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

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 19^th 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

About the Author

Diane Balogh

Diane Balogh has more than 10 years of experience researching, editing and writing for and about the telecommunications industry. Her blog posts have appeared on ooma.com, TechBuzz.att.com, OnSIP.com and Talkatone.com. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism with an area of emphasis in science writing, she specializes in translating complex topics into language that is easy to understand.