Ookla: Digital Divide Narrowed in 33 States

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2025 — Broadband speeds are improving nationwide as 33 states made measurable progress toward closing the digital divide, according to new data from Ookla.

In a report released Monday, the company shared findings from the first half of 2025. 

“Speedtest data from the first half of 2025 revealed that 33 states narrowed the gap between how many rural users versus urban users were able to achieve the FCC’s minimum broadband speeds of 100 megabits per second download and 20 Mbps upload,” wrote Sue Marek, Ookla’s editorial director and a member of its analyst team.

The number of states where 60% or more of Speedtest users experienced the FCC’s minimum fixed broadband standard rose from 22 states and the District of Columbia in the second half of 2024 to 38 states and D.C. in the first half of 2025.

Marek called this a “fairly dramatic turnaround” from late 2024, when data showed that 32 states had seen their digital divide widen instead of shrink.

Overall, U.S. broadband speeds improved, and more users are receiving better performance from their internet connections than ever before. Still, states with lower population density and challenging terrain continued to face difficulties in delivering broadband to all residents.

Northeastern states including Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, North Dakota and Rhode Island delivered speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps to more than 70% of users, according to Ookla.

Marek also noted that for many Starlink users, the digital divide is non-existent. In 26 states and the District of Columbia, rural users achieved better broadband speeds than their urban counterparts — a trend likely driven by Starlink’s ability to overcome the geographic and infrastructure barriers that make fixed rural broadband costly and difficult to deploy.

South Dakota ranked No. 1 in Starlink-delivered broadband speeds. Following the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s June decision to allow low-Earth orbit satellite providers to compete for BEAD funding, at least 32 states and territories have opted to include LEO systems in their final broadband proposals.

While many states continue to prioritize fiber, LEO providers such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper are increasingly appearing in revised broadband deployment proposals.

Ookla analyzed Speedtest data from Starlink users in every state to determine what percentage achieved the FCC’s 100/20 Mbps standard. South Dakota led with 37.1% of users meeting that benchmark, followed by Maine at 35.3% and Wyoming at 34.5%