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BROADBAND COMMUNITIES
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www.broadbandcommunities.com
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Bad Broadband Equals
Low Population Growth
An original BroadBand Communities study shows a startling, 10-fold diference in
population growth between broadband haves and have-nots.
By Steven S. Ross / Broadband Communities
G
ood broadband is even more closely
related to economic opportunity
than has been realized. An exclusive
BroadBand Communities analysis of census
data and National Broadband Map (NBM)
data for all 3,144 counties in the 50 states and
District of Columbia reveals that counties in
the bottom half of their state rankings for access
to 25 Mbps download speeds had a population
growth of only 0.27 percent from 2010 through
the end of 2013. Te top half enjoyed growth of
2.79 percent – more than 10 times greater.
In actual numbers, counties in the bottom
half of their state rankings added just 134,390
people, and those in the top half added more
than 7.2 million.
Te diferences are even more stark when
the top 10 percent of counties in each state is
compared with the bottom 10 percent. Te
counties ranked in the lowest 10 percent for
broadband access lost 0.55 percent of their
population on average. Te top 10 percent gained
3.18 percent. Te single top-ranked counties in
each state grew even faster – 3.61 percent.
Again, in actual numbers, the top county
in each of the 50 states added more than 1.1
million to their populations in the aggregate – a
quarter of the total population gain experienced
by the top 10 percent.
A recent Commerce Department study
highlights the relative lack of broadband in rural
areas compared with urban areas, and new census
data shows that, between 2010 and 2012, for the
frst time in U.S. history, most rural counties lost
population. Te
BroadBand Communities study
confrms a strong association between these two
phenomena. Te methodology used in this study
overcomes many of the shortcomings of studies
released by the Commerce Department.
Get more details about this
population study at the
BroadBand Communities summit
in Austin, April 14–16.
Counties that lag other counties in their
states in access to good broadband are
actually losing population; counties with
the best broadband in their states are
growing quickly.