What is the average age of the typical Mac user? [Archive]

lhlee96

Jul 7, 2009, 09:39 AM

Well, I'm pretty young, just barely surpassing the age limit on Macrumors. So yeah...hehe. I've been using Macs ever since I was six- first with a really old Apple II, then one of those colorful iBook laptops that look like seashells, followed by an iBook, then a PowerBook G4, followed by two more MacBooks, then present day, with a uMBP (Late 2008). =)

keekl

Jul 7, 2009, 09:46 AM

44 y/o here~I expect the average age is higher than expected for mac users; the older crowd may not be as represented on a forum like this though.

-hh

Jul 7, 2009, 09:49 AM

I think there has already been a poll done on this here a few times

Here's two that I've quickly found:

the "better" iPhone users poll (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=731657&highlight=poll+age)

last year's "How old are you?" poll (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=501712&highlight=poll+age)- - although do note the higher age cut-off point, and that it was in the iPhone forums. As such, I'd recommend to keep looking for actual Mac users.

EDIT: here's an older one (2007); (http://forums.macrumors.com/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=2189)from the Mac Community directory.

-hh

RKpro

Jul 7, 2009, 11:50 AM

Judging by the comments here I'm guessing somewhere between 10-24 years. I don't know too many 50+year geezers (like me) that have one. There's a lot of macs for general use and education but I don't see them in the biz world (which I'm still a part of).

Macs are computers, nowdays everyone uses computers. I don't think the average age of mac users is too far off from the average age of the population. Looking into a crowded Apple store you will see people of all ages. However, here on the forums you're going to find mostly the younger tech savvy crowd.

maflynn

Jul 7, 2009, 11:53 AM

Unlike some other mac related forums I frequent this one seems to have their fair share of young mac users.

I'll be skewing the age upward being that I'm 44

bli625

Jul 7, 2009, 12:05 PM

Just turned 17 a few weeks ago. :D
I got my first mac this year.

WalkingSnake

Jul 7, 2009, 12:09 PM

I'm 19, almost 20. Take it for what you will..

AnotherFanBoy

Jul 7, 2009, 12:43 PM

I think there is a stereotype of Mac users being really young, cool people. This was pointed out in that awful Microsoft Laptop Hunters advert.
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIS6G-HvnkU )

In actual fact, I don't think there is a certain type of person that uses a Mac. I'm 18 and I'll be getting my first MBP this summer, but I have friends whose grandparents use them.

juleyah

Jul 7, 2009, 01:43 PM

I'm 22, got my first MBP when I was 19. Just got my second MBP.

I did grow up playing with an old Mac (think it was a Classic - early 90's) but we had Windows after that... until I asked for a MBP when I graduated from highschool. Now my parents want Macs too :cool:

And as we all know.... "once you go Mac, you never go back". ;)

Marcus263

Jul 7, 2009, 01:47 PM

I'm at the best age - 28.

Cassie

Jul 7, 2009, 01:50 PM

I'm 16. Though it seems not too many people my age have any interest in Macs. I'd suspect the average age is between 20 and 24. Mid-twenties, basically.

cu2010

Jul 7, 2009, 01:58 PM

Someone I know uses Black MB at 69.

getz76

Jul 7, 2009, 02:02 PM

I am 76. So to me, the average age is 76.

yellow

Jul 7, 2009, 02:03 PM

Based on the MacRumors site stats:

The winner is mid to late 20s.
Next up, late 20s to early 30s.
Third batch, late teens to early 20s.

opera57

Jul 7, 2009, 02:04 PM

I would say there is quite a large range of ages that use macs. I got my first mac at 16, along with many friends! http://scottty.com/imgs/signature_apple1.jpg

getz76

Jul 7, 2009, 02:09 PM

Based on the MacRumors site stats:

The winner is mid to late 20s.
Next up, late 20s to early 30s.
Third batch, late teens to early 20s.

Your sample population is trash. The only thing those stats tell you is the average age of a MacRumors registered user. Unless you think the population of MacRumors registered users = the population of Mac owners.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 02:11 PM

Judging by the comments here I'm guessing somewhere between 10-24 years. I don't know too many 50+year geezers (like me) that have one. There's a lot of macs for general use and education but I don't see them in the biz world (which I'm still a part of).

Well, judging by comments on here will only tell you one thing, which is the impression you have of the age of people who are likely to comment on this particular forum. You could bet that the base demographics between sub-forums of MR are different as well.

