Stay Informed

In Indiana, less than 5 percent of the urban population has no “fixed access” to high-speed access, but that percentage increases to more than 50 percent for the rural population, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

In comparison with surrounding states, the percentages of the population without access are:

• Illinois, 4 percent (urban) and 56 percent (rural).
• Michigan, 3 percent (urban) and 37 percent (rural).
• Ohio, 2 percent (urban) and 31 percent (rural).
• Kentucky, 3 percent (urban) and 34 percent (rural).

There is a wide gulf in internet performance when comparing Indiana’s more rural and more urban counties. For example, according to “Indiana Rural Stats,” a website operated by the Purdue Center for Regional Development, the average download speed is 29.9 Mbps in Marion County. But in Vanderburgh County, it’s 19.5 percent, and in Benton County, it’s as low as 9.5 Mbps.

(See companion article: Broadband access remains a major issue for rural customers.)