Comparing How the Average American Spends Their Time Now vs. a Century Ago

Things change fast - often in the blink of an eye. This is true for how Americans spend their time. As technology expands and people work more hours, the way we spend our time and with who is changing. About a century ago, most Americans spent most of their time with friends while also seeing neighbors and visiting church frequently. This is no longer the case and hasn't been for long.

Even before the rise of the internet and smartphones, trends were changing. In some decades, Americans focused more on friendships and coworkers, while in most years, they slowed down their time with neighbors and church members.

Interested in how American habits have changed? For this slideshow, we are using data from 1934 to 2024. It measures how and where people spend their time.

Note: Although these numbers show an increase in how we spend more time online, it isn't fully accurate as smartphones and the internet are used to communicate with friends, family, coworkers, and community members. Churches even livestream their sermons and masses.

1934

Family: 22.40%
School: 21.67%
Friends: 19.48%
Neighbors: 11.12%
Church: 9.66%
Bar/Restaurant: 8.27%
College: 3.95%
Coworkers: 3.45%
Online: 0%

1944

Family: 21.40%
School: 19.33%
Friends: 21.84%
Neighbors: 10.11%
Church: 7.92%
Bar/Restaurant: 9.19%
College: 4.92%
Coworkers: 5.29%
Online: 0%

1954

Family: 20.11%
School: 17.17%
Friends: 23.56%
Neighbors: 8.86%
Church: 6.52%
Bar/Restaurant: 10.73%
College: 5.62%
Coworkers: 7.43%
Online: 0%

1964

Family: 18.16%
School: 14..64%
Friends: 24.97%
Neighbors: 7.41%
Church: 5.67%
Bar/Restaurant: 12.84%
College: 5.82%
Coworkers: 10.48%
Online: 0%

1974

Family: 16.03%
School: 11.94%
Friends: 26.20%
Neighbors: 6.76%
Church: 5.50%
Bar/Restaurant: 14.17%
College: 5.98%
Coworkers: 13.42%
Online: 0%

1984

Family: 14.52%
School: 10.17%
Friends: 26.71%
Neighbors: 6.57%
Church: 5.49%
Bar/Restaurant: 14.69%
College: 6.74%
Coworkers: 15.06%
Online: 0.04%

1994

Family: 12.81%
School: 8.98%
Friends: 27.17%
Neighbors: 6.57%
Church: 5.40%
Bar/Restaurant: 14.04%
College: 7.75%
Coworkers: 15.90%
Online: 1.38%

2004

Family: 10.53%
School: 7.79%
Friends: 26.94%
Neighbors: 6.16%
Church: 5.06%
Bar/Restaurant: 12.20%
College: 8.02%
Coworkers: 14.24%
Online: 9.06%

2014

Family: 7.84%
School: 5.91%
Friends: 22.01%
Neighbors: 3.48%
Church: 4.24%
Bar/Restaurant: 9.41%
College: 5.31%
Coworkers: 11.03%
Online: 30.78%

2024

Family: 4.52%
School: 3.33%
Friends: 13.86%
Neighbors: 1.28%
Church: 2.12%
Bar/Restaurant: 4.91%
College: 0.74%
Coworkers: 8.48%
Online: 60.76%

The Age of the Internet

Going through these slides, you may have noticed an alarming pattern. Every decade, Americans are spending more time online instead of living in the moment with family, friends, coworkers, and community members. This is greatly affecting us. Being online too much can affect your physical and mental health. Research has shown that excessive screen time can lead to an increase in anxiety, stress, weight gain, and poor sleeping habits. To decrease your chances of gaining these problems, reduce your screen time.