Methodology
To understand how Americans are embracing smart home technology, we surveyed 1,006 homeowners and renters across the U.S. in December 2024. We asked about current device ownership, concerns, reliability issues, and financial investments in smart home technology. 50% were women, 50% were men, and ages ranged from 18-75 with an average age of 46. All conclusions in this article are drawn from answers to this survey.
The Smart Home Revolution
The numbers tell a clear story: smart home technology has firmly established itself in American households. A remarkable 93% of Americans now own at least one smart home device, and 42% report that the majority of their home devices are now "smart," – indicating we've reached a tipping point in home technology adoption.
Despite this widespread adoption, concerns persist. Data privacy tops the list of worries, with 57% of Americans expressing concern about how their information is collected and used. Security vulnerabilities aren't far behind – 46% fear potential hacking of their smart home systems, while over 1 in 3 worry about devices recording without permission.
Interestingly, these concerns don't appear to significantly impact trust. A substantial 82% of Americans trust their smart home devices. This trust extends further for some, with nearly 1 in 3 respondents saying they would trust their home to be entirely run by AI.
However, the smart home market may be approaching saturation, as only 30% of Americans plan to purchase additional smart devices in 2025. This could indicate either satisfaction with current technology or hesitation about further investment.
America's Smart Home Landscape
When it comes to specific technologies, certain devices have achieved mainstream status while others remain in the early adoption phase. The top 5 smart home devices Americans own are:
- Speaker/assistant (73%)
- Doorbell (50%)
- Security cameras (50%)
- Thermostat (43%)
- Lighting (34%)
While security and environmental control lead adoption, convenience-focused devices are steadily gaining ground. Robot vacuums are in 29% of smart homes, while smart locks and smart washers are each found in 19% of households. Smart refrigerators aren't far behind at 18%, and smart dishwashers have made their way into 11% of American homes equipped with smart technology.
The smart home experience isn't without frustrations. Reliability issues remain a significant pain point, with nearly half of users experiencing device failures. Wi-Fi and internet connectivity problems are the most common culprits, affecting 46% of smart home device owners. Power outages have disrupted smart home systems for 33% of users, while 20% have dealt with dead batteries causing device failures, and another 20% faced malfunctions like frozen screens or startup failures. Setup and pairing difficulties plague 19% of smart home users, and 15% have experienced software problems such as app crashes or failed updates.
