YouTube and Facebook continue to lead U.S. social media usage, but TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reddit are showing consistent growth, according to new data from Pew Research Center.
The report surveyed 5,022 U.S and found 84% use YouTube and 71% use Facebook. Instagram reached 50% adoption, making it the only other platform used by at least half of American adults.
What The Data Says
TikTok Growth Continues
TikTok usage among U.S. adults has increased to 37%, a slight rise from last year and nearly twice the 21% recorded in 2021. Approximately 24% of TikTok users visit the platform daily.
Instagram Reaches Milestone
Half of U.S. adults now use Instagram, matching 2024 levels but rising from 40% in 2021. The platform is especially popular among younger users.
WhatsApp and Reddit Gain Users
WhatsApp usage increased to 32%, rising from 23% in 2021. Reddit grew to 26%, up from 18% four years earlier.
New Platforms Show Limited Reach
Among U.S. adults, Threads has an 8% adoption rate, Bluesky is at 4%, and Truth Social stands at 3%.
Usage Frequency Varies by Platform
Approximately half of adults (52%) visit Facebook every day, with 37% checking it multiple times. YouTube has 48% daily usage, with 33% visiting more than once a day.
TikTok is used daily by 24% of adults, while X (formerly Twitter) has a 10% daily usage rate.
Platform Demographics
Age is the strongest predictor of platform use. Eight in ten adults aged 18-29 use Instagram, versus 19% of those 65+. Similar gaps are seen for Snapchat (58% vs. 4%), TikTok (63% vs. 5%) and Reddit (48% vs. 6%).
YouTube and Facebook are used by most age groups, but younger adults still lead in YouTube at 95%, versus 64% for those 65+.
Women are more likely to use Facebook (78% vs. 63%), Instagram (55% vs. 44%) and TikTok (42% vs. 30%), while men favor X (29% vs. 15%) and Reddit (37% vs. 15%). Adults with college degrees are more likely to use Reddit (40%), WhatsApp (41%) and Instagram (58%) than those with high school or less.
Why This Matters
These usage patterns can help inform your content distribution plans.
YouTube and Facebook are key for reaching a wide audience, while TikTok, Instagram, and newer platforms focus on specific groups.
Since different age groups prefer different platforms, it’s a good idea to tailor strategies for each platform rather than sharing the same content everywhere.
Looking Ahead
Pew’s data indicates gradual changes rather than sudden growth. Younger adults are continuing to favor familiar platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Reddit, while older adults are still more reliant on Facebook and YouTube.
Newer platforms such as Threads and Bluesky are still niche but indicate where politically active users might experiment next.
Pew’s trend series and methodology notes offer a baseline to monitor whether these divides increase, decrease, or stabilize in future data.
Featured Image: Vasylisa Dvoichenkova/Shutterstock
