Kentucky internet, from co-op fiber in the mountains to the last unserved counties
Fiber is available at 72.8% of the 1,843,487 homes and businesses the FCC counts in Kentucky, and wired broadband of at least 100/20 Mbps at 90.7%. 52.7% of locations have a choice of two or more wired providers at that speed; at 38.0% there is only one.1
FCC National Broadband Map, availability as of June 30, 2026 (data revised November 10, 2026), as reported by providers.
South region, East South Central division
Kentucky cut its share of unserved homes and businesses by 11.9 percentage points1 between 2022 and 2026, a drop only three states exceeded. Several remote mountain counties had fiber everywhere before the first location-based map, the coalfield counties near the Virginia and West Virginia line rely on a single cable network, and the largest remaining gaps are in small rural counties led by Owen County.
The networks Kentucky addresses can get
As of June 30, 2026, at least one provider reports fiber at 72.8% of Kentucky's 1.8 million homes and businesses, a share that ranks 13th highest among the states, and cable at 69.1%1. These are broadband serviceable locations in the FCC's National Broadband Map: a house, an apartment building or a small business counts once. "Available" means a provider reports it could connect the location within ten business days, and every listing can be challenged.
Leaving satellite aside, two of the four providers with the widest reach are wireless. T-Mobile reports service at 65.4% of locations and Verizon at 59.6%, almost all of it licensed fixed wireless (the category that includes 5G home internet). Spectrum is the largest wired network, at 57.4% of locations, and the only wired provider offering 100/20 Mbps at 13.9% of them. AT&T reports fiber at 22.0% of the state's locations, Kinetic at 12.6%, altafiber at 7.8% and Metronet at 7.2%1.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Share of broadband serviceable locations where at least one provider reports the technology, at any speed; a location can have several. Satellite is reported almost everywhere and is left out.
Show the numbers
| Technology | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 72.8% | 62.6% |
| Cable | 69.1% | 80.3% |
| DSL (copper) | 35.9% | 36.2% |
| Licensed fixed wireless (incl. 5G home) | 80.0% | 87.3% |
| Unlicensed fixed wireless | 13.6% | 19.7% |
| T-Mobile | Fiber Licensed wireless | 65.4% | 20.7% | 5 Gbps | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Licensed wireless | 59.6% | 28.6% | 1 Gbps | – |
| Spectrum | Fiber Cable | 57.4% | 57.4% | 1 Gbps | 13.9% |
| AT&T | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless | 53.8% | 24.1% | 5 Gbps | 0.7% |
| Kinetic | Fiber DSL | 21.0% | 14.0% | 2 Gbps | 1.9% |
| altafiber | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless | 7.9% | 7.8% | 3 Gbps | 1.0% |
| Metronet | Fiber | 7.2% | 7.2% | 5 Gbps | 0.1% |
| BluegrassNet | Fixed wireless | 7.1% | 7.1% | 100 Mbps | – |
| W A T C H TV | Licensed wireless Fixed wireless | 4.9% | 3.1% | 400 Mbps | – |
| Xfinity | Fiber Cable | 4.8% | 4.8% | 2 Gbps | 1.6% |
| Brandenburg Telecom LLC | Fiber DSL | 3.0% | 2.9% | 1 Gbps | 0.9% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Share of the area's broadband serviceable locations where the provider reports service as of June 30, 2026. "Only wired option" is the share of locations where it is the single wired provider at 100/20 Mbps. Provider-reported and challengeable; speeds are advertised maximums, not measured; no prices. Satellite providers (Viasat, HughesNet, Starlink) report service at nearly every location and are left out of the table.
The table stops at the large names, but Kentucky's fiber map is drawn by many hands: 57 companies report fiber somewhere in the state, from national carriers to rural telephone cooperatives that serve a few counties each. The regional wireless network BluegrassNet, which reported no Kentucky locations in the June 2022 map, now reports service at 7.1%1 of locations.
