Networking

The United States of Broadband: 50 Beautiful Maps of Connectivity

Put to good use, open data helps consumers understand their options when it comes to high-speed Internet.

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Jimmy is a writer and editor who publishes a weekly newsletter. You can find him on Twitter.

America has an Internet problem. A quick look at the average speeds in each state reveals that even the fastest areas are only getting about 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Given these measurements, only four states — Delaware, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia — are delivering high-speed access.

Of course, there are pockets of blazing-fast speeds. CNET reports that Ephrata, Wash., has the nation’s fastest Internet, at 85.54Mbps. On the flip side, 25 percent of Kansas City residents don’t have access to broadband, and 17 percent don’t have Internet at all.

Broadband access is largely an infrastructure challenge, but high costs and a lack of competition have made it hard for consumers to invest in high-speed access for their homes. Broadband.gov, which is the result of a partnership between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), tracks data about broadband in the United States. In addition, every state tracks data as part of the 2009 State Broadband Initiative. The goal of both projects is to educate consumers on the availability and value of Internet service providers in their area and to be open and transparent about the data being collected.

Here are the maps from each of the 50 states. Click the image to view the interactive maps.

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