Nearly 12 percent of U.S. computer-owning households now own a Mac, The NPD Group reports in its second annual Household Penetration Study. That’s up three percentage points from the market-research firm’s 2008 findings.
According to the report, 72 percent of those Mac users have laptops, and are very likely to live in mixed environments—a staggering 85 percent of those Mac users surveyed also own a Windows-based PC. And 66 percent of those households contain three or more computers, compared with 29 percent for Windows households.
Those in Mac households are also greater consumers of consumer electronics. The survey found that 63 percent of Apple households own an iPod, compared to 36 percent of overall computer owners. 32 percent own a DSLR camera (versus 12 percent), while 18 percent own a 50-plus-inch LCD TV (versus 8 percent).
So why do Mac users have more computers and cool technology than their PC counterparts? They make more money, according to the report. In a statement accompanying the report, Stephen Baker, NPD’s vice president of industry analysis, wrote, “Thirty-six percent of Apple computer owners reported household incomes greater than $100,000, compared to 21 percent of all consumers. With a higher household income, though, it’s not a surprise that those consumers are making more electronics purchases.”
He also said that Apple households own twice as many consumer electronics devices—48—as the average computer household.
The results come from a survey of more than 2300 of NPD’s online panelists.
[Hat tip: The Loop]