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How the number of homes in America with landlines has changed since 1960

Diane Balogh profile image October 9, 2024 | 6 min read

In the United States, landline phones were the iconic staple of long-distance communication for many years. Landline usage in earlier decades, like the 1990s and 2000s, starkly contrasts with current times, with most adults now living in households without a landline. Many of these adults still recall a time when their families had a landline, and they likely have experience using one themselves at some point in their lives. Despite the decline, millions of households still depend on a landline for communication.

Our team at Ooma compiled census data on landline usage in U.S. households from 1960 to 2018 to examine the rise and fall of landlines nationwide.

How the Number of Homes in America With Landlines Has Changed Since 1960 - Ooma Home Phone - Infographic

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One detail remains the same throughout the boom and decline of landlines: households in the Northeast and Midwest consistently use landlines more than anywhere else in the United States. This has remained true every decade—from the 1960s until now. The Northeast, in particular, had more infrastructure than anywhere else. Most of the population was concentrated in urban centers, such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Therefore, telephone service was easier to implement because of dense settlement was well suited for landline adoption.

With a 91.4 percent total, Connecticut began the 1960s as the state with the highest percentage of households owning a landline and has continuously remained in the top five states ever since. At 99.1 percent in the 2000s, Massachusetts reached the highest rate of household landline ownership in the history of the United States. Overall, the 2000s marked the peak of landline ownership in the country, and it has declined in the aftermath of widespread adoption of mobile technology.

In comparison, southern states were usually the last to receive widespread landline service. It’s no surprise that states like Arkansas and Mississippi, among the last states to implement landline technology, continued to have some of the lowest percentages of households with landlines throughout all recorded decades. This delay was due to numerous reasons, such as rural populations spreading out over vast areas of land and underdeveloped infrastructure that was insufficient for such technology at the time. Even after implementation, southern states appear to be the most willing to forgo landlines in exchange for mobile-only communication.

The impact of landlines on society

The telephone landline is credited to Alexander Graham Bell, a Canadian-American inventor who patented the first telephone in the latter half of the 19th century. In an unprecedented turn of events, his invention would alter nearly every civilization in the world.

Unsurprisingly, the most significant effect the landline phone had on societies around the globe was the ability to instantaneously talk at a distance. People were no longer so heavily dependent on the postal system and telegraph to reach others far away from them. This made the landline vital for activists to build grassroots organizations and movements.

In a short time, the landline telephone became not only a method of communication, but a symbol of status. It was convenient for friends and families to stay connected and foster closer relationships with each other. Businesses could conduct transactions with clients and coordinate with suppliers more efficiently. Police, fire and other emergency services could pinpoint the exact locations of callers through the wire connection of landlines, which made the jobs of first responders much easier. Jobs and careers were built around landline services, and social norms adjusted to life with this new technology.

The death and decline of landline phones

As technology developed, wireless methods became the more convenient way to communicate by voice, effectively ending the reign of landline telephones. The convenience of not being tied to a single location, the expansion of coverage, and the increased affordability meant that cellphones rapidly replaced the space previously held by landlines.

Among current users, the main demographic that continues to use landlines more than any other cohort are adults 65 and older. Many of these older adults grew up with landlines, so they are comfortable and familiar with them. Compared to the ever-developing smartphones, landlines are a much less daunting technology to learn. Additionally, older adults are most likely to own their own homes. Younger people are more likely to rent, so households consisting of only or mostly younger people are more likely to be centered around mobile phones.

The Federal Communications Commission has worked toward eliminating the requirements for phone carriers to offer landline services. Alongside the widespread implementation of Ethernet access and fiber optics, some phone providers have chosen to drop their copper phone lines and cancel landline services entirely.

Mobile phones are not the only option for voice communication. For households and seniors, options like residential Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) can fill the void left by traditional household landlines with much more efficient and cost-effective technologies. And if you’re a business owner, ask us about POTS line replacement.

1960

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 Connecticut 91.4%
2 Iowa 89.2%
3 Massachusetts 87.3%
4 Minnesota 87.3%
5 Utah 87.1%
6 Michigan 86.1%
7 Wisconsin 86.0%
8 Pennsylvania 85.5%
9 Kansas 85.2%
10 New Jersey 85.1%
11 Illinois 85.0%
12 Washington 84.9%
13 Ohio 84.8%
14 Nebraska 84.6%
15 Colorado 84.1%
16 Delaware 83.7%
17 California 82.9%
18 D.C. 82.9%
19 Oregon 82.7%
20 New York 82.3%
21 Hawaii 81.7%
22 Indiana 81.1%
23 Rhode Island 81.1%
24 Maryland 80.1%
25 Montana 78.9%
26 Missouri 77.8%
27 Wyoming 77.8%
28 New Hampshire 77.6%
29 North Dakota 77.6%
30 South Dakota 77.4%
31 Vermont 76.6%
32 Idaho 76.0%
33 Oklahoma 74.6%
34 Maine 72.3%
35 Texas 70.6%
36 Nevada 69.6%
37 Louisiana 69.4%
38 Virginia 69.3%
39 Florida 68.1%
40 Tennessee 68.1%
41 West Virginia 67.2%
42 Arizona 64.7%
43 New Mexico 63.8%
44 Georgia 61.7%
45 Kentucky 61.5%
46 Alaska 60.0%
47 Alabama 59.2%
48 North Carolina 58.4%
49 South Carolina 55.3%
50 Arkansas 51.4%
51 Mississippi 45.3%

