Mississippi leads the nation in homes without an internet connection, a new study finds.
The study from Reviews.org utilized information gathered from the latest updated U.S. Census data from the American Community Survey. What was discovered is that nearly 16% of Mississippi homes still lack internet — the highest rate in the U.S.
Though the overwhelming majority of Mississippians (84.4%) can access the internet at the house, the Magnolia State still trails its peers in upping the number of residents with a broadband connection. Just ahead of Mississippi are Louisiana (85.5%), West Virginia (86.7%), New Mexico (86.8%), and Arkansas (86.9%) in the bottom five states for connectivity.
According to the study, over 179,000 homes in Mississippi do not have an internet connection. To combat this, the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi has been allotted millions of dollars through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted by Congress and President Joe Biden in 2021.
As the state agency continues to divvy out federal dollars to provide high-speed internet access to those in unserved and underserved areas, director Sally Doty is seeking the public’s help in locating areas of the state without adequate coverage or any coverage at all.
