Most Popular Social Media in the US Isn’t TikTok or Instagram

Photo Credit: Pew Research

A new survey from Pew Research finds that most adults in the US use YouTube and Facebook, while only half report using Instagram and fewer use TikTok.

The social media habits of American adults are echoing the fractured landscape of traditional news, according to data from Pew Research’s latest report. That fragmentation makes it more difficult for public figures and brands to reach certain demographics.

YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the social media landscape in 2025, with 84% of U.S. adults using YouTube and 71% using Facebook, while about half of them use Instagram. Meanwhile, TikTok, WhatsApp, Reddit, Snapchat, X (Twitter), and newer platforms like Threads and Bluesky, show smaller but growing user bases—especially among certain demographics.

While the use of TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Reddit has increased since 2021, YouTube and Facebook usage has stayed relatively stable at its already high levels. TikTok rose from 21% of adults in 2021 to 37% in 2025; Instagram from 40% to about 50%; WhatsApp from 23% to about a third; and Reddit from 18% to 26%.

Adults under 30 are much more likely than older adults to use Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Reddit. YouTube and Facebook are the only platforms where a majority in every age group appear, although young adults are especially likely to use YouTube, while ages 30-49 are most likely to use Facebook.

Women are more likely than men to use Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, while men are more likely to use X and Reddit. Black, Hispanic, and often Asian adults are more likely than white adults to use Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp.

Adults with higher education use Reddit, WhatsApp, and Instagram more, while TikTok is more common among those without a college degree. Democrats are more likely to use WhatsApp, Reddit, TikTok, Bluesky, and Threads, while Republicans are more likely to use X and Truth Social—reversing the partisan tilt on the former Twitter that existed two years prior.

About half of U.S. adults visit Facebook and YouTube at least daily, with roughly a third visiting each several times a day. Around 24% of adults use TikTok daily and 10% use X daily, with younger adults far more likely than older adults to be daily users of YouTube and TikTok.