Study: Internet Prices Vary Across Louisville Locations
Connected Nation said differences in advertised broadband prices point to gaps in national pricing data.
WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026 – Internet prices vary significantly between neighborhoods in Louisville, Kentucky, according to a new study from nonprofit Connected Nation, which said the findings point to the need for standardized broadband pricing data nationwide.
The report examined how much households pay for home internet service in different parts of Kentucky’s largest city. Researchers manually collected advertised speeds and prices for 6,300 residential addresses served by the two largest internet providers in the metro area. They then calculated the average price per megabit per second, a common way to compare internet plans based on both cost and speed.
The study found noticeable differences in pricing depending on where customers live. The average price of fiber service from one provider ranged from $0.09 to $0.18 per megabit per second across neighborhoods. Cable service from another provider ranged from $0.15 to $0.22 per megabit per second. One provider’s fixed wireless prices did not vary within or between neighborhoods.
Connected Nation said income was the only neighborhood characteristic that showed a statistically significant relationship with pricing, and only for one provider. In higher-income neighborhoods, that provider’s wireline internet appeared less expensive when measured by cost per megabit per second.
The report explained that the pattern was driven by a 50 megabit-per-second plan offered in lower-income neighborhoods at a reduced monthly price. While that plan lowered the overall monthly bill, it resulted in a higher cost per megabit, which affected neighborhood averages.
To examine potential drivers of pricing differences, researchers analyzed population density, average household size, the share of multi-dwelling units such as apartments, and median household income. Most of those factors did not significantly influence pricing in Louisville.
The study comes nearly two years after the Federal Communications Commission required internet service providers to display consumer-friendly broadband labels at the point of sale. Those labels, which took effect in April 2024, were designed to make it easier for consumers to see prices, speeds, contract terms, and fees.
“While this policy facilitates transparency for consumers at the point of purchase, it does not enable broader pricing comparisons across households or neighborhoods,” said Colin Reilly, vice president of data strategies and technical services at Connected Nation. He said the federal government does not maintain a centralized database of home internet prices, limiting researchers’ ability to assess affordability across geographic areas.
David Nunnally, a research analyst at Connected Nation, said that without standardized, publicly available pricing data, policymakers cannot fully understand how affordability differs between communities.
Connected Nation, a national nonprofit focused on expanding broadband access and adoption, said the Louisville analysis illustrates the broader challenge of measuring affordability within cities and comparing prices across markets nationwide.
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