Ever sat there on a random Monday in January and wondered, "Is everyone else actually watching this?" You’re definitely not alone. The question of how many people watch the inauguration is basically an American pastime at this point—right up there with arguing about the actual crowd size on the National Mall.
Television ratings for these massive events are kinda like a high-stakes scoreboard for politicians. They want the big numbers. They want the "most-watched in history" title. But honestly, the truth is always a bit messier than the soundbites.
For the most recent ceremony on January 20, 2025, the data is finally in. Nielsen, the folks who track what we’re all glued to, reported that an estimated 24.6 million people tuned in across 15 different networks to watch Donald Trump take the oath for the second time. That sounds like a lot of people, and it is—it’s roughly the population of Australia—but compared to previous years, the numbers actually dipped quite a bit.
The 2025 Numbers: A Reality Check
People love a good comeback story, but the TV ratings for 2025 didn't exactly break the all-time records. That 24.6 million figure is actually about 20% lower than the 30.6 million who watched Trump’s first go-around in 2017. It’s also a solid 27% drop from Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, which pulled in 33.8 million viewers.
Why the slide? Well, for one, the 2025 coverage was long. Like, really long.
Nielsen tracks the "average" viewership over the whole broadcast window. In 2025, they measured from 10:30 a.m. all the way to 7:00 p.m. ET. When you stretch the timeframe that long, the average usually drops because people tend to dip out after the main speech to go, you know, live their lives.
However, if you look at the "peak" moment—right around 12:15 p.m. when the actual swearing-in happens—the audience spiked to 34.4 million viewers. That’s the "water cooler" moment.
How it breaks down by network
If you wanted to find the audience on Inauguration Day 2025, you had to look at Fox News. They didn't just win; they basically cleared the field.
- Fox News: Averaged 10.3 million viewers during the main ceremony (11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.).
- ABC: 4.9 million viewers.
- NBC: 4.8 million viewers.
- CBS: 4.6 million viewers.
- CNN: 1.9 million viewers.
- MSNBC: 938,000 viewers.
It’s wild to see the gap there. Fox News actually saw triple-digit increases compared to their 2021 numbers, while CNN and MSNBC hit some of their lowest marks for an inauguration ever.
Historical Context: Who Really Wore the Crown?
To understand how many people watch the inauguration, you have to look back at the heavy hitters. We live in a fragmented world now with TikTok, Netflix, and a million ways to ignore the news. Back in the day, you had three channels and a radio.
The undisputed king of inauguration TV remains Ronald Reagan. In 1981, a staggering 41.8 million people watched him take office. That’s a massive number considering the US population was much smaller then.
Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration is the modern gold standard. About 37.8 million people watched him make history. That’s the last time we saw a "mega-event" audience that felt truly universal.
Here’s a quick look at the "Average TV Viewership" over the years:
- Ronald Reagan (1981): 41.8 million
- Barack Obama (2009): 37.8 million
- Joe Biden (2021): 33.8 million
- Donald Trump (2017): 30.6 million
- Richard Nixon (1973): 33.0 million
- Donald Trump (2025): 24.6 million
- George W. Bush (2005): 15.5 million (The modern low-point)
It’s sort of a trend that second terms get less attention. People already know the guy. The novelty has worn off. Nixon was actually one of the few who bucked that trend, growing his audience from 27 million to 33 million for his second term.
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The "Silent" Viewers: Streaming and Digital
Nielsen is great, but it doesn't tell the whole story anymore. In 2025, the digital shift was impossible to ignore. While the "linear" TV numbers (the ones on your actual television set) were down, the streaming numbers were popping off.
Fox News Digital, for instance, reported their best day since the 2024 election. Their "unique viewing devices" were up 35% compared to 2021. People are watching on their phones at work, on YouTube at the gym, or via X (formerly Twitter) feeds.
The problem? We don't have a single, unified way to count all those people. If you’re watching a 30-second clip on Instagram, do you count? If you have the live stream running in a tab on your browser but you’re actually answering emails, are you "watching"?
Most experts, including David Bauder from the AP, acknowledge that while TV ratings are the most reliable metric we have, the total reach is likely much higher when you factor in global audiences and social media.
Demographics: Who is actually tuning in?
The 2025 data showed a massive age gap. Of the 24.6 million people watching:
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- Over 17 million were aged 55 or older.
- Only about 1.4 million were in the 18-34 age bracket.
Basically, the "youth" aren't sitting on the couch watching network news. They're getting the highlights later. This demographic split explains why certain networks (like Fox News) dominate the ratings—their core audience is the group that still watches "appointment television."
Why These Numbers Actually Matter
You might think, "Who cares? It’s just a number." But in DC, these numbers are power. They signal "mandate" and "public interest."
When viewership is high, advertisers pay more for spots during the news cycles following the event. When they’re low, it gives the opposition fuel to say the country is tuned out or disinterested.
But there’s also the "fragmentation factor." We don't share experiences like we used to. In 1981, you almost had to watch Reagan if you were near a TV. In 2025, you could be watching a documentary about mushrooms on Netflix while the President is being sworn in. The fact that 24 million people still choose to watch the same thing at the same time is actually pretty impressive for the 2020s.
Actionable Insights for the Next Big Event
If you're trying to track how many people watch the inauguration (or any major political event) in the future, don't just look at the first headline you see. Here is how to read the data like an expert:
- Check the "Average" vs. "Peak": Networks will always lead with the highest number they can find. If they say "34 million," that’s probably the peak. If they say "24 million," that’s likely the average over several hours.
- Look for "Live+Same Day": This means people who watched it live or recorded it and watched it later that same day. For news events, the "Live" number is what really tells you about the national mood.
- Factor in the "Uncounted": Remember that Nielsen mostly tracks US households. It doesn't count the people watching in bars, airports, or the millions watching internationally on BBC, Sky News, or YouTube.
- Watch the Demographic Shift: Pay attention to the age groups. If the 18-34 number continues to shrink, it tells you more about the future of cable news than it does about the popularity of the politician.
The next time a major national event rolls around, keep these numbers in mind. They aren't just statistics; they're a snapshot of how we, as a country, are—or aren't—paying attention.
To get the most accurate picture of the next major broadcast, keep an eye on the official Nielsen press room about 48 hours after the event, as that's when the "fast national" data is refined into the final, verified numbers.