Internet Access

12% of Southerners have no internet at home — not even a cellular data plan — compared to 10% of non-Southerners.

Lack of internet access by county, 2017-21 (5-yr average)

Percent of households without internet access

Source: Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2017-21. Note: “Lacking internet access” means the household has no internet subscription, no cellular data plan, and no access to the internet without a subscription (such as through property-wide  Wi-Fi service in an apartment building).

Internet access is essential for Americans to be productive, healthy, and informed. For low-income households, affordable internet increases employment rates and earnings.¹ Increased internet access is also yielding cost savings in health care delivery through telehealth management of chronic conditions.² Yet, 12% of Southerners have no internet access at home — not even a cellular plan.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is sending $42.45 billion directly to states to collaboratively plan and execute broadband expansion in partnership with local and regional communities.³ It also allocated $14.25 billion toward a $30 monthly subsidy of household broadband subscriptions for about 50 million eligible American households through the Affordable Connectivity Program.⁴

8 of the 10 states with the worst internet access are in the South. 6 Southern governors have prioritized the implementation of the Affordable Connectivity Program, including governors in Alabama (15% of households lack internet), Kentucky (13% lack internet), Mississippi (19% lack internet), North Carolina (12% lack internet), Tennessee (13% lack internet), and West Virginia (16% lack internet).⁵ However, the program is projected to run out of funding by July 2024.⁶

1. “Wired and Hired: Employment Effects of Subsidized Broadband Internet for Low-Income Americans”. Zuo. American Economic Association. August, 2021. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20190648

2. “Convenient, Cost-Effective, and High-Quality Virtual Care Is Here To Stay”. Cigna. https://newsroom.cigna.com/convenient-cost-effective-and-high-quality-virtual-care-is-here-to-stay

3. “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Implementation”. Federal Register. January, 2022. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/10/2022-00221/infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-implementation 

4. “Washington may be about to take a giant step backward in closing the digital divide”. Levin. Brookings. March, 2023. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2023/03/13/washington-may-be-about-to-take-a-giant-step-backward-in-closing-the-digital-divide/

5. “Governors in 28 States Have Already Made Affordable Connectivity Program Adoption A Priority”. Education Superhighway. https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/no-home-left-offline/governors/

6. “Affordable Connectivity Program”. https://public.tableau.com/views/ACPDashboard-Iteration4/Dashboard-IT4?:showVizHome=no