The latest study published by leading B2B marketplace DesignRush reveals that West Virginia has the worst internet service quality out of all the U.S. states.
DesignRush looked into data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to figure out the number of business establishments in U.S. states between September 2022 and 2023.
The company cross-referenced this with broadband coverage data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), analyzing the frequency and types of complaints they received about internet services.
West Virginia proved to have the worst internet service, topping the list with 580 complaints per 100,000 broadband serviceable locations (BSLs), which is over double the national average of 281.
39% of all complaints within the state since 2014 have been about the lack of dependable high-speed internet, which is necessary for vital infrastructure like banks, businesses, hospitals, and schools.
Both urban and rural areas are affected, with rural locations having slightly worse connections.
Other States with Bad Internet
Coming in second place is Georgia, with Washington close behind in third place.
Though Washington was considered one of the top states for internet quality according to a study by BroadbandNow, it was also included in a list of states with a high number of complaints.
The study confirmed these findings using public and proprietary data, including internet speed tests and the FCC's national broadband fabric.
According to that study, Alaska was the state with the worst internet quality, with West Virginia coming in second.
Availability of low-cost internet, ability to access wired or fixed wireless broadband services, median download and upload speeds, and median round-trip time were all important considerations in this analysis.
Should West Virginia decide to make significant changes to the state's overall broadband infrastructure, it could see a large uptick in economic growth, as well as quality of life for its 1.775 million residents.
