Apple Market Ranker

The highly anticipated Apple® iPad^TM finally hit the market and early adopters lined up for hours outside of Apple’s iconic stores in hopes of being among the first to get their hands on the revolutionary new tablet computer. This is obviously not the first, nor is it likely the last Apple product to generate so much excitement, but certain consumers and parts of the country sure seem more excitable by announcements by Steve Jobs than others.

In this issue of Consumer Insights, Experian Simmons answers the question: Which markets are the biggest users of Apple products? To do so, we looked at consumers’ propensity to own or use an iPod®, iPhone® or Mac® computer. Then using Experian’s Micromarketer Generation3 (MMG3), a powerful geographic analysis tool, we produced a ranker of the 206 Designated Market Areas® (DMAs) in the continental U.S. At the top of the list is none other than the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, California DMA where fully 32.3% adult residents own or use at least one of the three core Apple products. Nationwide, 21.6% of adults own or use an iPod, iPhone or Mac computer.

Below are the top 10 markets as well as a link to download the full ranker and a map of the nation’s DMAs.

1. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA: With Silicon Valley and Apple headquarters located squarely within the market’s boundaries, it’s no surprise that the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose DMA ranks number one in the nation for owning or using one of the core Apple products. Residents here are 49% more likely than the average American to own or use an iPod, iPhone or Mac computer.
2. Boston, MA: Almost one-in-three adults in the Boston DMA (31.3%) own or use an iPod, iPhone or Mac computer making area residents 45% more likely than average to be Mac maniacs. And with 11 Apple stores located within the Boston DMA, residents never have to go far for their Apple fix.
3. San Diego, CA: San Diego-area residents are 42% more likely than the average American to be toting around an iPod, chatting on an iPhone or computing on a Mac. In fact, 31.8% of the San Diego DMA’s 2.2 million adults are admitted Mac users.
4. New York, NY: Anyone can tell you that iPhones are about as common in New York City as taxis, which supports the fact that there are roughly 4.9 million Mac-users in the New York DMA. Of the almost 16 million adults in the area, 30.4% use either an iPod, iPhone or Mac computer.
5. Washington, D.C.: Residents of our nation’s capitol can agree on at least one thing: their love for Apple. D.C.-area residents are 39% more likely than average to be found listening to an iPod, chatting on an iPhone or tapping away on a Mac computer.
6. Chicago, IL: The Chicago-area’s eight Apple stores should keep plenty busy serving the DMA’s 2.1 million adults who currently use one of the three core Apple products. An estimated 29.4% of adults in the Chicago DMA use iPods, iPhones or Mac computers, making them 36% more likely than average Americans to be Apple consumers.
7. Denver, CO: An estimated 863,000 adults of the Denver DMA’s 3 million adult residents (29.1%) are Apple users, making Mile High City and surrounding area residents 35% more likely than average to use Apple’s iPods, iPhones and computers.
8. Monterey-Salinas, CA: This upscale, coastal DMA located immediately south of the San Francisco DMA is home to barely a half million adults and only one (busy) Apple store. An estimated 151,000 adults in the area (28.1%) own or use iPods, iPhones and/or Mac computers. In fact, Monterey-Salinas residents rank 30% above average for being Apple users.
9. Santa Barbara-Santa Marina-San Luis Obispo, CA: Aside from breathtaking views and sun-drenched beaches, the Santa Barbara DMA is home to 141,000 Apple users, 27.9% of area adults. Residents can take their pick of two Apple stores—one in Santa Barbara and another in San Luis Obispo—to fill all their Apple needs.
10. Las Vegas, NV: Sin City-area residents are also 29% more likely than average to be users of Apple products. Approximately 408,000 of the DMA’s 1.5 million adults (27.9%) use either an iPod, iPhone or Mac, or all three.

Do you live in a Mac metropolis? Download the full ranker and a map to find America’s Apple-owners by filling out the brief form below.