Surfshark recently released the U.S. Internet Value Index (IVi), which is calculated by dividing each state’s internet speed by internet affordability to determine which states are overpaying for their internet connections. South Dakota ranks 36th in the U.S. by internet value. The state is closely followed by Alabama (37th) and Maine (38th). The study reveals large disparities between rural and urban states in terms of internet value, highlighting the country’s digital divide.
“Affordable and fast internet is crucial these days – schoolchildren need it to keep up with their homework and take part in online classes, and remote workers need it to perform their work effectively.”- comments Agneska Sablovskaja, Lead Researcher at Surfshark. “However, 3 out of 4 rural states are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting fair internet prices, further isolating them from the opportunities that wealthier and more urban states have.”
The Midwest is the second-best performing region in the country, although the average Internet Value Index in the region is just below the U.S. average. South Dakota is among the worst-performing states in the region with an Internet Value Index of 0.46 (19% lower than the region’s average and 21% lower than the U.S. average). Neighboring North Dakota outranks South Dakota by 9 places:
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North Dakotans have to work 1 minute to afford 3.3 Mbps of mobile internet. Meanwhile, South Dakotans work 1 minute 10 seconds (17% more) for the same quality internet.
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With fixed broadband internet, the disparity is bigger. North Dakotans have to work 1 hour to afford 23.5 Mbps of broadband internet. Meanwhile, South Dakotans work 1 hour 17 minutes (28% more) for the same quality internet.
New Jersey and Mississippi — two states at opposite ends of the internet value pole:
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New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York get the best internet prices.
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Mississippi, Wyoming and Arkansas have the most overpriced internet in the country.
New Jersey has the best internet value out of all U.S. states. New Jerseyans have to work only 1 minute to afford 5.5 Mbps of mobile internet, and 1 hour to afford 45 Mbps of broadband internet.
South Dakota’s index is 53.8% lower than New Jersey’s – South Dakotans work 94% more for the same quality of mobile internet, and 145% more for broadband.
3 out of 4 rural states overpay for the internet
A state’s Internet Value Index is influenced by many factors, such as economic position, population density, percentage of urban area, and whether a state is landlocked or not. Rural states are suffering the most in terms of internet value: 3 out of 4 rural states have overpriced internet. The situation is vastly different in more urbanized states, where 3 out of 4 states get fair internet prices.
The Northeast gets the highest internet value, while all other regions have indexes that are below the U.S. average
Out of four U.S. regions, the South performs the worst in terms of internet value — 3 of the bottom 5 states are in the South. The West and Midwest perform slightly better but are still below the U.S. average. Meanwhile, Northeastern states get the best internet value, with an average index 30% higher than the U.S. average.
For more information on Surfshark’s U.S. Internet Value Index, please visit the link: https://surfshark.com/blog/internet-value-usa-rural-urban-divide.
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