Researcher: About 12.7 Million Seniors Lack Broadband Subscription, 7.2 Million Lack Computer or Tablet
The White House is proposing Congress claw back canceled digital equity funding.
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2026 – An estimated 12.7 million senior citizens in the United States have no broadband subscription, and 7.2 million seniors have no computer or tablet, according to a recent analysis.
Hari Narayanan, a data scientist who maintains the BroadbandClusters internet adoption database, wrote that the counts were independent of each other, meaning a senior could be paying for broadband but lack something larger than a phone, or own a device but not pay for internet service.
“Programs that address only one gap will miss the other,” he wrote. “Affordability subsidies expand subscriptions. Device programs and digital navigators address the skills and equipment gap.”
