The broadband gap is an income gap
Home internet subscriptions track household income across US counties.
Counties with higher Median Household Income tend to have higher Homes with Broadband Internet.
Strong link: a correlation of 0.66 across 3,093 counties.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
The share of homes with a broadband subscription depends on both availability and cost. Across counties it tracks household income closely.
Each dot in the chart is one of 3,093 counties. The correlation between Median Household Income and Homes with Broadband Internet is 0.66, a strong relationship: about 44% of the differences in Homes with Broadband Internet from place to place line up with Median Household Income. Ranked instead of measured, the link is 0.73.
The highest Homes with Broadband Internet is in Falls Church city, VA (98.3%), Douglas County, CO (97.9%) and Summit County, CO (97.8%); the lowest is in Sharkey County, MS (48.6%), Washington County, MS (50.2%) and Claiborne Parish, LA (50.2%). The median place has 87.0% for Homes with Broadband Internet and $65,795 for Median Household Income.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Esmeralda County, NV, Sherman County, TX and Wolfe County, KY have a much higher Homes with Broadband Internet than their Median Household Income would predict, while Sharkey County, MS, Washington County, MS and Claiborne Parish, LA have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Median Household Income is from 2024 and Homes with Broadband Internet from 2024.
Highest Homes with Broadband Internet
| Place | Homes with Broadband Internet | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|
| Falls Church city, VA | 98.3% | $143,262 |
| Douglas County, CO | 97.9% | $149,594 |
| Summit County, CO | 97.8% | $109,773 |
| Forsyth County, GA | 97.7% | $143,784 |
| Loudoun County, VA | 97.0% | $181,765 |
Lowest Homes with Broadband Internet
| Place | Homes with Broadband Internet | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|
| Sharkey County, MS | 48.6% | $40,000 |
| Washington County, MS | 50.2% | $42,165 |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 50.2% | $32,831 |
| Issaquena County, MS | 55.4% | $31,429 |
| Apache County, AZ | 60.0% | $41,438 |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Median Household Income
- Full ranking and sources for Homes with Broadband Internet