Internet Access in North Carolina

North Carolina is ranked as the 18th-best state in terms of broadband coverage in the U.S.  With the rest of the country averaging 25% access to fiber-optic internet services, North Carolina does well with 33.1% having access. The average state-wide download speed hovers at 115.5 Mbps, which is similar to download speeds in Michigan, Nevada, and Alabama. More than 95% of North Carolinians have access to a wired connection with speeds of 25 Mbps or higher, while just under 110,000 people are left without a wired connection at their homes.

North Carolina has 173 internet providers while over 800,00 people have access to only one provider, limiting their choice. The state offers 46.8% of its population access to a low-priced internet plan of equal to or less than $60 per month, which is lower than the national average of 51.5%.

In general, North Carolinians are relatively well-connected. Cary, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Winston Salem are considered to have the best broadband speed in the state.

Conversely, Little Switzerland, Linville Falls, Balsam, Maury, and Hamilton have the lowest connectivity rating in the state.

Since 2010, over $6.6 million in federal grants has been awarded to the North Carolina Department of Commerce to put toward gathering broadband data and funding development, while there are state initiatives to connect every person in North Carolina to broadband service, if they so choose, by June 2021.