Key findings:

  • 62% of Americans say 5G has improved their digital experiences
  • Younger adults and higher-income groups are the most likely to agree
  • Views remain mixed as 5G adoption continues across the U.S.

As 5G coverage continues to expand across the United States, faster speeds and lower latency are changing how people experience the digital world. From streaming and gaming to remote work and connected devices, the rollout of 5G is reshaping online activity, though not all Americans report feeling its benefits equally.

According to YouGov Profiles data, over six in ten Americans (62%) say that 5G improves their digital experiences, such as streaming quality and speed of apps. In November 2021, 45% of Americans were in agreement.

A quarter (25%) neither agree nor disagree, and 14% say they don’t feel 5G improves their digital experience.

Younger Americans lead in saying 5G improves their digital experiences

Younger adults are the most likely to feel the benefits of 5G. Around two-thirds of Americans aged 18 to 29 (67%) and 30 to 44 (67%) say the technology has improved their digital experiences, the highest across all age groups. The share drops slightly among those aged 45 to 64 (61%), while fewer than half (49%) of those aged 65 and over agree.

Older Americans are more likely to be neutral about 5G’s impact: nearly one in three (32%) neither agree nor disagree, and almost one in five (18%) say it hasn’t improved their experience.

Different income groups view 5G’s impact differently

Income appears to shape how Americans perceive 5G. Seven in ten higher-income Americans (69%), those earning over 200% of the median, agree that 5G has improved their digital experiences. This compares with 65% of middle-income earners and 59% of those on lower incomes.

Among lower-income adults, more than a quarter (26%) are neutral, and 15% say 5G has not improved their experience. Among those who didn’t state their income, just over half (52%) agree that 5G has improved their digital experiences, a third (34%) are neutral, and 14% disagree.

Overall, a majority of Americans say that 5G has improved their digital experiences as the network continues to expand across the U.S. As adoption deepens and infrastructure grows, these perceptions may continue to evolve.

Methodology: 

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between November 2024 and November 2025, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the US and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.

Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash

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