Macs Move In With PCs

In The NPD Group's 2009 Household Penetration Study, roughly 12 percent of all households that own a computer, own an Apple. That figure is up from nine percent in 2008. The survey also noted that while the Apple's popularity is clearly growing, it seems that Macs are integrating into homes that also own a Windows-based PC. Of the 12 percent of Apple owners, nearly 85 percent also own a Windows-based PC.

In addition, The NPD Group reported that the households with Apple computers not only owned more electronic gizmos, but they also tended to have higher average incomes than those without Apple computers.

"While Apple owners tend to own more computers and more electronics devices, there is also a high correlation among Apple owners and more affluent consumer households," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis, in a release regarding the study. "Thirty-six percent of Apple computer owners reported household incomes greater than $100,000, compared to 21 percent of all consumers. With a higher household income, though, it's not a surprise that those consumers are making more electronics purchases."

The average Apple household owns 48 consumer electronic devices (i.e., flash camcorder, large-screen LCD TV, etc. ). The average PC household owns roughly 24, the study said.

In addition, Apple homes tend to be extremely computer friendly, with 66 percent of such households owning three or more computers, compared to just 29 percent of Windows PC households. More Apple owners are mobile as well, with 72 percent of them owning a notebook, vs. 50 percent of Windows PC households.

Not only do Apple computer owners own more computers (and more mobile computers) than the norm; they also tend to own more types of electronics, and more of them than typical computer owning households. For example, while 36 percent of total computer-owning households have an iPod, 63 percent of Apple households have one. And while almost 50 percent of Apple owners own some type of navigation system, only about 30 percent of all computer households own one.