Taking a poll of ages will also only really tell you one thing, which are the ages of the type of people who will respond to a poll on this particular forum.

Ntombi

Jul 7, 2009, 02:13 PM

I'm 35, my mom and stepmom are in their 60s and 70s and we all use Macs and have since 1984. I have a friend whose 5 year old uses an iMac very comfortably.

Take that as you will.

yellow

Jul 7, 2009, 02:16 PM

Your sample population is trash. The only thing those stats tell you is the average age of a MacRumors registered user. Unless you think the population of MacRumors registered users = the population of Mac owners.

Really?
Maybe that's why I started out with "Based on the MacRumors site stats"!?
:rolleyes:

Using the site stats is no more or less accurate than any other polling available to us.

getz76

Jul 7, 2009, 02:21 PM

Really?
Maybe that's why I started out with "Based on the MacRumors site stats"!?
:rolleyes:

Using the site stats is no more or less accurate than any other polling available to us.

But the question was "What is the average age of the typical Mac user?" :)

yellow

Jul 7, 2009, 02:24 PM

But the question was "What is the average age of the typical Mac user?" :)

Given that a disproportionate amount of members of this site have Macs, using the site stats gets us closer to a valid answer. Far closer than counting responses in a thread, or a forum poll, and exceptionally closer then your answer of "76", correct?

Is there a particular reason you're on my case about this?

geoffreak

Jul 7, 2009, 02:26 PM

The floor in my college dorm (freshmen only dorm) was about 80% Macs. I plan on buying my Mom an iMac or MacBook for her birthday later this year and soon my entire family will own iPhones (5 of us). My brother has a MB CE and my sister has a white MB.

mikes70mustang

Jul 7, 2009, 02:27 PM

Im gonna say 15 to 25 main. But some of the older people will basically be outliers and skew the main. And average age depends on demographics. Low-mid class doesnt usually have macs due to $. And teens having macs depends a lot on parents income as well. But im going to say that teens probably take the majority in MR.

yellow

Jul 7, 2009, 02:33 PM

But im going to say that teens probably take the majority in MR.

And you would be horribly wrong.

Based on the MacRumors site stats:

The winner is mid to late 20s.
Next up, late 20s to early 30s.
Third batch, late teens to early 20s.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 02:35 PM

Given that a disproportionate amount of members of this site have Macs, using the site stats gets us closer to a valid answer.

You don't know that. This gives you the number of people who have macs who signed up for an account on MR for whatever reason, but you don't know the proportion of users that this represents, nor the reasons why.

If I were to venture a guess, I'd say that the age of people who register on an internet forum for whatever reason would skew younger than the number of people who use a mac.

Far closer than counting responses in a thread, or a forum poll, and exceptionally closer then your answer of "76", correct?

That's true. But MR's numbers only tell you about MR's users, not the Mac using population at large. It might very well be a very representative sample, but I can think of a dozen reasons as to why it's probably not.

BTW, this isn't meant to "get on your case." Just a friendly argument. :)

yellow

Jul 7, 2009, 02:46 PM

But MR's numbers only tell you about MR's users, not the Mac using population at large.

OK, let's argue.

Why do people keep telling me this like I don't already know that? What else would one expect MR site age statistics tell us other than the average ages of site members? Seeing as this is a Mac site, specifically dealing in Mac (and Apple) rumors, postulating that a good number of site members have Macs is not a stretch of the imagination. Extrapolating from there, based on the site's age statistics, it's very possible that the average age of a Mac user is in the mid to late 20s.

Since everyone else has only put forth guesses and conjecture, why is my speculation any less valid?

Mousse

Jul 7, 2009, 02:50 PM

I was once young and foolish. Now I'm no longer young.;)

mikes70mustang

Jul 7, 2009, 02:56 PM

And you would be horribly wrong.

most teens are going to put their age around 20 when they sign up. Just look a facebook, myspace, and on and on. I would take MR stats with a grain of salt. Internet stats are about as reliable as a meth addicted construction worker.

EX1127

Jul 7, 2009, 03:00 PM

I'm 19 and was 18 when I got my MBP

Cassie

Jul 7, 2009, 03:05 PM

most teens are going to put their age around 20 when they sign up. Just look a facebook, myspace, and on and on. I would take MR stats with a grain of salt. Internet stats are about as reliable as a meth addicted construction worker.

