NEW YORK – March 8, 2024 – An estimated 32.2 million people watched President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address on Thursday, March 7, according to Nielsen.
Of the 32.2 million viewers that watched the 2024 State of the Union address:
- 5% of viewers were aged 18-34.
- 19% of viewers were aged 35-54.
- 74% of viewers were aged 55 and older.
- 56% watched broadcast network coverage.
- 44% watched coverage on cable networks.
Viewership of the 2024 State of the Union address was 18% higher than last year’s 27.3 million viewers. It stands as the second-largest audience since President Biden gave his first address to a Joint Session of Congress in 2021, behind the 38.2 million viewers that watched in 2022.
The 2024 State of the Union address aired live on 14 television networks reported by Nielsen, from approximately 9:26 p.m. to 10:33 p.m. EDT.
Below is a summary of average viewership aggregated across indicated networks. The data is inclusive of U.S. audiences only.
| 2024 State of the Union Address Viewership Across Networks Live plus same day, U.S. audience estimates | ||
| Number of Viewers | Average Audience Rating | |
| Persons 2+ | 32,232,000 | 10.2 |
| Households | 23,153,000 | 18.5 |
| Persons 18-34 | 1,619,000 | 2.3 |
| Persons 35-54 | 6,129,000 | 7.6 |
| Persons 55+ | 23,708,000 | 23.4 |
Source: Nielsen. NNTV, Live+Same-Day.
Data in this table is inclusive of broadcast and cable networks that aired the event, in addition to PBS.
2024 reported networks include: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FOX Business, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, NewsMax, NewsNation
Total summary projections are expressed in units, rounded to the nearest thousand (000).
NOTE: Audience estimates are inclusive of out-of-home viewing, with the exception of PBS which does not include out-of-home contributions.
| Historical Viewership: State of the Union Address | ||||
| Date | Combined No. of Viewers | Combined HHLD Rating | Included Networks | President |
| 3/7/2024 | 32,232,000 | 18.5 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, NewsMax, NewsNation, | Biden |
| 2/7/2023 | 27,312,000 | 16.1 | ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, NBCLX, PBS, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, NewsMax, NewsNation | Biden |
| 3/1/2022 | 38,197,000 | 22.4 | ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, NBCLX, PBS, Black News Channel, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FOXNC, MSNBC, Newsmax, NewsNation | Biden |
| 4/28/2021* | 26,936,000 | 16.5 | ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, PBS, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, Newsmax, NewsNation and Newsy | Biden |
| 2/4/2020 | 37,173,000 | 22.7 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC and MSNBC | Trump |
| 2/5/2019 | 46,789,000 | 28.0 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC and MSNBC | Trump |
| 1/30/2018 | 45,551,000 | 26.9 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Estrella, Telemundo, Univision, CNN, FBN, FOX News, MSNBC and PBS | Trump |
| 2/28/2017* | 47,741,000 | 28.7 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, UNI, PBS, CNN, FBN Net, FOXNC, MSNBC, and NBC Universo | Trump |
| 1/12/2016 | 31,334,349 | 19.6 | ABC, Al Jazeera America, Azteca, CBS, CNN, FOX, FBN, FOXNC, Galavision, MSNBC, NBC, NBC Universo, Univision^ | Obama |
| 1/20/2015 | 31,710,349 | 19.9 | ABC, Al Jazeera America, Azteca, CBS, CNN, FOX, FBN, FOXNC, Galavision, MSNBC, MundoFOX, NBC, Univision^ | Obama |
| 1/18/2014 | 33,299,172 | 20.7 | CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, Azteca, FBN, FOXNC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Al Jazeera America, Galavision, Mun2, UNI^ | Obama |
| 2/12/2013 | 33,497,607 | 21.8 | FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Azteca, UNI, MFX, CNBC, CNN, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, Current, Centric, GALA | Obama |
| 1/24/2012 | 37,752,613 | 24.0 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, TF, UNI, CNBC, CNN, FBN, FOXNC, GALA, MSNBC and MUN2 | Obama |
| 1/25/2011 | 42,789,947 | 26.6 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, CNN, Centric, CNBC, FOXNC, and MSNBC | Obama |
| 1/27/2010 | 48,009,595 | 29.8 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, CNN, BET, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBC | Obama |
| 2/24/2009* | 52,373,000 | 32.5 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO, UNIVISION | Obama |
| 1/28/2008 | 37,515,000 | 24.7 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO^, UNIVISION | G.W Bush |
| 1/23/2007 | 45,486,000 | 29.6 | ABC, CBS, FOX**, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO**, UNIVISION ** | G.W. Bush |
| 1/31/2006 | 43,179,000 | 35.3 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, AZTECA AMERICA, TELEFUTURA, TELEMUNDO | G.W. Bush |
| 2/2/2005 | 39,432,000 | 31.2 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEFUTURA, TELEMUNDO | G.W. Bush |
| 1/20/2004 | 43,411,000 | 28.0 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBC | G.W. Bush |
| 1/28/2003 | 62,061,000 | 38.8 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBC | G.W. Bush |
| 1/29/2002 | 51,773,000 | 33.6 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBC | G.W. Bush |
| 2/27/2001* | 39,793,000 | 27.6 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC | G.W. Bush |
| 1/27/2000 | 31,478,000 | 22.4 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC | Clinton |
| 1/19/1999 | 43,500,000 | 31.0 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC | Clinton |
| 1/27/1998 | 53,077,000 | 37.2 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBC | Clinton |
| 2/4/1997 | 41,100,000 | 28.4 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN | Clinton |
| 1/23/1996 | 40,900,000 | 29.6 | ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN | Clinton |
| 1/24/1995 | 42,200,000 | 29.5 | ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN | Clinton |
| 1/25/1994 | 45,800,000 | 32.9 | ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN | Clinton |
| 2/17/1993* | 66,900,000 | 44.3 | ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN | Clinton |
Source: Nielsen
Time-shifted viewing (Live+Same-Day, 3am-3am) is included in audience estimates in this table for years 2006 and later. Estimates prior to 2006 include live viewing only.
* Single asterisks denote addresses that were officially “Addresses to Joint Sessions of Congress.”
^ Denotes tape-delayed coverage by a particular network.
** 1/23/07: coverage of asterisked (**) networks went beyond a common end time. Measurement of these networks included SOTU address and commentary. Does not include Democratic Response.
Press Contact
Lauren Pabst
lauren.pabst@nielsen.com
