Bridging the Digital Divide

We live in a digital world and it seems that with each passing year we become more and more reliant on the internet for social, educational, entertainment, and employment needs. The digital divide is the gap between people who can consistently access and afford high-speed internet (and the devices and skills to use it) and those who cannot. It shows up in cities and small towns, but it hits hardest in places where service is limited (such as rural and remote areas), prices are high, or digital skills and devices are out of reach. 

This guide explains what the digital divide is, who it affects, and what you can do next if internet access or affordability is a challenge in your household. 

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Key Takeaways About the Digital Divide 

• The digital divide isn’t only about whether internet service exists or not. It’s also about affordability, access to technology, and possession of digital skills.
• Affordability is a major factor in the digital divide. In 2025, 54% of adults in households earning $30,000 or less have home internet, compared with 94% of adults in households earning $75,000 or more (Pew Research Center).
• Availability has improved, but there are still gaps. About 94% of homes and businesses have access to broadband through at least one provider (Federal Communications Commission).
• The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended on June 1, 2024, leaving many households without internet access at home.
• Lifeline can reduce the cost of internet or phone service by up to $9.25/month, and up to $34.25/month on Tribal lands.
• If you need lower-cost internet now, see what’s available in your area, then check provider discount plans, Lifeline, and local programs.

What Is the Digital Divide?

The digital divide is the gap between people who can reliably accessbroadband internet and those who cannot. That “gap” can be caused by several things: 

• Availability: there is no good service where someone lives.
• Affordability: service exists, but it costs too much.
• Devices: a household may not have a computer, tablet, or a reliable modem and router.
• Digital skills: someone may not know how to use online tools safely and effectively.
• Accessibility: technology and websites may not be usable for people with disabilities.

Even if a neighborhood has broadband available, the divide can still exist if families cannot afford the monthly bill, cannot buy a laptop, or cannot navigate online forms.

Economic Divide: Affordability 

For many households, the barrier is not whether internet service exists. It is the monthly cost. 

Household income is a major indicator of broadband adoption. In 2025, 54% of adults in households earning under $30,000 had home broadband, compared with 94% of adults in households earning $75,000 or more. 

That gap isn’t just the monthly bill. Installation fees, equipment rentals, deposits, and the cost of devices add up to a high upfront cost that may be out of reach for many people.

Geographic Divide: Availability 

Location still matters. Rural areas often have fewer providers, less competition, and longer distances between homes, which makes expansion more difficult and more expensive. 

Availability has improved over time, but there are still areas without reasonable internet access. As of June 2024, about 94% of homes and businesses had access to broadband through at least one provider. Although it’s a substantial percentage, that means there are still millions without good options, especially in hard-to-serve regions. 

Adoption, Devices, and Digital Skills 

The digital divide is also about the ability to use the internet in practical ways. 

Some households rely on phone-only access. Others have internet but lack a reliable laptop for homework or remote work. And some people have never been taught the basics of online safety, job searching, or navigating government portals. 

These factors matter because having internet isn’t the same as having enough for modern online demands. 

Digital Divide by the Numbers 

Here are a few data points that help explain the problem and the most common solutions. 

Who Is Affected by the Digital Divide?

The digital divide primarily affects those in rural areas, economically disadvantaged communities, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. It doesn’t affect everyone equally, and unfortunately, some groups of people face overlapping barriers that make it especially difficult to get access to quality internet service. Let’s take a closer look at the communities that are hit hardest by the digital divide and why. 

Rural residents struggle with infrastructure gaps that leave entire regions without fiber or cable options. When service finally arrives, rural households often face higher prices and slower speeds than their urban counterparts. The lack of provider competition means taking whatever deal is available or going without. 

Low-income households get squeezed by the high cost of both internet service and the devices needed to use it. These families make hard choices each month about which bills to pay – rent, utilities, food, or internet service. 

Older adults face a combination of affordability concerns and digital skills gaps. Many seniors grew up without computers and feel intimidated by technology and how fast it changes. Others live on fixed incomes that don’t stretch to cover internet bills on top of rising healthcare costs. 