One of the steepest drops in unserved locations
In the first location-based map, as of June 30, 2022, 15.8%2 of Kentucky's locations were unserved under the federal BEAD definition: no reliable terrestrial service of even 25/3 Mbps. By June 30, 2026 the share was 3.9%, a fall of 11.9 percentage points that only three states exceeded. The national share fell by 5.0 percentage points1 over the same four years.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Shares of broadband serviceable locations in each FCC release (latest revision of each); the small number is the change in percentage points since June 30, 2022. The FCC's count of locations is updated with each release, so shares are compared rather than counts.
Show the numbers
| Measure | June 30, 2022 | December 31, 2025 | June 30, 2026 | Change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unserved | 15.8% | 4.5% | 3.9% | −11.9 pts |
| No terrestrial 100/20 | 21.8% | 8.6% | 7.6% | −14.2 pts |
| Fiber available | 44.7% | 69.4% | 72.8% | 28.1 pts |
| Gigabit (1,000/100) | 44.3% | 79.4% | 81.9% | 37.5 pts |
| DSL available | 55.0% | 38.7% | 35.9% | −19.1 pts |
The technology mix shifted over the same period. Fiber rose by 28.1 percentage points to 72.8%, while DSL, the copper telephone service, fell from 55.0% of locations to 35.9%. The share where a provider advertises at least 1 Gbps download and 100 Mbps upload went from 44.3%2 to 81.9%, the 11th highest among the states. The FCC's count of locations also moved, by −41,1801 since 2022 after new construction and corrections, which is why this page compares shares rather than counts.
Mountain counties that had fiber from the start
Kentucky's most complete fiber coverage sits in the eastern hills. In Wolfe County, Mountain Rural Telephone Coop Corp. Inc reports fiber at 100.0% of locations, and it reports the same in Menifee (100.0%), Morgan (100.0%) and Elliott (100.0%) counties. Nearby, Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative covers 99.9% of Jackson County and 99.2% of Owsley County, and Foothills Communications covers 100.0% of Magoffin County and 99.5%1 of Lawrence County.
None of this is new. In each of these counties fiber already reached all or nearly all locations in the FCC's first location-based map, as of June 30, 2022; in Wolfe County the share has changed by 0.0 percentage points1 since.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Show the numbers
| Area | Fiber available |
|---|---|
| Wolfe County | 100.0% |
| Menifee County | 100.0% |
| Morgan County | 100.0% |
| Elliott County | 100.0% |
| Magoffin County | 100.0% |
| Jackson County | 100.0% |
| Owsley County | 99.2% |
| Kentucky | 72.8% |
| United States | 62.6% |
| Letcher County | 14.1% |
| Floyd County | 9.9% |
| Pike County | 9.0% |
| Martin County | 6.2% |
This fiber comes with a limit the coverage figures hide: it is almost always the only wire offering 100/20 Mbps. In Wolfe County exactly one wired provider offers 100/20 Mbps at 100.0% of locations. The alternative is fixed wireless, reported at 14.9%1 of locations there.
The coalfield border counties run on cable
Farther east the picture reverses. In the coalfield counties near the Virginia and West Virginia line, the wire is coaxial cable, and fiber is rare: 9.0% of locations in Pike County, 9.9% in Floyd County, 14.1% in Letcher County, and 6.2% in Martin County, the lowest share in the state. Cable companies carry most of the load: Inter-Mountain Cable Inc reports service at 64.1% of Pike County's locations and Optimum at 77.6%1 of Martin County's.
| Area | Locations (BSLs) | Fiber available | Cable available | Wired 100/20 Mbps | One wired choice | Unserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County, Kentucky | 29,339 | 9.0% | 89.7% | 94.4% | 88.5% | 5.3% |
| Floyd County, Kentucky | 15,856 | 9.9% | 91.0% | 95.9% | 90.4% | 2.9% |
| Letcher County, Kentucky | 9,305 | 14.1% | 90.1% | 97.3% | 93.7% | 2.6% |
| Martin County, Kentucky | 4,987 | 6.2% | 77.6% | 79.1% | 74.4% | 19.2% |
| Bell County, Kentucky | 11,024 | 14.0% | 89.6% | 90.9% | 78.1% | 4.6% |
| Wolfe County, Kentucky | 4,618 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Jackson County, Kentucky | 8,247 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | 99.9% | 0.0% |
| Kentucky | 1,843,487 | 72.8% | 69.1% | 90.7% | 38.0% | 3.9% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
Cable still delivers 100/20 Mbps to most of these locations, 94.4% in Pike County, but usually from a single provider: exactly one wired provider offers that speed at 88.5% of Pike County locations and 93.7% in Letcher County. Martin County also has a large satellite-only share, 17.2%1.
