Elements in U.S. Households broadband internet subscription rates

Abstract

American broadband Internet subscription rates vary across region, urban density, household income, and other socio-economic influences, such that western households are more likely to have broadband Internet than southern households, urban households have greater broadband access than rural households, higher income households more often subscribe to the Internet than poorer households, etc. We explore the causality of broadband Internet subscription using descriptive and logistic regression techniques. We find that spatial differences can be explained by differences in household income, educational attainment, and other household characteristics; broadband Internet nonsubscription can be the result of both voluntary and involuntary choices. Recent government programs, however, address some of the underlying causes for Internet nonsubscription, helping to ameliorate economic disadvantages for some households.