Internet Access Gap by Household Income
- Has home broadband
- Smartphone-only (no home broadband)
Source: Pew Research Center, Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet (survey of U.S. adults, rounded)
Show data table
| Group | Has home broadband | Smartphone-only (no home broadband) |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | 57% | 27% |
| $30,000–$99,999 | 83% | 13% |
| $100,000+ | 93% | 6% |
Tablet Ownership by Household Income
Source: Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet (rounded)
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| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Under $30K | 41% |
| $30K–$70K | 52% |
| $70K–$100K | 60% |
| $100K+ | 68% |
How the Government Supports Low-Income Families
These programs overlap; many households are enrolled in more than one.
Source: CMS Medicaid & CHIP enrollment reports, USDA FNS SNAP data, HUD Picture of Subsidized Households, SSA SSI monthly statistics (latest published, rounded)
Show data table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Medicaid & CHIP | 79M |
| SNAP (EBT) | 42M |
| Federal housing aid | 9.6M |
| SSI | 7.4M |
Source: FCC Lifeline and FCC ACP program rules
Show data table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| ACP – Tribal lands (ended) | $75 |
| Lifeline – Tribal lands | $34.25 |
| ACP – standard (ended) | $30 |
| Lifeline – standard | $9.25 |
- Mobile phone + data 88%
- Home internet 9%
- Home phone / other 3%
Source: USAC Lifeline program data, service type share (approximate, rounded)
Show data table
| Segment | Value |
|---|---|
| Mobile phone + data | 88% |
| Home internet | 9% |
| Home phone / other | 3% |
ACP Reach Before It Ended
Enrollment froze on February 7, 2024, and the program ended June 1, 2024, when funding ran out.
Source: FCC / USAC ACP enrollment tracker (approximate, rounded)
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| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| Mar 2022 | 11M |
| Sep 2022 | 14M |
| Mar 2023 | 17M |
| Sep 2023 | 20.5M |
| Feb 2024 | 23M |
Which Groups Are Most Affected by the Digital Divide?
Source: Pew Research Center (rounded)
Show data table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ages 65+ | 12% |
| Income under $30K | 9% |
| Rural residents | 6% |
| All U.S. adults | 5% |
Guides for these groups: seniors · low-income families · disabled people
The Homework Gap for Students
See Free Government Tablet for Students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this real-time data?
These charts show the latest figures published by federal agencies and national researchers. Agencies like USDA, CMS and SSA release program data monthly or yearly, and we update this page when new official figures come out.
What is the digital divide?
It's the gap between people who have reliable internet and devices and those who don't. It's closely tied to income, age, disability and where people live.
How do free tablets help close the gap?
Free tablets and discounted service give lower-income households a large-screen device for telehealth, school, job searching and accessing government services, which a phone alone does poorly.
Sources and Last Update
This page was last reviewed and updated on . Program rules and figures come from these official and research sources:
- Pew Research Center – Internet & Technology Fact Sheets
- U.S. Census Bureau – Computer and Internet Use
- NTIA – Digital Equity & Internet Use Survey
- FCC – Affordable Connectivity Program
- USAC – Lifeline Program
- USDA FNS – SNAP Data Tables
- Medicaid.gov – Enrollment Data
- Social Security Administration – SSI Statistics
- HUD – Picture of Subsidized Households