Census ACS 5-Year · 52 states
States With Highest Internet Access
Internet access has become as fundamental as electricity and running water in modern life. States with the highest internet penetration, Colorado, Washington, Utah, and New Hampshire, tend to be wealthier, more urban, and more educated. The digital divide remains a serious issue: states with lower internet access rates, often in the rural South and Appalachia, face compounding disadvantages in education (students can't complete online homework), employment (remote work isn't an option), healthcare (telehealth isn't accessible), and economic development (businesses need reliable connectivity). The federal government has invested billions in broadband expansion through programs like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, but deployment takes years. Internet access correlates strongly with both income and education, households that can't afford internet or lack local infrastructure options miss out on the economic participation that connectivity enables.
Key Findings
- 1Utah leads with a internet access rate of 97.6%, followed by Colorado (96.8%) and Washington (96.7%).
- 2The national median across all states is 94.4% (Michigan at the midpoint).
- 3The top 10 states are: Utah, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, California, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, Maryland, District of Columbia.
Full Ranking: States With Highest Internet Access
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Internet % | WFH Rate | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 95.1% | 8.5% | $74,815 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 94.0% | 11.6% | $75,670 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 90.1% | 8.0% | $57,917 |
| 4 | Washington | 96.7% | 17.7% | $94,952 |
| 5 | Virginia | 94.8% | 16.2% | $90,974 |
| 6 | Vermont | 94.1% | 15.0% | $78,024 |
| 7 | Utah | 97.6% | 16.0% | $91,750 |
| 8 | Texas | 95.6% | 12.8% | $76,292 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 93.5% | 11.4% | $67,097 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 93.6% | 9.3% | $72,421 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 93.7% | 10.0% | $66,818 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 94.1% | 11.4% | $86,372 |
| 13 | Puerto Rico | - | 5.4% | $25,096 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 92.9% | 13.8% | $76,081 |
| 15 | Oregon | 96.2% | 17.0% | $80,426 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 94.1% | 8.5% | $63,603 |
| 17 | Ohio | 93.6% | 11.5% | $69,680 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 94.1% | 7.3% | $75,949 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 94.1% | 14.5% | $69,904 |
| 20 | New York | 94.0% | 13.3% | $84,578 |
| 21 | New Mexico | 92.4% | 11.0% | $62,125 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 95.3% | 15.0% | $101,050 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 95.6% | 15.1% | $95,628 |
| 24 | Nevada | 96.1% | 10.5% | $75,561 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 94.6% | 10.0% | $74,985 |
| 26 | Montana | 93.9% | 11.6% | $69,922 |
| 27 | Missouri | 94.0% | 11.6% | $68,920 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 91.4% | 5.3% | $54,915 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 95.3% | 15.8% | $87,556 |
| 30 | Michigan | 94.4% | 12.0% | $71,149 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | 95.1% | 16.7% | $101,341 |
| 32 | Maryland | 96.0% | 17.2% | $101,652 |
| 33 | Maine | 94.0% | 14.1% | $71,773 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 92.3% | 7.2% | $60,023 |
| 35 | Kentucky | 92.8% | 9.1% | $62,417 |
| 36 | Kansas | 95.0% | 10.7% | $72,639 |
| 37 | Iowa | 93.7% | 10.4% | $73,147 |
| 38 | Indiana | 93.6% | 9.6% | $70,051 |
| 39 | Illinois | 94.4% | 14.0% | $81,702 |
| 40 | Idaho | 95.9% | 12.2% | $74,636 |
| 41 | Hawaii | 95.4% | 8.8% | $98,317 |
| 42 | Georgia | 95.0% | 14.2% | $74,664 |
| 43 | Florida | 96.0% | 13.9% | $71,711 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | 96.0% | 29.4% | $106,287 |
| 45 | Delaware | 95.6% | 13.3% | $82,855 |
| 46 | Connecticut | 94.8% | 14.4% | $93,760 |
| 47 | Colorado | 96.8% | 18.8% | $92,470 |
| 48 | California | 96.4% | 15.5% | $96,334 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 92.6% | 7.8% | $58,773 |
| 50 | Arizona | 95.9% | 16.5% | $76,872 |
| 51 | Alaska | 96.6% | 8.8% | $89,336 |
| 52 | Alabama | 92.5% | 7.8% | $62,027 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Utah has the highest internet access rate at 97.6%, according to latest Census ACS data. Colorado and Washington round out the top three.
Puerto Rico has the lowest internet access rate at -. West Virginia is second-lowest at 90.1%.
The median across all 52 states is 94.4%. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.