What makes you say that? My friends online either have some obscurely high number as their age, or the correct one. Maybe that's just my friends. Now obviously that's going to skew the average age a bit, but not in an amount large enough to really make a difference. At least not on a forum like this, where you would think people would care less about lying about their age.

fireshot91

Jul 7, 2009, 03:10 PM

I'm 15.

Signed up when I was 14.

jmann

Jul 7, 2009, 03:11 PM

What makes you say that? My friends online either have some obscurely high number as their age, or the correct one. Maybe that's just my friends. Now obviously that's going to skew the average age a bit, but not in an amount large enough to really make a difference. At least not on a forum like this, where you would think people would care less about lying about their age.

I agree. This isn't MySpace. There is no need to lie about your age, unless you are insecure/embarrassed about it. :) I'm 20, and proud of it.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 03:15 PM

OK, let's argue.

Why do people keep telling me this like I don't already know that? What else would one expect MR site age statistics tell us other than the average ages of site members? Seeing as this is a Mac site, specifically dealing in Mac (and Apple) rumors, postulating that a good number of site members have Macs is not a stretch of the imagination. Extrapolating from there, based on the site's age statistics, it's very possible that the average age of a Mac user is in the mid to late 20s.

Since everyone else has only put forth guesses and conjecture, why is my speculation any less valid?

The bolded portion is irrelevant. Let's assume that every person who ever registered on MR personally owns a mac, uses it daily and exclusively. This doesn't change the fact that you don't know if this is a representative sample of all mac users.

It's not altogether a bad premise to make an argument that the age range of mac users is x to y once you're aware of the limitations of the numbers which you have.

That said, the question itself is uninformed and doesn't have enough parameters to answer it in any valid way.

For example, define "user." Define "Mac." Define "average age." Et al.

You ask why people keep telling you the line which you quoted. This was because in your original post, it was not clear what it was that you were stating. For example, the following two answers to the question can be substantially different.

"According to the MR stats, it is ..."
"The 'average' age of MR users is ..."

Richard1028

Jul 7, 2009, 05:34 PM

This should be a poll. Then we'd know the average age of a MacRumors user (even if it's not necessarily the average age of a mac user)Crap. I never thought of that and it's a good idea. How do I turn this into a Poll?

So far I'm amazed out how many other geezers and semi-geezers are here. More are approaching old-farthood than I would have ever guessed. :D

Richard1028

Jul 7, 2009, 05:43 PM

Yes, I'm youngish, but I'm old at heart (and in mindset), believe me. Does it also count if I have a working Apple IIe?I had a working Apple ][+ in storage up until a few years ago when a mouse decided to take up residence in the damn thing. :mad: Paid $2600 for it new back in 82-83(?)

leekohler

Jul 7, 2009, 05:44 PM

I'm 42.

anjinha

Jul 7, 2009, 05:46 PM

And as we all know.... "once you go Mac, you never go back". ;)

Do you like my tshirt? :D

http://idisk.me.com/stfontes/Public/Pictures/Photo_77-20090707-224530.jpg

I'm 16. Though it seems not too many people my age have any interest in Macs. I'd suspect the average age is between 20 and 24. Mid-twenties, basically.

You sound older from your posts. :)

Richard1028

Jul 7, 2009, 05:46 PM

I'm 15.I have mayonnaise in the refrigerator older than you.

And half my wardrobe predates your conception by at least 10 years.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 05:49 PM

I'm 42.

Everyone's always 42, unless they're something else.

cpit

Jul 7, 2009, 05:50 PM

16 here.

Seems to me that LOTS of people my age are starting to go mac, but quite a few older (grand-parent age) people are going mac too, because coming from a generation foreign to computers, they find macs way easier to catch on to. Maybe this might have to do with where I live, but mac users around me tend to be at the high end or the low end of the spectrum.

I doubt many 70+ year olds would post on macrumors, so average age of posters doesn't make a difference.

fireshot91

Jul 7, 2009, 05:50 PM

I'm 42.

Really? From your pictures in the Post Your Picture thread, you look about 25.
Then again, I'm horrible with guessing people's ages. :o

I have mayonnaise in the refrigerator older than you.

And half my wardrobe predates your conception by at least 10 years.

That's nice. Do you want a cookie? Maybe a cake?

dukebound85

Jul 7, 2009, 05:51 PM

does it really matter?

anjinha

Jul 7, 2009, 05:53 PM

I'm 22. My parents are 56 and 57. My sister is 32. All mac users. :)

thegoldenmackid

Jul 7, 2009, 05:55 PM

I'm eight.

