Households with 6-figure incomes are the fastest-growing Web demographic.

Affluent Americans make up the fastest-growing income group on the Web, and show the highest concentration of broadband use, according to a Nielsen//NetRatings study.

Online users with total household incomes of $150K have grown 31 percent since last March, the study says. Broadband users made up 69 percent of the total audience for those with incomes of $150K and above, compared with 31 percent using dial-up.

Those earning between $75K-100K jumped to 26.4 million in March 2004, compared with 20.7 million a year earlier. Internet users with upper incomes ranging from $100K-150K rose 24 percent since last March.
 
Table 1: Year-Over-Year Internet Access Growth by Income Level (US, Home) Income Level* Please view in a fixed-width font such as Courier.

	Income Level* Unique Audience (000) Yearly Percent Growth (%)   03-Mar 04-Mar   $ 150,000+ 6,010 7,873 31% $ 75,000 - 99,999 20,732 26,393 27% $ 100,000 - 149,999 14,356 17,786 24% $ 0 - 24,999 7,961 9,399 18% $ 25,000 - 49,999 33,074 37.826 14% $ 50,000 - 74,999 38,165 42.473 11%

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, March 2004
*Income level based on combined total household annual earnings

Broadband use was highest among Internet users earning upper-level incomes -- 69 percent of those with incomes of $150K and above connect with broadband (see Table 2). Online users earning between $100K-$150K showed a 61/39 split favoring high speed, while Internet users with incomes between $75K-$100K posted an even split among narrowband and broadband users.

Middle and lower-income users posted much smaller broadband concentrations. Almost two-thirds of individuals with household earnings between $25K-50K go online through narrowband, with just 36 percent accessing through broadband. Broadband composition is even less for lower-income surfers earning between $0-25K, with just 25 percent going online through cable, DSL or other high speed. 

"Cost plays a tremendous part in Internet access patterns," says Kenneth Cassar, director of strategic analysis, Nielsen//NetRatings. "While broadband has become much less expensive over the past few years, it's still a significant cost as compared to narrowband. Couple high-speed access with other utility expenses and households with tighter budgets simply would not be able to afford the luxury of having broadband."

Table 2: Broadband vs. Narrowband by Household Income March 2004 (U.S.,
Home)

	Income Level Narrowband Broadband $ 150,000+ 31% 69% $ 100,000 - 149,999 39% 61% $ 75,000 - 99,999 50% 50% $ 50,000 - 74,999 54% 46% $ 25,000 - 49,999 64% 36% $ 0 - 24,999 75% 25%

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, March 2004