All the Generational Streaming TV and CTV Advertising Numbers You Need To Know

We get it — hunting down those perfect generational stats can feel like trying to stream your favorite show on dial-up. That’s why we took care of the hard work, so you can get on with your job.

All we humbly ask is that when you’re crushing that article, presentation, or whatever else you plan to use it for, just remember who hooked you up: your friends at MNTN Research. 

Tip: Don’t forget about your trusty sidekick, CTRL+F (or CMD+F for our Mac-loving friends) to find the key term you’re after. Use it to track down the exact stat you need. Here are a few search ideas to get you started:

• U.S. consumers
• Popularity 
• Ratings
• Hours
• Age(s)
• Ad Spend
• Content

Consumer Insights

8 out of 10 Gen Zers stream TV content at least weekly.
Source: Marketing Dive

CTV advertising attention time increases with age.
Source: MNTN

79% of Americans aged 50+ are streaming viewers.
Source: MNTN

Over 50% of Gen Z and Millennials are watching video content on Connected TV.
Source: MNTN

40% of Gen Zers are dropping between $75 and $100 on digital subscriptions, making them the highest spenders in the streaming world.
Source: MNTN

Gen Z spends the most time watching CTV ads during late night (9.63 seconds per ad), while Millennials are more focused during traditional prime time (9.8 seconds per ad).
Source: MNTN Research

Gen Z are 46% more receptive to CTV ads during longform content of an hour or more, compared to 38% for shorter content. They are also more open to ads during movies (52%) and less receptive during TV shows (44%).
Source: MNTN Research

Millennials have a higher receptivity to CTV ads during sessions under an hour (62%) and are most open to ads shown during DIY programming (61%).
Source: MNTN Research

Gen Z and Millennials’ attention peaks when the same ad airs three or more hours apart, with tolerance dropping to 43% for Gen Z and 28% for Millennials if shown repeatedly in tight timeframes.
Source: MNTN Research

Over two-thirds of those aged 50–69 and 63% of those aged 70+ prefer cheaper, ad-supported services over more expensive ad-free alternatives. 
Source: MNTN Research

Gen Z viewers spend an average of 1 hour and 51 minutes streaming daily, as opposed to just 38 minutes watching live television through linear — almost three times more time spent streaming than on cable.
Source: MNTN Research

Millennials dedicate nearly twice as much time to streaming as cable — 1 hour and 58 minutes streaming versus 1 hour and 3 minutes for live TV daily.
Source: MNTN Research

Younger audiences are more likely to co-view CTV content. 
Source: MNTN Research

The Netflix Christmas Day NFL games attracted more Gen Z viewers than traditional networks in previous years. Samba TV reported 3% over-indexing of this generation for the Chiefs / Steelers game and 1% for the Ravens / Texans game.
Source: MediaPost

U.S. adults spent an average of 2 hours and 15 minutes daily watching CTV in 2024 — an 8.3% increase over 2023. 
Source: EMARKETER

In 2024, the largest generational segments of CTV viewers were ages 25-34 at 39.5 million users and ages 35-44 at 39.2 million. Younger and older generations have significant representation as well — there are 19.7 million 12-to-17-year-old CTV viewers and 31.8 million among those aged 65+.
Source: EMARKETER

Consumers subscribe to an average of 6.3 video streaming services, but young adults (ages 18-34) averaged a whopping 16.7 subscriptions across various platforms — including social video, music, gaming, and more.
Source: Hub Entertainment Research

Creative Analysis

60% of Gen Z and 56% of Millennials feel that CTV features higher-quality ads than cable or satellite, and 62% of Gen Z and 67% of Millennials think they’re more relevant.
Source: MNTN

Millennial viewers are more receptive to brands that serve them multiple variations on their CTV creative, while Gen Z viewers prefer consistency when it comes to ad messages.
Source: MNTN