Internet Access in Washington

Washington ranks 16th for best connected state. The connection difference across cities isn't large, but it still exists, with some areas much less connected than others. The average download speed for Washington was recently recorded at 60 Mbps.

The “digital divide” is a term used to quantify the gulf between people who have reliable access to the internet and those who do not. Whilst there are 242 providers in Washington state, there are still 38,000 people without a wired connection capable of substantial speeds. 529,000 people only have access to one provider, and another 103,000 Washingtonians have no access at all.

When it comes to broadband speeds, 94.6% of Washingtonians have access to 25 Mbps or faster, while 92.8% have access to 100 Mbps or more. But only 25.8% of Washingtonians have access to broadband connection of 1-gigabite.

When it comes to coverage, affordability, and speed, some Washington cities outshine the rest. Kirkland is the most connected town, followed by Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mukilteo, and Langley. The entire population in all five of these places enjoy affordable broadband, and the ability to choose from any service provider.

The worst connected towns in Washington are Ardenvoir, Manchester, Laurier, Hay, and Oysterville. They lag behind because of their limited affordable options and range of choices.

Since 2011, $7 million has gone into The Washington State Broadband Project to improve broadband infrastructure. An additional $166 million has been put towards other initiatives bent on increasing connections throughout the state, improving local economic development in general.