Where the gaps are now
The two counties with the highest unserved shares are in the north of the state, not the mountains. Owen County, north of Frankfort, has the highest unserved share in the state, 31.3% of its 7,158 locations, and satellite is the only option at 21.5%, also the state's highest. Fiber did spread there: Owen County's fiber share rose by 47.2 percentage points since 2022 and its unserved share fell by 49.7 percentage points. Robertson County (30.8%1 unserved), where no wired network leads and the two largest providers are fixed wireless, comes next.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. Darker counties have larger gaps. Point at a county for its value; the county table has every figure. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
The other high shares are in Lee County (29.7%) and Leslie County (28.8%) in the east, and in Livingston (28.9%) and Lyon (28.4%) counties near the western lakes. Statewide, 72,553 locations are unserved and 54,4911 underserved, with service of at least 25/3 but below 100/20 Mbps. In none of Kentucky's 1204 counties is half or more of the locations unserved. The table lists every county.
| Adair County | 10,037 | 67.6% | 78.9% | 25.0% | 8.3% | DuoBroadband | 64.5% ±3.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 10,139 | 99.8% | 99.8% | 17.1% | 0.2% | North Central Communications | 65.7% ±3.6 |
| Anderson County | 10,333 | 69.1% | 91.4% | 45.2% | 3.0% | Spectrum | 60.8% ±3.6 |
| Ballard County | 4,286 | 99.5% | 99.7% | 42.0% | 0.2% | Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation Inc | 67.6% ±4.2 |
| Barren County | 19,432 | 92.2% | 94.9% | 49.1% | 2.8% | South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative | 74.8% ±1.8 |
| Bath County | 5,698 | 78.8% | 80.4% | 42.9% | 7.5% | Kinetic | 61.9% ±4.0 |
| Bell County | 11,024 | 14.0% | 90.9% | 12.7% | 4.6% | Spectrum | 65.6% ±3.7 |
| Boone County | 43,005 | 95.0% | 98.1% | 88.7% | 0.4% | altafiber | 85.8% ±1.4 |
| Bourbon County | 8,990 | 70.3% | 89.9% | 39.8% | 3.2% | Spectrum | 58.1% ±3.6 |
| Boyd County | 19,976 | 82.3% | 98.7% | 75.2% | 0.5% | Kinetic | 71.8% ±2.3 |
| Boyle County | 12,028 | 74.5% | 93.3% | 54.6% | 1.3% | Spectrum | 61.5% ±3.1 |
| Bracken County | 4,369 | 24.2% | 49.7% | 16.3% | 17.1% | Kinetic | 61.5% ±4.6 |
| Breathitt County | 5,845 | 85.9% | 86.7% | 15.0% | 8.4% | Thacker-Grigsby Telephone Co Inc | 61.8% ±3.7 |
| Breckinridge County | 13,215 | 81.1% | 85.0% | 5.9% | 10.6% | Brandenburg Telecom LLC | 59.4% ±3.6 |
| Bullitt County | 33,230 | 73.0% | 94.9% | 66.9% | 1.4% | Spectrum | 76.6% ±1.7 |
| Butler County | 6,270 | 96.9% | 96.9% | 53.1% | 1.9% | North Central Communications | 43.8% ±4.5 |
| Caldwell County | 6,670 | 13.8% | 70.0% | 1.0% | 17.6% | Mediacom | 47.2% ±4.0 |
