More People Over 50 Are Watching YouTube On Their TVs
According to Nielsen's latest report, YouTube was the most-watched TV platform in the US in February 2025.
Cover image via YouTube may have started as the playground of Gen Zs and millennials, but the platform's biggest growth spurt is now coming from an unexpected corner: the over-50s
Image via Nielsen
According to Nielsen's latest report, YouTube was the most-watched TV platform in the US this February, edging past traditional broadcast networks and claiming 11.6% of all TV viewing time.
That's a record high — and it's not fuelled by teenagers.
Instead, viewers aged 50 and up are leading this surge.
The 50–64 bracket made up over 20% of YouTube's audience in February, a 62% increase since 2023
Image via NordWood Themes / YouTube
The 65-plus group also nearly doubled in size, now representing 15.4% of total viewers — almost on par with kids aged 2 to 11.
This shift isn't just anecdotal.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan recently noted that TV screens are now the primary way Americans consume YouTube content.
Nielsen's data supports this, showing a 53% increase in TV-based YouTube viewing over the past two years
Image via Christian Wiediger / Unsplash
What's driving the change? Likely a mix of improved smart TV features and the platform's expanding range of content — from news and fitness to hobbies and niche interests — tailored to older audiences.
While the data focuses on US viewers, it's a signal of where global trends might be heading.
