Key findings
- 100% of KS and RI residents have access to speeds over 25/3 Mbps.
- Mississippi has the lowest percentage of residents with access to broadband at 86%.
- The average household pays $0.41 for every 1 Mbps of download speed it receives.
- Hawaii residents get the most value for their internet speed at $0.18 per Mbps. Montana residents pay the most at $0.71 per Mbps.
Although Americans have some of the fastest internet speeds in the world — currently top ten in the world at 198 Mbps — that network isn’t deployed equally. Many rural areas pay high prices for slow speeds, while more densely populated cities enjoy an abundance of providers and plans to choose from.
To find the places with the best internet connectivity, we evaluated each state on four factors: the area that’s covered, the average internet speed that residents actually receive, the lowest price that’s available and the number of providers they can choose from. (Scroll down to the bottom for a full explanation of our methodology and data collection process.)
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Top and bottom states for internet access
In these states, broadband internet — defined by the FCC as 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds — was available to the highest percentages of their populations. On the other end of the spectrum, the states with the lowest connectivity scores were more rural and sparsely populated. In fact, the average population for the bottom 16 was about 1.6 million, compared to 3.1 million for the top 16.
How much each state pays for its internet
How much each state pays varies greatly, but the average price per state is $0.41 for every 1 Mbps of download speed. Hawaii gets the most bang for its buck at $0.18 per Mbps, followed by New Jersey at $0.26. On the other end, Montana pays the most for its internet speed at $0.71 per Mbps.
What are you really paying for internet?
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Cheapest plans available in each state
On average, the cheapest broadband plan available per state is $43.50/mo. Hawaii has the lowest prices for internet by a mile at $21.84; the next closest state is Illinois at $35.82. On the other end, Alaska’s cheapest plans start at $51.19 on average.
Population estimates per internet provider
The average state has 83 internet providers available, but that number varies widely from state to state. Texas has the most options with 265 providers — around one provider for every 37K households. Delaware, on the other hand, has the fewest providers of any state at 10, but that still works out to one per every 37K households.
Satellite internet is the only option in many areas
For vast sections of the country, cable and fiber internet are still unavailable. That leaves many users with only one way to get online: satellite internet. These towns are all in sparsely populated areas that don’t have enough customers for providers to justify the high cost of laying down cable.
Satellite is a decent alternative. Using geostationary (fixed position) satellites, providers can offer internet service virtually anywhere in the country, with speeds going all the way up to 100 Mbps. Alaska leads the way with 90 towns that only have access to satellite internet, followed by California with 65 and Oklahoma with 39.
The bottom line
Americans get some of the fastest internet speeds in the world on average, but how you experience that depends a lot on where you live. Densely populated states generally fared the best in our analysis, with more choice, better coverage, lower prices and faster speeds overall.
Meanwhile, states like Alaska and Mississippi scored the worst on those metrics, and paid a lot more for their speeds than their more urban counterparts.
For more information on our findings, please email us at info@allconnect.com.
Our methodology
To find out which areas had the best internet connectivity, we analyzed data from BroadbandUSA, a program within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration dedicated to expanding broadband connectivity. To find the average price per Mbps, we used speed test data from Ookla from June 2020 to March 2023.
Pricing detailed in this report varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/24/23.
For researchers and journalists
If you would like to know more about this topic, we can assist you. Our experts can help you dig deeper into the data.
Written by:
Joe SupanPrincipal Writer, Broadband Content
Joe Supan is a principal writer for Allconnect and CNET. He has helped build the proprietary metrics used on Allconnect’s review pages, utilizing thousands of data points to help readers navigate these complex… Read more 
Edited by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content