Utah No. 1 in homes with computers

WASHINGTON — Nearly three in four Utah households own a computer, a higher percentage than in any other state, according to a new census report.

Computer and Internet use are up nationwide, but so are concerns about identity theft and other online dangers.

Fifty-five percent of American households had access to the Internet at home in 2003, more than triple the percentage in 1997, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

In Utah, there were computers in an estimated 596,000 households. Some 503,000 households, or 63 percent, were online — the nation's fifth highest rate of Internet usage. That's up from 14th in a 2001 census survey, said Robert Spendlove, manager of demographic and economic analysis for the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget.

Spendlove said Utah matches national trends of Internet usage, which increased with education, income and the presence of school-age children at home. It was lowest among adults who have not graduated from high school, the report found.

Utah has the lowest median age, the largest household size and one of the highest educational attainments, Spendlove said.

"A lot of characteristics point to (Utah) having a tech-savvy population," he said. "It positions Utah well for the future. . . . Things like biotech and genetics rely on a well-educated, tech-savvy work force."

School-age children are most likely to use home computers to play games or do schoolwork, the report found. Adults are most likely to use home computers for e-mail, to search for information about products and services, and to read news, weather and sports information.

The report is based on data from the bureau's October 2003 Current Population Survey, the country's primary source of labor statistics. It is the bureau's latest information on computer and Internet use, though it is two years old and experts say Americans' computer habits are quickly evolving.

"We actually think the (Internet) penetration in households is higher," said Greg Stuart, president and CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau, which helps online companies increase revenue.

A report this year by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 68 percent of adults use the Internet, up from 63 percent last year. It found that 22 percent of American adults have never used the Internet.

Susannah Fox, who worked on the Pew report, said age and education were the strongest predictors of whether someone uses the Internet. Young adults were the most likely to use the Internet, with a big drop-off among people 70 and older.