Connected TV Statistics: Viewership & Growth Trends (2025)

by The MNTN Team

5 Min Read

Connected TV (CTV) continues solidifying its place as a mainstream entertainment platform and a powerful marketing tool. Brushing up on current CTV growth and viewership data is the best way to fully understand the medium’s impact and reach.

Check out the latest Connected TV statistics below and learn more about the impacts of this ever-expanding marketing channel.

1. Expansion of Connected TV Households

In 2022, an impressive 111 million U.S. households interacted with connected TVs monthly. Projections indicate that this number will keep climbing, with estimates showing that by 2027, 121 million households in the U.S. will use CTVs, spanning smart TVs, streaming devices, and gaming consoles.

For advertisers, this expanding audience presents a significant opportunity, highlighting the importance of integrating streaming ads into media strategies to connect with a diverse and engaged viewer base.

2. All-Time High in Connected TV Adoption

In 2023, Connected TV penetration in the United States hit a record level, with 88 percent of households having at least one internet-enabled TV device. This milestone showcases the broad acceptance and seamless integration of CTV technology into daily routines.

3. Increase in Connected TV Advertising Investment

In 2023, Connected TV advertising spending in the U.S. was estimated to hit $24.6 billion. This expanding channel merges the targeting capabilities of OTT advertising with the broad reach of traditional television, enabling personalized, non-skippable ads to reach viewers during their streaming experiences.

With this momentum, CTV ad expenditures are projected to surge to $42.4 billion by 2027.

4. Budget Shifts Favoring Connected TV Advertising

A survey of U.S. video marketers from February to March 2023 highlighted notable budget shifts toward Connected TV advertising. Of those increasing their CTV ad budgets, 40 percent redirected funds from digital TV, while another 40 percent reallocated from other non-video digital ads.

This transition reflects the rising acknowledgment of CTV’s impact, prompting marketers to pivot from other approaches to capitalize on streaming ads.

In early 2023, Roku secured its position as the top platform for Connected TV ad views, accounting for 44 percent of total ad views. Fire TV came in second, with 16 percent of ad views.

Roku’s leading share underscores its influential presence in the OTT and CTV space, providing advertisers with a powerful channel to engage a large segment of the streaming audience.

6. Greater Appeal of Connected TV Ads Compared to Linear TV

A June 2022 survey found that 64 percent of U.S. Connected TV users preferred ad-supported content if it allowed them to pay less. Furthermore, 57 percent of participants favored CTV ads over those on traditional linear TV.

This trend suggests that ad-supported streaming models will continue to attract viewers, offering advertisers a welcoming audience for tailored ad campaigns.

7. Growth of Ad-Supported Streaming Platforms

In May 2023, U.S. households streaming ad-supported content outnumbered those watching non-ad-supported content for the first time. With subscription service growth slowing, viewership of ad-supported streaming has been rising at a faster pace.

This shift in TV viewing habits is expected to persist, underscoring changing consumer preferences and offering advertisers increasing opportunities to connect with audiences via ad-supported platforms.

8. Subscription Trends Across Leading Streaming Services

A May 2023 survey revealed that most U.S. CTV households subscribed to ad-free versions of Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max, with Netflix leading at an 83 percent rate for non-ad-supported streaming. In contrast, services like Hulu, Peacock, and YouTube saw greater adoption of their ad-supported plans over subscription-only tiers.

This variation in consumer behavior highlights diverse monetization strategies, offering advertisers unique opportunities to connect with viewers across different platforms.

9. Connected TV Viewership Demographic Insights

A 2023 survey in the U.S. showed that most Connected TV viewers fell within the 18 to 34 age range, with almost two-thirds using CTV devices daily. Additionally, 27 percent of those aged 55 and older reported watching Connected TV content every day.

These findings emphasize the broad adoption of CTV among various age groups, offering advertisers access to a range of audience segments for targeted campaigns.

10. Rising Connected TV Popularity Among Millennials

Recent data indicates that there were 56.8 million millennial Connected TV users in the U.S., with estimates predicting this will grow to 62.6 million by 2025. Although CTV usage continues to climb among younger audiences, it remains less prevalent among Gen X and baby boomers.

This trend highlights the need for advertisers to prioritize millennial-focused CTV campaigns, as this demographic shows the highest engagement with the technology.

Take Advantage of the Growth With MNTN Performance TV

Those new to CTV ads are flocking to MNTN Performance TV, given its robust tools, user-friendliness, and performance optimization capabilities. 90% of MNTN customers are first-time TV advertisers, a statistic that reveals that CTV and MNTN have opened up television marketing to a wider range of brands.

MNTN Research recently conducted a year-over-year comparison of Q1 2023 and Q1 2024. We looked at key metrics, including average return on ad spend (ROAS), conversions, and visit rate. Our analysis found that ROAS increased by 44.9%, conversions jumped up by 32.1%, and visit rates rose by 21%.

As CTV viewership continues to rise, ad spending is increasing, and users are active across multiple streaming channels. All of that information speaks to the value of a dynamic CTV marketing solution like MNTN Performance TV.

CTV Growth Statistics & Viewership Trends: Final Thoughts

Each Connected TV viewership trend detailed above gives credence to the fact that more people are streaming their entertainment content than ever before. It’s more than likely a matter of time before your customers make the jump to CTV if they haven’t already done so.

To stay relevant and maximize the reach of your marketing efforts, you need to embrace the CTV revolution. And MNTN Performance TV can help you do just that.