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Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

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Table HC4.9 Electronics in U.S. homes by home size, 20151

Release date: October 2017
Revised date: May 2018

Number of housing units (million)
Size of home in square feet3
  Total U.S.2 Fewer
than 1,000		 1,000
to 1,499		 1,500
to 1,999 		 2,000
to 2,499		 2,500
to 2,999		 3,000
or greater
All homes 118.2 26.6 26.1 17.5 14.1 10.8 23.1
Number of televisions used              
0 3.3 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.2 Q Q
1 30.0 10.6 7.5 3.7 2.7 1.9 3.6
2 39.2 9.5 8.8 6.3 4.7 3.2 6.7
3 26.5 3.8 6.1 4.0 3.6 3.0 6.0
4 12.3 0.6 2.4 2.3 2.0 1.4 3.6
5 or more 7.0 Q 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.2 3.1
Most-used television: display size              
Less than 28 inches 14.1 4.7 3.6 1.6 1.3 1.3 1.6
28 to 39 inches 32.8 8.8 7.9 5.0 3.6 2.2 5.4
40 to 59 inches 58.1 10.0 12.5 8.9 7.5 6.0 13.2
60 inches or more 9.9 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.5 1.2 2.8
Do not use a television 3.3 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.2 Q Q
Most-used television: display type              
LCD 45.3 8.5 9.9 7.2 5.6 4.3 9.9
Plasma 16.8 4.4 3.6 2.2 1.9 1.1 3.6
LED 40.0 8.1 8.4 6.4 5.0 4.3 7.8
Projection 2.1 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.2 Q 0.5
Standard tube 10.7 3.3 3.1 1.2 1.2 0.8 1.2
Do not use a television 3.3 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.2 Q Q
Most-used television: hours used per weekday              
Less than 1 hour 3.7 1.2 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5
1 to 3 hours 29.8 6.4 6.2 4.3 3.6 2.7 6.6
4 to 6 hours 42.8 8.4 8.5 6.9 5.6 4.2 9.3
7 to 10 hours 21.6 4.5 5.5 3.1 2.3 2.2 4.0
More than 10 hours 17.0 4.2 4.5 2.6 2.0 1.2 2.6
Do not use a television 3.3 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.2 Q Q
Most-used television: hours used per weekend day              
Less than 1 hour 3.1 1.1 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
1 to 3 hours 20.5 5.0 4.0 3.1 2.5 1.8 4.0
4 to 6 hours 38.3 7.4 7.6 5.6 4.6 4.1 9.0
7 to 10 hours 30.1 5.5 7.0 5.1 3.9 2.7 5.9
More than 10 hours 22.9 5.5 6.1 3.2 2.5 1.8 3.7
Do not use a television 3.3 1.9 0.6 0.3 0.2 Q Q
Second most-used television: display size              
Less than 28 inches 26.8 6.0 6.1 4.2 3.3 2.6 4.7
28 to 39 inches 32.8 4.8 8.0 5.5 4.1 3.4 7.0
40 to 59 inches 23.0 3.0 3.7 3.6 3.5 2.4 6.8
60 inches or more 2.4 0.3 Q 0.2 0.4 0.4 1.0
Do not use two televisions 33.2 12.5 8.1 4.0 2.9 2.1 3.7
Second most-used television: display type              
LCD 34.2 4.8 7.0 5.9 4.4 3.4 8.7
Plasma 9.7 2.4 2.2 1.1 1.5 0.8 1.8
LED 26.2 3.6 4.8 4.6 3.8 3.1 6.3
Projection 1.2 0.2 Q Q Q Q 0.4
Standard tube 13.7 3.1 3.9 1.8 1.5 1.3 2.1
Do not use two televisions 33.2 12.5 8.1 4.0 2.9 2.1 3.7
Second most-used television: hours used per weekday              
Less than 1 hour 14.9 2.6 2.9 2.3 2.1 1.7 3.3
1 to 3 hours 42.0 6.0 8.0 7.0 5.3 4.5 11.3
4 to 6 hours 17.8 3.1 4.5 2.6 2.7 1.7 3.2
7 to 10 hours 6.4 1.5 1.4 1.1 0.7 0.6 1.2
More than 10 hours 4.0 0.9 1.3 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.5
Do not use two televisions 33.2 12.5 8.1 4.0 2.9 2.1 3.7
Second most-used television: hours used per weekend day              
Less than 1 hour 13.4 2.5 3.0 2.0 1.9 1.2 2.8
1 to 3 hours 36.0 5.0 6.8 5.9 4.4 4.3 9.6
4 to 6 hours 20.9 3.7 4.2 3.4 3.2 2.1 4.3
7 to 10 hours 9.1 1.7 2.4 1.4 1.2 0.6 1.8
More than 10 hours 5.6 1.2 1.7 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.9
Do not use two televisions 33.2 12.5 8.1 4.0 2.9 2.1 3.7
Number of cable or satellite boxes without DVRs used              
0 58.8 15.5 13.0 8.5 6.6 5.0 10.2
1 30.8 7.9 7.3 4.3 3.2 2.6 5.5
2 16.7 2.5 3.8 2.3 2.6 1.9 3.7
3 or more 11.9 0.7 2.1 2.4 1.7 1.4 3.7
Number of cable or satellite boxes with DVRs used              
0 64.4 18.4 15.7 9.0 6.7 5.4 9.1
1 33.6 6.0 6.9 5.5 4.4 3.1 7.7
2 12.2 1.7 2.2 1.9 1.9 1.3 3.2
3 or more 8.0 0.5 1.2 1.1 1.2 0.9 3.1