1970

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 Connecticut 93.6%
2 Minnesota 93.6%
3 Iowa 93.1%
4 Wisconsin 92.7%
5 Massachusetts 92.3%
6 Nebraska 91.7%
7 Pennsylvania 91.4%
8 Michigan 91.3%
9 Utah 91.1%
10 Rhode Island 91.0%
11 Hawaii 90.7%
12 Ohio 90.7%
13 New Jersey 90.5%
14 North Dakota 90.5%
15 Delaware 90.3%
16 Kansas 90.1%
17 Washington 89.6%
18 California 89.3%
19 Colorado 89.3%
20 Maryland 89.3%
21 Illinois 89.2%
22 Oregon 88.9%
23 New Hampshire 88.7%
24 Indiana 88.3%
25 Vermont 88.2%
26 Missouri 87.7%
27 New York 87.7%
28 South Dakota 87.5%
29 D.C. 87.2%
30 Wyoming 86.4%
31 Montana 85.9%
32 Maine 85.3%
33 Idaho 84.5%
34 Oklahoma 84.4%
35 Virginia 83.7%
36 Texas 82.3%
37 Louisiana 81.8%
38 Florida 81.4%
39 Nevada 81.1%
40 Tennessee 80.8%
41 Georgia 79.8%
42 West Virginia 79.6%
43 Arizona 79.0%
44 Alabama 78.2%
45 Kentucky 78.1%
46 North Carolina 77.4%
47 New Mexico 76.1%
48 South Carolina 75.6%
49 Arkansas 75.3%
50 Alaska 72.9%
51 Mississippi 67.4%

1980

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 Wisconsin 96.7%
2 Connecticut 96.6%
3 Minnesota 96.6%
4 Iowa 96.2%
5 Nebraska 96.2%
6 Michigan 95.9%
7 Maryland 95.8%
8 North Dakota 95.8%
9 Pennsylvania 95.8%
10 Massachusetts 95.7%
11 New Jersey 95.3%
12 D.C. 95.2%
13 Rhode Island 95.2%
14 Delaware 95.1%
15 Hawaii 95.1%
16 Kansas 94.9%
17 Illinois 94.8%
18 California 94.7%
19 Missouri 94.6%
20 Utah 94.6%
21 Washington 94.3%
22 New Hampshire 94.2%
23 Ohio 94.1%
24 Colorado 93.7%
25 South Dakota 93.7%
26 Oregon 93.5%
27 Indiana 93.4%
28 Vermont 93.3%
29 Idaho 92.9%
30 Maine 92.6%
31 New York 92.5%
32 Montana 92.1%
33 Oklahoma 92.1%
34 Virginia 91.7%
35 Wyoming 91.6%
36 Texas 90.6%
37 Nevada 90.3%
38 Florida 90.2%
39 Tennessee 90.1%
40 West Virginia 89.3%
41 Arizona 89.2%
42 Louisiana 89.1%
43 North Carolina 89.0%
44 Georgia 88.2%
45 Kentucky 88.1%
46 Arkansas 87.5%
47 South Carolina 87.4%
48 Alabama 87.1%
49 New Mexico 86.0%
50 Mississippi 83.4%
51 Alaska 83.3%

1990

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 Massachusetts 97.9%
2 Minnesota 97.6%
3 Connecticut 97.4%
4 Hawaii 97.4%
5 Pennsylvania 97.4%
6 Wisconsin 97.2%
7 California 97.0%
8 Delaware 96.9%
9 New Jersey 96.9%
10 Rhode Island 96.9%
11 Maryland 96.8%
12 Iowa 96.6%
13 New Hampshire 96.6%
14 North Dakota 96.5%
15 Washington 96.5%
16 Nebraska 96.4%
17 Maine 96.3%
18 Utah 96.0%
19 Michigan 95.9%
20 Colorado 95.8%
21 D.C. 95.8%
22 Kansas 95.6%
23 Oregon 95.5%
24 Vermont 95.5%
25 Illinois 95.4%
26 Ohio 95.3%
27 New York 95.0%
28 Missouri 94.8%
29 Florida 94.7%
30 Nevada 94.6%
31 Virginia 94.6%
32 Wyoming 94.4%
33 Idaho 94.2%
34 Indiana 94.1%
35 South Dakota 94.0%
36 Montana 93.1%
37 North Carolina 92.9%
38 Tennessee 92.9%
39 Alaska 91.7%
40 Georgia 91.7%
41 Louisiana 91.7%
42 Arizona 91.5%
43 Texas 91.4%
44 Alabama 91.3%
45 Oklahoma 91.2%
46 South Carolina 90.9%
47 Kentucky 89.8%
48 West Virginia 89.7%
49 Arkansas 89.1%
50 New Mexico 87.6%
51 Mississippi 87.4%