People with disabilities need accessible websites, apps, and devices that work with assistive technologies. When digital services aren’t designed inclusively, people with disabilities find themselves locked out of essential online resources. Specialized equipment is another financial hurdle. 

People with less formal education often lack exposure to computers, digital tools, and digital skills that others take for granted. Without these, they struggle to complete online job applications, access career training, or help their children with digital homework assignments. 

People of color can be limited by location and economic inequality, as well as underinvestment in infrastructure. Even at similar income levels, black and Latino households, on average, have lower broadband adoption rates than white households. 

How the Digital Divide Shows Up in Everyday Life 

The digital divide creates real problems in daily online activities that many people take for granted.

• Students struggle with remote learning, homework portals, and research.
• Job seekers have fewer options for applications, training, and remote work.
• Patients miss telehealth appointments or cannot use patient portals.
• Families cannot easily access benefits, housing resources, or legal services.
• People lose time and money commuting to libraries, workplaces, or friends’ homes just to get online.

For many households, the digital divide is not abstract. It is daily stress.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Solving the digital divide requires action at multiple levels: providers, governments, nonprofits, and local communities. But you can still take practical steps today if you need better or cheaper internet. 

A Simple 5-Step Checklist 

Step 1: Check what’s available at your address. Start by entering your ZIP code in our provider search tool to see which internet providers are available to you. Here you’ll be able to compare providers and plans to find the best fit for your needs and budget. 

Step 2: Compare low-cost plans and promotions. Look specifically for each provider’s low-income program, not just their standard offerings. Prices and speeds vary significantly. Some providers offer promotional rates for the first year, but that monthly price will increase at the end of the promotional period. Be sure to keep track of it. 

Step 3: Apply for Lifeline if eligible. The Lifeline program provides $9.25 per month toward phone or internet service, or $34.25 per month for households on Tribal lands. You qualify if you participate in programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or Federal Public Housing Assistance. Check your eligibility and apply through the Lifeline website. 

Step 4: Ask providers about discounted programs. Some internet providers offer low-cost internet for people who receive government assistance. Contact the providers in your area to check, and have documentation ready, such as approval letters from benefit programs, a child’s school lunch program paperwork, or tax returns showing income. 

Step 5: Use local help. Libraries offer free Wi-Fi and sometimes loan mobile hotspots. Nonprofit organizations provide refurbished computers and digital skills training. Community centers and school districts may run internet assistance programs. Ask around in your area. See our resource on fixed and low-income internet options for more information. 

Low-Cost Options from Internet Service Providers

Several internet providers have assistance programs to provide discounted internet for low-income households. These programs may vary by location and can change over time, so it is smart to confirm current eligibility and pricing directly with the provider. 

AT&T Access

Access from AT&T provides low-cost internet service for eligible households. If AT&T is available in your area and your household participates in SNAP, SSI, NSLP, and other programs, you can receive internet service for $30 per month or less based on the maximum speed available at your address (up to 100 Mbps). Find out if Access from AT&T is available near you and apply.

Internet Essentials From Comcast (Xfinity)

Internet Essentials is a starter program from Comcast that provides low-income households with 75 Mbps Xfinity internet for $14.95 per month. Individuals can qualify if they are eligible for the NSLP, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and other programs. Internet Essentials customers also have the option to purchase a laptop or desktop computer at a discounted price. 

Cox Connect2Compete

Cox is helping families stay connected online with affordable, low-income internet. With the Cox Connect2Compete program, eligible families can get low-cost, home internet with Wi-Fi for $9.95 per month. Visit their website to see if you’re qualified and start your application.

Optimum Advantage 

Optimum Advantage internet provides service to qualifying households for $15 per month with speeds up to 100 Mbps. Eligibility typically includes participation in programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or the National School Lunch Program. The Optimum service area covers parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Visit Optimum’s website to verify availability in your specific location and review current program requirements, as these details update periodically. 

Other Provider Programs 

Other major providers offer similar programs: 

Verizon Forward provides discounted Fios or 5G Home Internet to qualifying households, though program details vary by market. Check Verizon’s website for current offerings in your area. 

