With social networks ranking among the top product discovery platforms, there’s no question that brands need to be marketing on them to increase their reach and boost sales. 

But before building a social media marketing plan, you need to better understand the landscape. If your target audience lives in the United States, this means knowing the answer to the question: How many people use social media in the US?

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How many Americans use social media: 2019–2023

Recent data on social media usage in the US shows that the number of social media users there is forecast to hit 308.27 million in 2023, a 2% annual increase. This is defined as an internet user who accesses a social network at least once a month using any device. 

Despite the rise, it’s a deceleration from previous years’ growth rates. In 2019, there were 278.35 million social media users in the US. This increased by 3.5% in 2020, to 288.03 million. The following two years saw the number of social media users in the US grow by 2.6% and 2.3%, to 295.48 million and 302.25 million, respectively. 2022 was also the first time this number exceeded 300 million.

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From 2019 to 2023, the number of social media users in the US grew by a total of 10.7% and at an average annual growth rate of 2.6%.

How many Americans use social media: 2024–2028

Industry analysts expect social media usage in the US to continue rising in the coming years, albeit at a slower rate.

In 2024, the number of social media users in the US is forecast to rise by 1.8%, to 313.68 million. Growth is set to slow even more in 2025, to 1.6%, which will bring the number to 318.58 million.

The succeeding three years will see the number of social media users in the US rise by between 1.2% and 1.4%. By 2028, experts predict there will be 331.09 million people in the US using social media. 

From 2024 to 2028, the number of social media users in the US is expected to rise at an average annual growth rate of 1.4%, as the market adds more than 17 million active social media users. This is nearly half the growth rate from 2019 to 2023. 

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