Pew Research: 80% of Young Adults Ages 18-29 Utilize Instagram, Highlighting Generational Divide in Social Media

Pew Research Center's latest study reveals a significant generational gap in social media usage, with adults under 30 demonstrating considerably higher engagement across several platforms compared to older age groups. The findings, based on a 2025 survey of U.S. adults, indicate that younger individuals are particularly prominent users of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Reddit. This trend underscores evolving digital consumption habits among different demographics in the United States.

The 2025 study specifically notes that eight-in-ten adults aged 18 to 29 report using Instagram, marking a clear generational divide. This demographic also shows a distinct preference for platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, and Reddit, where their usage rates significantly exceed those of older age groups. As the Pew Research Center highlighted in its recent social media post, "> Adults under 30 are more likely than older adults to use most of the social media platforms we asked about. The youngest adults particularly stand out in their use of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Reddit."

This pronounced difference in platform adoption reflects varying digital habits and preferences across generations. While younger adults gravitate towards visually-driven and community-focused applications, the survey also indicates that YouTube and Facebook remain the most widely used online platforms overall. YouTube is utilized by 84% of U.S. adults, and Facebook by 71%, with these two platforms being the only ones used by a majority across all age groups surveyed.

The Center's research, conducted from February to June 2025 among 5,022 U.S. adults, further reveals an upward trend in the overall usage of several platforms since 2021. TikTok's adult user base has grown to 37%, Instagram to 50%, and Reddit to 26% of U.S. adults. Additionally, younger adults are significantly more likely to report daily engagement, with roughly half of 18- to 29-year-olds using TikTok at least once a day, compared to only 5% of adults aged 65 and older.

These findings underscore the dynamic nature of the social media landscape and the persistent influence of age as a primary determinant of platform choice and engagement. The continued divergence in usage patterns suggests that social media strategies for content creators, marketers, and policymakers must increasingly consider these generational preferences to effectively reach diverse audiences. The study provides valuable insights into the evolving digital habits of the American population.