| Calloway County | 18,343 | 62.0% | 91.5% | 32.4% | 2.6% | AT&T | 58.8% ±2.8 |
| Campbell County | 31,775 | 95.4% | 98.4% | 85.7% | 0.4% | altafiber | 82.0% ±1.7 |
| Carlisle County | 2,738 | 83.3% | 85.8% | 24.7% | 6.6% | West Kentucky Rural Telephone Coop Corp Inc | 60.8% ±5.5 |
| Carroll County | 4,741 | 28.2% | 84.0% | 0.0% | 5.9% | Spectrum | 57.0% ±4.6 |
| Carter County | 11,376 | 40.7% | 67.7% | 32.2% | 19.3% | Kinetic | 60.6% ±3.9 |
| Casey County | 8,517 | 50.6% | 58.0% | 21.5% | 24.4% | Kinetic | 53.4% ±4.8 |
| Christian County | 24,680 | 88.7% | 96.4% | 68.9% | 0.5% | AT&T | 56.6% ±3.0 |
| Clark County | 15,703 | 78.5% | 92.5% | 59.3% | 1.0% | Spectrum | 71.8% ±2.9 |
| Clay County | 10,304 | 80.8% | 90.9% | 62.9% | 7.2% | Kinetic | 71.4% ±3.3 |
| Clinton County | 5,324 | 43.4% | 69.7% | 33.6% | 17.4% | Kinetic | 52.3% ±5.3 |
| Crittenden County | 5,152 | 47.6% | 86.5% | 3.6% | 5.8% | AT&T | 41.2% ±4.4 |
| Cumberland County | 5,672 | 86.4% | 86.9% | 37.9% | 12.2% | DuoBroadband | 58.8% ±6.5 |
| Daviess County | 40,836 | 92.4% | 98.4% | 77.1% | 0.1% | Spectrum | 72.7% ±1.6 |
| Edmonson County | 7,350 | 77.7% | 83.2% | 24.6% | 4.6% | North Central Communications | 60.2% ±5.0 |
| Elliott County | 3,047 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | Mountain Rural Telephone Coop Corp. Inc | 78.9% ±5.1 |
| Estill County | 8,115 | 72.8% | 75.2% | 41.5% | 15.0% | Kinetic | 64.0% ±3.5 |
| Fayette County | 104,914 | 91.6% | 98.7% | 91.5% | 0.2% | Spectrum | 79.8% ±0.9 |
| Fleming County | 7,813 | 38.9% | 67.3% | 22.1% | 14.3% | Kinetic | 57.0% ±4.7 |
| Floyd County | 15,856 | 9.9% | 95.9% | 5.5% | 2.9% | Inter-Mountain Cable Inc | 67.6% ±3.0 |
| Franklin County | 20,291 | 93.0% | 93.5% | 38.1% | 2.6% | FrankfortPlantBoard | 65.0% ±2.9 |
| Fulton County | 3,312 | 60.5% | 94.0% | 0.0% | 0.9% | AT&T | 60.3% ±5.1 |
| Gallatin County | 3,947 | 82.7% | 87.4% | 17.4% | 4.7% | altafiber | 72.8% ±4.2 |
| Garrard County | 8,072 | 57.6% | 62.1% | 22.7% | 8.1% | Kinetic | 61.5% ±3.9 |
| Grant County | 9,985 | 84.7% | 95.1% | 50.9% | 2.6% | altafiber | 71.7% ±3.3 |
| Graves County | 19,289 | 91.1% | 98.2% | 21.5% | 0.2% | West Kentucky Rural Telephone Coop Corp Inc | 58.3% ±3.8 |
| Grayson County | 17,046 | 78.3% | 88.4% | 30.7% | 4.7% | North Central Communications | 64.2% ±3.7 |
| Green County | 5,798 | 50.7% | 61.6% | 23.4% | 14.8% | Kinetic | 67.0% ±3.5 |
| Greenup County | 16,208 | 63.1% | 84.5% | 55.9% | 9.6% | Kinetic | 69.7% ±2.9 |
| Hancock County | 4,113 | 98.6% | 98.6% | 28.7% | 0.8% | Conexon Connect LLC | 49.9% ±4.4 |
| Hardin County | 41,835 | 79.9% | 90.9% | 75.4% | 3.7% | Brandenburg Telecom LLC | 75.1% ±1.7 |
| Harlan County | 12,239 | 91.6% | 93.8% | 26.7% | 4.1% | Harlan Community Television Inc | 69.7% ±3.1 |
| Harrison County | 8,086 | 32.5% | 44.3% | 26.7% | 20.6% | AT&T | 43.9% ±4.1 |
