Table 5. Purpose of Computer Use at Home by People 3 to 17 Years: October 1997

(Numbers in thousands. Civilian noninstitutional population.)

                                 Total
                                3 to 17      Word                       Graphics/     School      Educational   Learning to               Log-in to    Other
Characteristic                   years    Processing   E-Mail   Games    Design     Assignments   Programs/1    Use computer   Internet    School     Reasons 

Total using computer at home    24,550       38.9       14.7     83.0      18.0         56.2          93.3          24.6         19.9         1.7        2.0

AGE
 3 to 5 years old                2,947        4.2        0.8     87.1       9.8          4.7          95.3          28.3          2.0         0.4        1.3
 6 to 11 years old               9,992       26.4        9.0     89.8      16.3         45.4          92.8          27.7         13.5         0.9        1.8
 12 to 17 years old             11,610       58.4       23.1     76.1      21.5         78.6          93.3          20.9         30.0         2.7        2.4

GENDER
 Male                           12,635       36.0       14.4     86.5      17.2         55.4          93.7          24.4         20.5         1.9        1.8
 Female                         11,915       42.0       15.0     79.4      18.8         57.1          92.9          24.7         19.3         1.4        2.3

RACE
 White not Hispanic             19,929       40.3       16.0     84.0      19.1         56.4          93.7          24.7         21.0         1.7        1.9
 Black not Hispanic              1,734       28.7        6.5     80.7      11.3         53.6          87.7          24.7         12.2         1.1        3.1
 Other not Hispanic              1,383       35.8       13.8     82.1      14.5         60.9          94.3          22.6         18.2         1.6        2.5
 Hispanic                        1,503       34.9        7.4     73.7      13.6         52.5          94.6          24.8         15.6         2.4        1.5

FAMILY INCOME
 Under $25,000                   2,708       30.6        8.8     80.7      14.2         49.8          88.5          25.2         11.4         0.9        3.0
 $25,000 to $49,999              7,090       33.7       11.3     83.6      17.8         53.8          91.3          24.2         15.2         1.8        2.0
 $50,000 to $74,999              6,290       41.4       15.8     83.6      18.7         57.5          95.5          23.9         22.2         1.7        2.0
 $75,000+                        6,737       45.7       20.3     83.9      19.4         60.0          96.1          26.2         26.5         1.8        1.7
 Not reported                    1,725       37.4       12.0     78.9      16.4         56.9          90.3          21.4         18.8         1.8        2.1




1/includes only people 3 to 14 years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Internet Release date: October 14, 1999
Revised date:  March 20, 2000