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2024 State of the Union Address Draws Over 32 Million Viewers

4 minute read | March 2024

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 ViewersAverage Audience Rating
Persons 2+32,232,00010.2
Households23,153,00018.5
Persons 18-341,619,0002.3
Persons 35-546,129,0007.6
Persons 55+23,708,00023.4

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
DateCombined No. of ViewersCombined HHLD RatingIncluded NetworksPresident
3/7/202432,232,00018.5ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, NewsMax, NewsNation, Biden
2/7/202327,312,00016.1ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, NBCLX, PBS,  CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, NewsMax, NewsNationBiden
3/1/202238,197,00022.4ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, NBCLX, PBS, Black News Channel, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FOXNC, MSNBC, Newsmax, NewsNationBiden
4/28/2021*26,936,00016.5ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, TEL, UNI, PBS, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, Newsmax, NewsNation and NewsyBiden
2/4/202037,173,00022.7ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC and MSNBCTrump
2/5/201946,789,00028.0ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS, CNN, CNNe, FBN, FOXNC and MSNBCTrump
1/30/201845,551,00026.9ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Estrella, Telemundo, Univision, CNN, FBN, FOX News, MSNBC and PBSTrump
2/28/2017*47,741,00028.7ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, UNI, PBS, CNN, FBN Net, FOXNC, MSNBC, and NBC UniversoTrump
1/12/201631,334,34919.6ABC, Al Jazeera America, Azteca, CBS, CNN, FOX, FBN, FOXNC, Galavision, MSNBC, NBC, NBC Universo, Univision^Obama
1/20/201531,710,34919.9ABC, Al Jazeera America, Azteca, CBS, CNN, FOX, FBN, FOXNC, Galavision, MSNBC, MundoFOX, NBC, Univision^Obama
1/18/201433,299,17220.7CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, Azteca, FBN, FOXNC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Al Jazeera America, Galavision, Mun2, UNI^Obama
2/12/201333,497,60721.8FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Azteca, UNI, MFX, CNBC, CNN, FBN, FOXNC, MSNBC, Current, Centric, GALAObama
1/24/201237,752,61324.0ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, TF, UNI, CNBC, CNN, FBN, FOXNC, GALA, MSNBC and MUN2Obama
1/25/201142,789,94726.6ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, CNN, Centric, CNBC, FOXNC, and MSNBCObama
1/27/201048,009,59529.8ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TEL, UNI, CNN, BET, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBCObama
2/24/2009*52,373,00032.5ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO, UNIVISIONObama
1/28/200837,515,00024.7ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO^, UNIVISIONG.W Bush
1/23/200745,486,00029.6ABC, CBS, FOX**, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEMUNDO**, UNIVISION **G.W. Bush
1/31/200643,179,00035.3ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, AZTECA AMERICA, TELEFUTURA, TELEMUNDOG.W. Bush
2/2/200539,432,00031.2ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBC, TELEFUTURA, TELEMUNDOG.W. Bush
1/20/200443,411,00028.0ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBCG.W. Bush
1/28/200362,061,00038.8ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBCG.W. Bush
1/29/200251,773,00033.6ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBCG.W. Bush
2/27/2001*39,793,00027.6ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBCG.W. Bush
1/27/200031,478,00022.4ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBCClinton
1/19/199943,500,00031.0ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, FOXNC, MSNBCClinton
1/27/199853,077,00037.2ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNN, CNBC, FOXNC, MSNBCClinton
2/4/199741,100,00028.4ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNNClinton
1/23/199640,900,00029.6ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNNClinton
1/24/199542,200,00029.5ABC, CBS, NBC, CNNClinton
1/25/199445,800,00032.9ABC, CBS, NBC, CNNClinton
2/17/1993*66,900,00044.3ABC, CBS, NBC, CNNClinton

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