The State With the Highest Rate of Internet Usage May Surprise You
It’s known for cold temperatures and being home to very nice people.
The three U.S. states with the largest populations are California, Texas and New York. So you might think that given sheer geographic area, the population density of metropolitan centers such as New York City, Los Angeles and Houston, or the presence of Silicon Valley that one of these states would have the greatest proportion of internet users. However, that isn’t the case.
Related: Think 5G Would Only Make Streaming Faster? It’d Also Be Great for Business.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, you won’t find the most connected people on the coasts, or deep in the heart of Texas, but largely in the Midwest. Just under three-quarters of U.S. households were online in 2015. But the most connected state isn’t located on one of the coasts — it’s in the heart of the Midwest.
Read on for the top 10 states with the highest concentrations of internet users, as well as stats that reveal how residents are accessing and utilizing the web.
10. Iowa
In 2015, 79.5 percent of Iowans, or 2,355,765 households, used the internet. In 1998, 996,217 (then 36.3 percent) households were online.
9. Wyoming
In 2015, 80 percent of Wyoming residents, or 439,874 households, used the internet. In 1998, 190,823 (then 39.9 percent) households were online.
check email8. Oregon
In 2015, 80.5 percent of Oregon residents, or 3,072,20 households, used the internet. In 1998, 1,356,308 households (then 41.2 percent) were online.
Oregon has the highest proportion of laptop computer internet users of any state.
7. Utah
In 2015, 80.6 percent of Utah residents, or 2,252,565 households, used the internet. In 1998, 812,717 (then 41 percent) households were online.
Related: 6 Things You Need to Know About Google Fiber
wearable smart TVs and TV-connected devices6. Illinois
In 2015, 81.3 percent of Illinois residents, or 9,946,149 households, used the internet. In 1998, 3,715,059 (then 32.7 percent) households were online.
desktop computer internet use5. Idaho
In 2015, 81.4 percent of Idaho residents, or 1,276,770 households, used the internet. In 1998, 466,151 (then 37.5 percent) households were online.
shop4. New Hampshire
In 2015, 82.3 percent of New Hampshire residents, or 1,054,070 households, used the internet. In 1998, 520,158 (then 44.2 percent) households were online.
Related: The 10 Best States to Start a Small Business
In New Hampshire, 23.4 percent of internet users take classes or participate in job training online.
3. Wisconsin
In 2015, 82.5 percent of Wisconsinites, or 4,539,764 households, used the internet. In 1998, 1,735,721 (then 35.6 percent) households were online.
affordability2. Vermont
In 2015, 82.5 percent of Vermont residents, or 499,790 households, used the internet. In 1998, 242,734 (then 42.7 percent) households were online.
1. Minnesota
In 2015, 83.1 percent of Minnesotans, or 4,307,850 households, used the internet. In 1998, 1,889,017 (then 41.5 percent) households were online.
Related: 15 Throwback Web Pages That Show Us How the Internet Has Changed
A greater proportion of internet users look up health insurance info or communicate with a doctor online in Minnesota than in any of the other states in the top 10. Minnesota is second to Washington state in this usage category (38.9 percent of people in Washington state access health records online, compared with 37.9 percent in Minnesota).
The three U.S. states with the largest populations are California, Texas and New York. So you might think that given sheer geographic area, the population density of metropolitan centers such as New York City, Los Angeles and Houston, or the presence of Silicon Valley that one of these states would have the greatest proportion of internet users. However, that isn’t the case.
Related: Think 5G Would Only Make Streaming Faster? It’d Also Be Great for Business.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, you won’t find the most connected people on the coasts, or deep in the heart of Texas, but largely in the Midwest. Just under three-quarters of U.S. households were online in 2015. But the most connected state isn’t located on one of the coasts — it’s in the heart of the Midwest.
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