anyone in the household has a wireless telephone.

Findings:

• Nearly one-half of American homes (47.4%) had only wireless telephones (also known as cellular telephones, cell phones, or mobile phones) during the first half of 2015—an increase of 3.4 percentage points since the first half of 2014.
• More than two-thirds of all adults aged 25-34 and of adults renting their homes were living in wireless-only households.