Bridging the Digital Divide: Connecting Communities Through Affordable Internet

In the state of Alabama, 535,600 households are unconnected and 305,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 64% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $74.10 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 82% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 413,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Alaska, 71,600 households are unconnected and 40,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 45% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $103.73 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 96% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 24,800 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 11 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Arizona, 549,400 households are unconnected and 335,600 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 65% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $75.34 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 109% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 522,200 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Arkansas, 331,400 households are unconnected and 225,200 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 52% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $80.01 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 70% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 215,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of California, 2,302,600 households are unconnected and 1,528,500 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 63% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $101.03 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 150% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 2,945,300 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Colorado, 367,600 households are unconnected and 211,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 59% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $69.27 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 162% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 251,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 9 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Connecticut, 256,900 households are unconnected and 121,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 79% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $72.47 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 174% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 186,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Delaware, 68,700 households are unconnected and 32,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 80% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $80.66 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 124% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 52,400 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of District of Columbia, 51,500 households are unconnected and 21,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 82% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $118.19 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 249% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 63,800 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Florida, 1,680,400 households are unconnected and 800,500 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 69% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $83.25 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 96% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 1,707,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Georgia, 778,500 households are unconnected and 559,600 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 58% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $74.65 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 107% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 722,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Hawaii, 94,400 households are unconnected and 46,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 69% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $63.18 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 125% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 60,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Idaho, 134,900 households are unconnected and 101,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 63% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $64.88 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 105% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 54,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 13 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Illinois, 1,071,300 households are unconnected and 588,900 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 63% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $71.52 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 133% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 704,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 7 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Indiana, 643,700 households are unconnected and 364,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 59% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $70.39 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 103% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 426,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Iowa, 297,500 households are unconnected and 176,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 59% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $75.86 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 118% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 124,100 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 10 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Kansas, 245,100 households are unconnected and 156,500 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 60% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $64.70 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 112% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 133,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 9 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Kentucky, 433,400 households are unconnected and 240,700 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 55% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $79.56 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 80% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 455,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Louisiana, 539,900 households are unconnected and 281,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 65% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $76.02 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 72% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 558,800 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 3 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Maine, 113,100 households are unconnected and 48,900 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 74% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $83.89 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 113% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 98,600 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Maryland, 407,900 households are unconnected and 213,600 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 74% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $75.44 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 185% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 287,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Massachusetts, 460,500 households are unconnected and 204,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 81% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $93.60 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 192% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 367,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Michigan, 906,100 households are unconnected and 488,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 65% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $66.89 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 107% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 941,200 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Minnesota, 432,100 households are unconnected and 249,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 57% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $68.66 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 156% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 244,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 9 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Mississippi, 367,800 households are unconnected and 234,200 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 58% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $70.93 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 64% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 244,300 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Missouri, 593,200 households are unconnected and 333,200 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 49% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $72.80 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 103% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 395,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Montana, 102,500 households are unconnected and 48,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 51% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $123.37 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 105% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 54,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Nebraska, 160,500 households are unconnected and 95,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 55% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $55.04 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 127% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 96,100 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Nevada, 241,900 households are unconnected and 134,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 70% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $74.55 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 102% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 276,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of New Hampshire, 76,200 households are unconnected and 35,900 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 71% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $89.35 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 178% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 38,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 14 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of New Jersey, 603,200 households are unconnected and 312,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 80% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $82.79 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 183% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 338,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 10 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of New Mexico, 210,400 households are unconnected and 133,600 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 50% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $68.46 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 74% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 184,100 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of New York, 1,626,900 households are unconnected and 725,900 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 77% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $96.08 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 137% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 1,792,200 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of North Carolina, 856,900 households are unconnected and 469,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 66% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $69.73 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 99% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 901,400 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of North Dakota, 66,900 households are unconnected and 34,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 78% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $56.42 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 130% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 17,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 18 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Ohio, 985,300 households are unconnected and 500,200 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 67% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $87.70 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 107% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 1,157,100 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Oklahoma, 414,000 households are unconnected and 285,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 55% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $81.27 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 80% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 351,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 4 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Oregon, 286,800 households are unconnected and 155,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 58% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $72.27 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 126% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 239,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 7 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Pennsylvania, 1,115,000 households are unconnected and 483,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 70% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $84.33 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 125% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 763,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 7 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Rhode Island, 88,100 households are unconnected and 37,800 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 87% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $70.82 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 150% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 83,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of South Carolina, 493,700 households are unconnected and 265,700 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 69% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $74.17 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 90% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 415,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 5 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of South Dakota, 77,500 households are unconnected and 44,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 64% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $55.88 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 112% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 24,200 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 14 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Tennessee, 638,800 households are unconnected and 363,600 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 72% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $77.04 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 92% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 429,600 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Texas, 2,328,400 households are unconnected and 1,828,900 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 61% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $73.27 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 106% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 1,718,600 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Utah, 159,000 households are unconnected and 163,100 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 65% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $69.01 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 137% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 75,100 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 14 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Vermont, 47,900 households are unconnected and 24,400 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 47% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $82.78 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 132% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 25,900 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 10 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Virginia, 683,900 households are unconnected and 375,100 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 63% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $86.70 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 159% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 470,500 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 7 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Washington, 476,500 households are unconnected and 249,700 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 55% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $66.96 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 162% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 358,000 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 8 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of West Virginia, 183,000 households are unconnected and 92,300 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 47% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $86.17 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 71% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 128,600 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Wisconsin, 514,000 households are unconnected and 268,000 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 49% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $73.94 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 120% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 426,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 6 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.

In the state of Wyoming, 53,100 households are unconnected and 30,200 K-12 students fall into the persistent digital divide. Prior to pandemic-era programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), 54% of unconnected households said the reason was internet service being "too expensive". And while surveys have estimated that offline households are often only able to pay a maximum of $10, the median cost of an internet plan in the state is $58.63 per month.

For example, a family of four making less than 135% of the federal poverty line (approx. $42,000) spends 115% more, as a percentage of their income, than the typical family.

While the monthly payment may be the same, it’s a much larger portion of their already-tight budgets that don’t have much – if any – wiggle room. Now that the ACP has expired, staying connected without support will be even more difficult, given that nine out of ten ACP-enrolled households were making less than $25,000 per year—well below the ACP’s eligibility limit.

The graph below highlights the stark inequality where the cost of staying connected weighs heaviest on those who can least afford it. Fortunately, the disproportionate burden experienced by low-income families can be alleviated by a subsidy program like the ACP. At it's peak, 21,700 households were enrolled in the ACP -- that's 1 in 11 households in the state.

Allowing lower-income families to stay connected for less—or even for free in many cases—not only frees up extra funds for essentials like food, medicine, housing, transportation, and childcare, but also enables them greater access to education, work opportunities, and telehealth resources.