A recent Pew Research Center report offers key insights into how U.S. adults engage with social media. Based on a nationally representative survey of over 5,000 adults conducted between February and June 2025, the findings show that 84% of U.S. adults say they have used YouTube, while 71% report they have used Facebook. Other platforms saw lower overall usage; 50% for Instagram, 37% for TikTok, 32% for WhatsApp and 26% for Reddit.
Platform demographics and usage patterns
The data demonstrate strong generational differences. Among U.S. adults aged 18-29, YouTube use reaches as high as 95%, whereas older adults (65 and up) report around 64% usage. Facebook remains highly used among older users. Instagram and TikTok are more dominant among younger adults and exhibit steeper declines in usage with age.
Socioeconomic factors also influence platform usage: adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher report greater use of YouTube (89%) and Instagram (58%) compared to those with a high school education or less. Urban respondents show higher engagement with image- and video-based apps, while rural users reported lower levels of use for platforms outside Facebook and YouTube.
The report shows the broad reach of YouTube and Facebook among U.S. adults and suggests that newer platforms like TikTok are still growing their adoption among older demographics. It also points to segmented opportunity: for younger audiences, Instagram and TikTok carry potential; for mass-market adult reach, YouTube remains dominant.
This is an opportunity for brands and creators alike to take advantage of consumer behavior, which may impact content strategy and ad targeting.