Number of separate DVRs used (not part of cable or satellite box)              
0 109.9 25.2 24.6 16.0 13.3 10.1 20.7
1 6.4 1.2 1.3 1.1 0.6 0.6 1.6
2 1.3 Q Q 0.3 Q Q 0.5
3 or more 0.6 Q Q Q Q Q 0.2
Number of DVD or Blu-ray players used              
0 46.2 13.9 11.9 6.1 4.7 3.5 6.1
1 49.4 10.0 10.3 7.9 6.0 4.9 10.2
2 16.9 2.3 3.1 2.7 2.7 1.7 4.5
3 or more 5.7 0.4 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 2.2
Number of VCRs used              
0 87.1 21.6 20.0 12.2 9.9 7.8 15.6
1 26.9 4.6 5.1 4.6 3.7 2.5 6.2
2 3.4 0.3 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.4 1.0
3 or more 0.8 Q Q Q Q Q 0.3
Number of Internet streaming devices used              
0 84.4 21.0 19.0 12.8 9.9 7.3 14.5
1 24.9 4.5 5.4 3.3 3.2 2.5 6.0
2 5.7 0.9 1.2 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.5
3 or more 3.2 0.2 0.5 0.7 0.3 0.4 1.1
Number of home theater or audio systems used              
0 89.1 22.7 21.1 12.8 10.2 7.8 14.5
1 25.8 3.7 4.6 4.2 3.5 2.7 7.2
2 2.9 Q 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.3 1.3
3 or more 0.4 Q Q Q Q Q Q
Number of video game consoles used              
0 74.5 18.6 17.1 10.9 8.3 6.4 13.2
1 29.6 5.9 6.1 4.6 3.6 3.0 6.3
2 9.5 1.3 2.0 1.5 1.5 0.9 2.2
3 or more 4.7 0.7 0.9 0.5 0.7 0.5 1.4
Have Internet access in the home              
Yes 100.7 20.0 21.3 15.0 12.8 9.8 21.9
Have wireless access 87.4 15.7 18.0 12.7 11.6 8.8 20.6
Do not have wireless access 13.4 4.3 3.3 2.3 1.2 1.0 1.3
No 17.5 6.6 4.8 2.5 1.3 1.0 1.2
Number of desktop computers used              
0 69.0 19.9 17.0 9.9 7.4 5.1 9.7
1 41.5 6.2 7.9 6.4 5.5 4.6 10.8
2 6.5 0.5 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.8 2.1
3 or more 1.3 Q Q Q Q 0.2 0.5
Number of laptop computers used              
0 43.0 12.8 10.6 6.3 4.1 3.4 5.9
1 44.6 9.2 9.9 6.9 5.7 4.4 8.4
2 21.2 3.7 4.3 3.1 2.9 2.0 5.2
3 or more 9.4 0.9 1.4 1.1 1.4 0.9 3.7
Number of tablets and e-readers used              
0 50.6 15.0 12.3 7.3 5.5 3.9 6.6
1 38.1 8.5 8.7 6.0 4.8 3.4 6.8
2 19.0 2.5 3.4 2.9 2.4 2.3 5.4
3 or more 10.5 0.5 1.8 1.3 1.4 1.2 4.3
Number of smartphones used              
0 28.4 8.4 6.9 4.0 3.0 2.8 3.4
1 28.4 8.3 6.2 4.3 3.1 2.0 4.4
2 37.3 7.0 8.2 5.5 4.8 3.6 8.3
3 or more 24.0 2.8 4.9 3.7 3.2 2.4 7.0
Number of other cell phones used              
0 75.6 17.2 16.4 11.1 9.0 6.6 15.3
1 28.6 6.7 6.2 4.6 3.1 2.9 5.1
2 10.7 2.0 2.7 1.4 1.6 1.1 2.0
3 or more 3.3 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.8
Number of printers, scanners, copiers, or fax machines              
0 46.7 17.0 12.5 6.3 3.9 2.9 4.1
1 61.1 8.7 12.3 9.8 8.7 6.6 15.1
2 8.4 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.4 1.0 3.0
3 or more 2.0 Q 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.9
1Housing characteristics data were collected between August 2015 and April 2016.
2Total U.S. includes all primary occupied housing units in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Vacant housing units, seasonal units, second homes, military houses, and group quarters are excluded.
3Total square footage includes all basements, finished or conditioned (heated or cooled) areas of attics, and conditioned garage space that is attached to the home. Unconditioned and unfinished areas in attics and attached garages are excluded. The square footage for some housing units was calculated based on measurements taken by the interviewer. For households responding without the presence of an interviewer, square footage was imputed based on characteristics of the housing unit. See 2015 RECS Square Footage Methodology for full details about data collection and processing.

Q = Data withheld because either the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50% or fewer than 10 cases responded.
N = No cases responded.

Notes:  Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals.  See RECS Terminology for definition of terms used in these tables.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Statistics, Forms EIA-457A and EIA-457C of the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.