Ranking Digital Cities and Suburbs

Chapter 5 ranks the nation's fifty largest central cities and suburban areas by the percent of the city population with broadband Internet at home or Internet use at any location. We estimate access and use in major cities and their suburban areas, as this data has not been systematically available below the state level. Using multilevel statistical models, this chapter compares digital cities on measures that count, including disparities by race and ethnicity. There is a surprising amount of variation across cities, and across suburban regions. Some cities are digital cities and some are not but even the most advanced cities face challenges for achieving universal access and for realizing the benefits of information technology. By identifying more technologically-inclusive places as well as those lagging behind, public policy can better address digital inequalities.