Internet Access

11% of Southerners have no internet at home — not even a cellular data plan — compared to 8% of non-Southerners.

Lack of internet access by county, 2018-22 (5-yr average)

Percent of households without internet access

Source: Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2018-22. 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).

Broadening access to broadband internet yields benefits beyond connecting workers to opportunities and improving access to goods and services. It also contributes to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (Greenhouse Gas Emissions). The Covid pandemic expedited the shift to online services and remote work, yet this transformation hasn't been universally accessible due to limited broadband availability, especially in rural areas.¹ Across the South, 127 rural counties are considered “internet access poor” because 25% or more of all households lack internet. Expanding broadband, particularly in rural communities, enables easier access to e-commerce, telecommuting, job prospects, and virtual healthcare, thereby reducing the overall demand for transportation and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.^[2],[3] Yet, over 1 in 10 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.^[4] Extending internet access in rural areas tends to be costly as residents are dispersed across vast areas. Municipal and regional utility companies were created to provide essential services, including broadband, to underserved communities. However, due to lobbying by private telecom companies, numerous states have enacted laws preempting localities from constructing and managing their own internet infrastructure.^[5],[6]

1. U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Means of Transportation to Work: Worked from Home. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/commuting/guidance/acs-1yr/Mean-worked-from-home.pdf

2. Zuo, G. W. (2021). Wired and Hired: Employment Effects of Subsidized Broadband Internet for Low-Income Americans. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 13(3), 447–482. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20190648

3. Convenient, Cost-Effective, and High-Quality Virtual Care Is Here To Stay. (n.d.). Cigna Newsroom. https://newsroom.cigna.com/convenient-cost-effective-and-high-quality-virtual-care-is-here-to-stay

4. National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2022, January 10). Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Implementation. Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/10/2022-00221/infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-implementation

5. Treskon, M. (2021, July 15). How the Federal Government Can Support Cities and Counties Limited by State Preemption Laws: The Case of Municipal Broadband | Urban Institute. Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/how-federal-government-can-support-cities-and-counties-limited-state-preemption-laws-case-municipal-broadband

6. Cooper, T. (2023, November 17). Municipal Broadband 2023: 16 States Still Restrict Community Broadband. Broadband Now. https://broadbandnow.com/report/municipal-broadband-roadblocks