2000

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 Massachusetts 99.1%
2 Connecticut 98.9%
3 Minnesota 98.9%
4 New Hampshire 98.9%
5 Maine 98.7%
6 Colorado 98.6%
7 Delaware 98.6%
8 Pennsylvania 98.6%
9 Washington 98.6%
10 California 98.5%
11 Rhode Island 98.5%
12 Utah 98.5%
13 Vermont 98.5%
14 Maryland 98.4%
15 Oregon 98.4%
16 Wisconsin 98.4%
17 Iowa 98.3%
18 New Jersey 98.2%
19 North Dakota 98.2%
20 Idaho 98.1%
21 Nebraska 98.1%
22 New York 98.1%
23 Hawaii 98.0%
24 Virginia 97.9%
25 Florida 97.8%
26 Ohio 97.8%
27 Nevada 97.7%
28 D.C. 97.5%
29 Michigan 97.4%
30 Kansas 97.2%
31 Montana 97.2%
32 Indiana 97.1%
33 Missouri 97.1%
34 South Dakota 97.1%
35 Alaska 97.0%
36 Illinois 97.0%
37 North Carolina 97.0%
38 Tennessee 97.0%
39 Georgia 96.8%
40 Texas 96.8%
41 Wyoming 96.8%
42 Arizona 96.3%
43 Alabama 95.8%
44 Louisiana 95.8%
45 South Carolina 95.8%
46 Oklahoma 95.4%
47 Kentucky 95.3%
48 West Virginia 95.3%
49 Arkansas 94.6%
50 New Mexico 94.3%
51 Mississippi 93.5%

2010

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 New Jersey 85.7%
2 Rhode Island 85.7%
3 Connecticut 85.6%
4 South Dakota 83.1%
5 New Hampshire 82.7%
6 Delaware 82.3%
7 Massachusetts 82.2%
8 Pennsylvania 82.2%
9 New York 81.0%
10 California 80.5%
11 Maryland 80.4%
12 Alaska 78.5%
13 Montana 78.3%
14 Vermont 77.9%
15 Virginia 77.0%
16 West Virginia 76.8%
17 Wyoming 76.5%
18 Hawaii 76.4%
19 Maine 76.2%
20 Missouri 75.7%
21 Utah 74.2%
22 Illinois 74.1%
23 Nevada 74.0%
24 Minnesota 73.8%
25 Wisconsin 73.4%
26 North Carolina 73.0%
27 Alabama 72.8%
28 Indiana 72.7%
29 Ohio 72.3%
30 Washington 72.2%
31 South Carolina 71.9%
32 Georgia 71.3%
33 Florida 70.9%
34 Louisiana 70.6%
35 Tennessee 70.3%
36 Kansas 69.9%
37 D.C. 69.6%
38 Iowa 69.5%
39 Michigan 69.0%
40 New Mexico 68.8%
41 Nebraska 68.3%
42 Oklahoma 68.1%
43 Colorado 67.9%
44 Arizona 67.7%
45 Oregon 67.7%
46 Idaho 67.1%
47 North Dakota 66.4%
48 Kentucky 66.3%
49 Texas 65.7%
50 Mississippi 62.9%
51 Arkansas 62.7%

2018*

*2018 data was used instead of 2020 because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began reporting landline data on a per-adult basis rather than by household in 2019.

State Percent of Households with a Landline
1 New Jersey 59.8%
2 New York 58.0%
3 Massachusetts 57.8%
4 Maryland 57.7%
5 Connecticut 57.1%
6 Pennsylvania 53.6%
7 Delaware 52.5%
8 Rhode Island 52.1%
9 New Hampshire 51.5%
10 Maine 49.6%
11 Virginia 48.7%
12 Vermont 47.0%
13 Hawaii 45.2%
14 West Virginia 44.1%
15 Montana 43.9%
16 Wisconsin 42.2%
17 California 42.1%
18 South Carolina 41.3%
19 Minnesota 40.9%
20 D.C. 40.0%
21 North Carolina 39.8%
22 Alaska 39.7%
23 Michigan 39.4%
24 Washington 39.2%
25 Louisiana 39.1%
26 Alabama 38.8%
27 North Dakota 38.6%
28 Ohio 38.5%
29 Nebraska 38.4%
30 Georgia 37.9%
31 Illinois 37.2%
32 Tennessee 35.8%
33 Colorado 35.6%
34 Florida 35.4%
35 Iowa 35.3%
36 South Dakota 34.8%
37 Kentucky 34.7%
38 Oregon 34.4%
39 Nevada 33.6%
40 Indiana 33.0%
41 Missouri 32.6%
42 Kansas 32.5%
43 Arizona 31.4%
44 Mississippi 30.1%
45 Arkansas 29.6%
46 Oklahoma 29.6%
47 Texas 28.8%
48 Utah 28.6%
49 Wyoming 28.4%
50 New Mexico 28.1%
51 Idaho 24.8%

Sources:

  • 1960-1990: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/time-series/coh-phone/phone-tab.txt
  • 2000: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/time-series/coh-phone/phone2000.txt
  • 2010: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr039.pdf
  • 2018: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/Wireless_state_201912-508.pdf
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