Digitunity Releases Index on Computer Ownership Gap

NORTH CONWAY, N.H., October 7, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- New national benchmark finds 32.9 million people in the United States still lack access to a large-screen computer, according to Digitunity's National Computer Ownership Index. The organization released the index today, 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 reveals 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. This 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 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.

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.

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.