May 15, 2026 - Homes Brief

Despite comeback, landlines remain rare

Sami Sparber

Illustration of a red hotline phone being buried under text messages. — Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Landlines may be ringing again in some households — but they remain especially rare in D.C.

By the numbers: Nationwide, roughly 4 in 5 adults lived in homes with only cell service and owned a cell phone by the end of 2024, according to a federal survey.

Adults in the South (81%), Midwest (80%) and West (79%) were more likely to be "wireless-only" than those in the Northeast (66%).

The big picture: Parents are adding landlines back to their homes to give their kids a way to chat with friends without their own smartphones, the Washington Post reports.

Some Gen Zers have also embraced corded phones for an escape (and the aesthetic).

Homes Brief

Despite comeback, landlines remain rare

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