Mac Use Up to 12 Percent, Users Are More Wealthy, Tech-Oriented

The 2009 Household Penetration Study is out and it offers some very revealing findings–findings that are nothing like what you might think of when reading the name of the study, so start thinking household computing. The NPD study finds that almost 12 percent of U.S. households with a computer are now sporting a Mac. This number demonstrates an increase of three percentage points from last year’s first annual Household Penetration Study.

The study further breaks down Mac use. Out of the Mac users in the study, 72 percent use laptops (50% for PC users) and 85 percent also own a Windows-based PC. 66 percent of those homes with Macs house three or more computers, while only 29 percent of Windows homes reported owning three or more. Further confirming that Apple lovers are more up to date on advanced technological gadgets, the study found that ownership of other devices breaks down as follows: iPod: 63 percent of Mac households/36 percent of overall computer owners, navigation system: 50/30 percent, DSLR camera: 32/12 percent, 50 + inch LCD TV: 18/8 percent.

Despite the cool image that Apple tries to ingrain into your mind, the cited reason for the increased number of computers and devices in Mac households is not extra hipness, but extra cash–36 percent of Mac households in the study reported household income as $100K or above. On the other hand, only 21 percent of all computer households were in that bracket. [NPD via MacWorld]