Given that $75,000 is only about one and half times the median household income of $49,777 4, we also examined those in the higher-income brackets exclusively.3 In the August-September 2010 Pew Internet survey there were 142 respondents who reported living in households earning $150,000 or more, which is the dataset used for this analysis.
Examining those living in households with an income of $150,000 or more, there are significant differences with the other income groups. The affluent are significantly more likely to use the internet (30% more) and email (25% more) than the rest of the American population.
Looking more closely at internet users, the affluent are more likely than other internet users to participate in video chat (22% more likely), pay bills online (19%) and get online news (11%).
In fact, technology saturates the lives of affluent Americans. Nearly all (96%) of this affluent demographic use the internet or email. Nine in ten (89%) of the high-income internet users have searched online for maps or directions, 86% have researched a product online, and 82% get a portion of their news online.
