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March 10, 2007 | Share

How U.S. Teens Spend Their Time and Money

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According to the Census Bureau, there are currently 25.2 million teens, ages 13-18, in the U.S. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

Thirteen-year-old is the equivalent of the 8th grade. Fifteen-year-olds should be high school freshmen.

Over a third of teens hold part-time jobs, working 18 hours a week, on average, and earning $483 per month. They are using their disposable income first and foremost for clothes, followed by eating out, cars, movies and cell phones. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

Teens' discretionary income increases from nearly $1500 at age 12 to 13 to nearly $4500 by age 16 and 17. (Teen Market Profile 2004, Magazine Publishers of America) As a group, teenagers spent over $158 billion in 2005 and are predicted to spend $205 billion in 2008. (Adotas Advertising, 2005)

Teens spend in a wide variety of categories, from durable products such as clothing, CDs, video games, and jewelry to nondurables, such as food, soda, snacks, and ice cream. (Teen Market Profile 2004)

The top 10 items they recently purchased: 1) clothes; 2) food; 3) candy/soda or soft drinks; 4) salty snacks (i.e. chips)/CD or recorded music; 5) lunch; 6) shoes; 7) video games; 8) jewelry; 9) magazines; 10) ice cream. (Teen Market Profile 2004)

The role of teens in influencing household purchases is growing as parents rely on teens' advanced computer skills to research products online. In 1960, kids controlled $5 billion of family purchases. By 2006, they'll control $192 billion, experts predict (The Enquirer, Cincinnati, 09/252006)

According to Mintel International Group, a market research firm in Chicago, teens spent $175 billion in all of 2003. That number is expected to top $190 billion by 2006. Mintel said, that's about $4000 per kid. That spending clout surpasses the gross domestic product of Ireland, which was estimated at $131.5 billion.

Teens 14-17 spend on average $46.80 per mall visit. They visit malls more frequently than any other age group averaging once per week, and also spend the most time per visit. (Teen Market Profile 2004)

Over 62% of teens say they love to shop, a 10-point increase since 2003. They're flocking to big boxes and luxury brands, with little room for retailers that fall in-between. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

In the big-box category, Target has jumped more than 16 points since 2003, shooting Target into teens' "Top 10" most beloved brands. Wal-Mart and Best Buy are also top teen shopping destinations, with over half of teens saying they "like or love" shopping in those stores. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

At the other extreme, top luxury brands have exploded onto the teen scene in the last three years. Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Coach all jumped onto the collective teen consciousness, with Armani climbing 29 points since 2003 in the Harrison Group's Brand Love index. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

In terms of non-shopping brands, Sony, Taco Bell and Coca-Cola lead in popularity among a group of 60 brands measured in the study. Microsoft continued strong growth, up 12 points on the Brand Love index. Apple jumped 29 points over the same period, which coincides with a marked increase in teen iPod ownership. Only one percent of teens owned an iPod in 2003. Three years later, nearly a third of teens own an iPod, an accessory likely to become ubiquitous by 2007. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

According to the 2006 Teen Trends study conducted by the Harrison Group, teens (ages 13 to 18) spend 72 hours a week interacting with electronic media (cell phones, the Internet, television, music and video games). (News.com, 12/07/2006)

The average home in the U.S. now has more television sets than people to sit down and watch them. (Nielsen Media Research, September 2006) More than 50% of homes have at least three working televisions. USA average: 2.8. (USA TODAY)

Almost two-third (61%) of children ages 8 to 17 now have a television in their bedrooms, 17% have their own PC; 35% have videogame systems, and 14% have their own DVD player.

The average American child grows up in a home with 3 televisions, 2 music CD or audiocassette players, 3 radios, 2 VCRs, 1 video game player, and 1 computer. (University of Washington, 2003)

The average American teen spends 23 hours a week watching television. (American Psychological Association, 1993)

87% of U.S. teens aged 12-17 use the internet, 51% of teenage users say they go online on a daily basis. (Pew Internet & American Life Project 2005)

An overwhelming majority of all teenagers, 84%, report owning at least one personal media device: a desktop or laptop computer, a cell phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). (Pew Internet & American Life Project 2005)

Close to half of teens (45%) own a cell phone. (Pew Internet & American Life Project 2005)

An average youth between ages 12-17 reports spending 10.3 hours a week with friends doing social activities outside of school and about 7.8 hours talking with friends via technology like the telephone, email, IM or text messaging. (Pew Internet & American Life Project 2005)

Teens are also using instant messaging for longer periods of time. On a typical day, the largest group of teens (37%) say they instant message for a half-hour to an hour. One-quarter (27%) say they IM for less than a half-hour a day, and another quarter (24%) say they IM for 1-2 hours a day. (Pew Internet & American Life Project 2005)

The average teen IMs with 35 people for three hours a week. (2006 Harrison Group/VNU Teen Trend Report, Nov 2006)

Male teens spent an average of one hour and 54 minutes daily and female teens an average of 36 minutes daily playing video games. (Jack Myers Media Business Report, 2007)

Twelve- to 15-year-old California students spend an average 40 minutes a day instant messaging friends, 31.4 minutes downloading music and 22 minutes sending and reading email. (Children's Digital Media, 2005)