T-Mobile partners with community organizations through its Project 10Million initiative to provide free mobile hotspots and data to students. Contact your school district to see if they participate. 

Many smaller regional internet providers operate their own affordability programs but don’t advertise them. Call to ask whether the company offers any programs for low-income households. 

Find a complete list of providers with low-income internet plans in our Internet Guide for Low & Fixed Incomes.

Digital Divide Government Initiatives

Government efforts to bridge the digital divide usually fall into two general categories: 

1. Infrastructure: building networks in areas without service.

2. Affordability and adoption: helping people pay for service and learn how to use it. 

BEAD: Building Broadband Infrastructure

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is a major $42.5 billion federal initiative to expand high-speed internet, especially in unserved and underserved areas. It’s federally funded, but it is administered through state broadband offices. 

Funding levels depend on how many areas lack good internet access. Offices handling broadband draft spending blueprints. They target dead zones before anything else. After that, sluggish or unreliable connections get attention. 

In rural areas, faster connections often start with BEAD. Check your state’s broadband site now and then; updates pop up when work moves your way. 

The ACP Ended: What to Do Now

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended on June 1, 2024, when funding ran out. Congress has not passed legislation to fund, replace, or extend the program. 

If you relied on ACP, you still have options, but you may need to combine resources: 

• Lifeline (federal discount program)
• Provider discount plans (low-income programs)
• Nonprofit and local programs (devices, training, hotspot access)
• Household budgeting strategies (choosing plans with stable pricing and fewer fees)

Lifeline

Lifeline is a long-running federal program that helps reduce the cost of phone or internet service. 

• Benefit: up to $9.25/month
• Tribal lands: up to $34.25/month
• Available in every state, with eligibility based on income or qualifying assistance programs

If you think you might qualify, Lifeline is one of the most reliable starting points because it is not tied to a single provider. 

Nonprofit Organizations for Internet Access & Tech

If you’re in need of additional resources like technology and digital training, several nonprofits offer discounted or free refurbished computers, training, and tools to find low-cost internet for low-income families.

EveryoneOn

EveryoneOn is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting low-income families to affordable internet service and computers. Use their offer locator tool to find low-cost internet and device offers in your area.

human-I-T

human-I-T is a nonprofit that provides low-income individuals and other nonprofits with technology, internet, and digital training. Use their free resources to request low-cost internet or refurbished technology.

A full list of nonprofits fighting to bridge the digital divide can be found in our Internet Guide for Low & Fixed Incomes.

Local and Community Resources 

Beyond national nonprofits, local resources provide important access points: 

Public libraries offer free Wi-Fi, or it may loan mobile hotspots that you can take home for weeks at a time. 

Community centers and school districts sometimes have programs that provide financial or access assistance, especially for families with students. Your child’s school may have resources for discounted or free home internet during the school year. 

Refurbished device programs like Goodwill, PCs for People, The On It Foundation, and Kramden Institute are available in many cities. They refurbish donated computers and sell or give them to people who need technology but can’t afford retail prices. 

 The Future of the Digital Divide

Progress is happening, but slowly. Through BEAD funding, millions of homes will be connected to faster internet over the next few years. 

There are still many challenges. The end of the Affordable Connectivity Program created a major setback, making it harder for families to get access to broadband internet.

The FCC updated its broadband speed standard in 2024 to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, reflecting what households actually need for modern work, school, and healthcare. This new benchmark still isn’t enough for the ways people use the internet, and many internet plans don’t meet that benchmark. 

Bridging the digital divide depends on a few efforts: 

1. Completing infrastructure buildout in underserved areas

2. Maintaining affordability without the ACP subsidy 

3. Improving adoption through better digital skills training and culturally relevant outreach 

Here’s what you can do to help bridge the digital divide: 

• Research providers and assistance programs in your area by entering your ZIP code in our provider search tool
• Apply for Lifeline and any provider discount programs you qualify for
• Connect with local nonprofits that offer devices, training, or internet assistance
• Advocate to your elected representatives for continued funding for broadband affordability programs
• Help neighbors, especially older adults, learn about and apply for available resources