Mr. Giver '94

Jul 7, 2009, 05:57 PM

I'm 14 (almost 15)

I've been using Macs since I started using a computer. (so like 4 or 5)

My parents both use Macs for personal use and so does my younger sister. (she's 10)

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 06:11 PM

I'm 42.
Really? From your pictures in the Post Your Picture thread, you look about 25.
Then again, I'm horrible with guessing people's ages. :o

42 is the answer to everything. See above.

That's nice. Do you want a cookie? Maybe a cake?

Hey, if you're going to do Sarcastic Young Punk, at least do it right. Offer to chew his food for him. ;)

leekohler

Jul 7, 2009, 06:22 PM

Really? From your pictures in the Post Your Picture thread, you look about 25.
Then again, I'm horrible with guessing people's ages. :o

Most people guess me between 25 and 30. Take care of yourself. The human body has amazing powers of regeneration if taken care of properly. Wear sunscreen daily and exercise.

42 is the answer to everything. See above.

Nah- I really am 42.

ucfgrad93

Jul 7, 2009, 06:43 PM

I'm 43 and use a mac.

Richard1028

Jul 7, 2009, 07:20 PM

Most people guess me between 25 and 30. Take care of yourself. The human body has amazing powers of regeneration if taken care of properly. Wear sunscreen daily and exercise. Hah. Wait till you turn the big five-oh. All the regenerative powers and exercise in the world won't help with that tire around your waist (or the failing eyesight).

You will wake up in the morning and discover creaking bones you never new you had. :eek:

Eric S.

Jul 7, 2009, 07:30 PM

I'm eight.

I'm eight too. In dog years.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 07:34 PM

leekohler

Jul 7, 2009, 07:37 PM

Hah. Wait till you turn the big five-oh. All the regenerative powers and exercise in the world won't help with that tire around your waist (or the failing eyesight).

You will wake up in the morning and discover creaking bones you never new you had. :eek:

That's what people used to tell me about 40. I have had arthritis in both knees since I was 35. My eyes have been terrible since I was in second grade. I have a flat stomach and intend to keep it that way. There are plenty of people in their 50's who do- some of them on this forum. It's ridiculous to assert otherwise.

anjinha

Jul 7, 2009, 07:40 PM

Hah. Wait till you turn the big five-oh. All the regenerative powers and exercise in the world won't help with that tire around your waist (or the failing eyesight).

You will wake up in the morning and discover creaking bones you never new you had. :eek:

My mom is 55 and she's very slim. My dad is 56 and pretty fit too. Thank god I have their genes. :D

jmann

Jul 7, 2009, 07:43 PM

My mom is 55 and she's very slim. My dad is 56 and pretty fit too. Thank god I have their genes. :D

And you also don't live in America where fatty greasy fast food is at every turn. ;)

anjinha

Jul 7, 2009, 07:55 PM

And you also don't live in America where fatty greasy fast food is at every turn. ;)

We have the healthy and very yummy mediterranean food. :D

MacAndy74

Jul 7, 2009, 07:56 PM

<- 35, my only regret is that it's taken me so long to switch to Mac. :eek:

Richard1028

Jul 7, 2009, 07:56 PM

I have a flat stomach and intend to keep it that way.But why? A little bulge helps balance the plate while watching TV from the recliner.

leekohler

Jul 7, 2009, 07:58 PM

But why? A little bulge helps balance the plate while watching TV from the recliner.

I'm not the type to sit around watching TV. ;) I'm pretty active and have been most of my life. That's just how I like it. :) Plus, I'm single. It helps me get dates.

dsampley

Jul 7, 2009, 09:06 PM

I am almost 50 and just bought my first Mac (MacBookPro 17). Just wondering why I waited so long.

andrew upstairs

Jul 7, 2009, 09:11 PM

I'm 35. I've been using Macs on and off since I went to college in 1992.

Signal-11

Jul 7, 2009, 09:13 PM

My mother is 57. She got her first MacBook last week.

She's still at the stage where she calls people to tell them she got their email. :)

Cassie

Jul 8, 2009, 02:39 AM

You sound older from your posts. :)

Well thank you. :) I try to be a little more "adult"" then some people my age. :p

The problem with a poll in this situation is that it wouldn't make a difference; only MR members would answer, still not giving a good representation of the average age of a Mac user.

The world may never know. :D