Study Finds Significant Growth in Female Podcast Consumption

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Edison Research

In an increasingly digital age, podcast consumption has seen remarkable growth, particularly among U.S. women. A new study released yesterday by Edison Research, in collaboration with SiriusXM Media, offers insightful findings into how this trend has evolved. The research is part of the Women's Audio Report, which was presented by Megan Lazovick, Vice President at Edison Research, and Melissa Paris, VP of Sales Research at SiriusXM Media.

Since 2015, the proportion of U.S. women aged 18 and over who have listened to a podcast at least once has skyrocketed from 29% to 68%. This marks an increase of over 130%, demonstrating a significant shift in media consumption habits. More notably, the frequency of podcast listening has also surged, with monthly listenership tripling over the past decade from 15% to 45%. This indicates that podcasts have woven themselves into the fabric of daily life for around 60 million U.S. women.

The landscape of podcast engagement has also transformed, with platforms such as YouTube introducing visual elements to the traditionally audio-only medium. Edison Research has adapted its methodology to encompass these changes, ensuring that their data captures all forms of podcast interaction. Presently, about 72% of women over 18 have engaged with podcasts, whether by listening or watching, with 52% doing so in the past month.

These findings highlight not only the growing integration of podcasts into everyday life but also the broadening appeal of this medium among women, with approximately 70 million U.S. women engaging with podcasts monthly.

For more detailed insights, the full Women's Audio Report is available for download. Additionally, interested parties can register for the upcoming presentation of part two of the Women's Audio Report, which will take place on Tuesday, April 29th at 2pm ET.