| Hart County | 8,858 | 81.3% | 86.9% | 37.3% | 5.6% | South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative | 67.5% ±3.5 |
| Henderson County | 18,151 | 93.6% | 98.0% | 73.4% | 0.3% | AT&T | 68.5% ±2.4 |
| Henry County | 7,357 | 15.6% | 62.0% | 1.9% | 13.1% | Spectrum | 53.3% ±4.2 |
| Hickman County | 2,573 | 98.5% | 98.7% | 11.1% | 0.4% | Gibson Connect | 56.7% ±7.5 |
| Hopkins County | 21,660 | 66.6% | 89.7% | 51.3% | 2.6% | Spectrum | 65.1% ±2.5 |
| Jackson County | 8,247 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative | 69.4% ±4.9 |
| Jefferson County | 267,054 | 86.2% | 98.2% | 85.1% | 0.0% | Spectrum | 75.4% ±0.8 |
| Jessamine County | 20,087 | 83.1% | 93.3% | 72.9% | 1.8% | Spectrum | 75.0% ±3.0 |
| Johnson County | 8,895 | 91.5% | 99.2% | 44.6% | 0.8% | Foothills Communications | 79.4% ±2.7 |
| Kenton County | 57,827 | 95.1% | 98.8% | 91.3% | 0.2% | altafiber | 82.1% ±1.2 |
| Knott County | 7,633 | 98.3% | 100.0% | 12.4% | 0.0% | Thacker-Grigsby Telephone Co Inc | 74.2% ±4.6 |
| Knox County | 12,938 | 63.6% | 88.7% | 41.2% | 4.9% | Kinetic | 74.7% ±3.8 |
| Larue County | 6,717 | 45.3% | 65.2% | 34.0% | 23.3% | Kinetic | 66.6% ±4.3 |
| Laurel County | 25,796 | 38.9% | 93.9% | 34.7% | 1.8% | Spectrum | 77.0% ±2.4 |
| Lawrence County | 8,968 | 99.5% | 99.5% | 0.7% | 0.3% | Foothills Communications | 76.1% ±4.0 |
| Lee County | 3,941 | 58.8% | 63.1% | 23.6% | 29.7% | AT&T | 47.9% ±6.5 |
| Leslie County | 4,871 | 43.9% | 55.1% | 2.3% | 28.8% | TDS | 74.5% ±5.4 |
| Letcher County | 9,305 | 14.1% | 97.3% | 3.5% | 2.6% | Thacker-Grigsby Telephone Co Inc | 72.6% ±3.3 |
| Lewis County | 6,413 | 34.4% | 60.6% | 25.3% | 26.5% | Kinetic | 67.2% ±3.9 |
| Lincoln County | 11,807 | 47.3% | 84.5% | 7.1% | 4.8% | Spectrum | 47.7% ±3.9 |
| Livingston County | 5,451 | 20.5% | 47.3% | 8.6% | 28.9% | Kinetic | 54.7% ±5.0 |
| Logan County | 13,327 | 98.4% | 98.5% | 34.2% | 0.1% | LTC Connect | 61.9% ±3.6 |
| Lyon County | 5,447 | 33.0% | 56.0% | 10.9% | 28.4% | AT&T | 45.7% ±3.7 |
| Madison County | 33,575 | 78.6% | 95.5% | 67.5% | 1.3% | Spectrum | 70.0% ±1.7 |
| Magoffin County | 6,731 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | Foothills Communications | 74.4% ±4.8 |
| Marion County | 8,919 | 60.2% | 75.9% | 33.0% | 8.9% | Kinetic | 67.3% ±3.7 |
| Marshall County | 18,270 | 30.6% | 85.5% | 26.2% | 5.6% | Mediacom | 64.6% ±3.4 |
| Martin County | 4,987 | 6.2% | 79.1% | 4.7% | 19.2% | Optimum | 66.4% ±5.2 |
| Mason County | 8,310 | 46.1% | 89.5% | 32.6% | 4.5% | Performance Broadband by Limestone | 60.0% ±4.1 |
| McCracken County | 29,462 | 55.1% | 98.2% | 51.1% | 0.9% | Xfinity | 66.7% ±2.5 |
| McCreary County | 6,833 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 67.1% | 0.0% | Highland Telephone Cooperative | 74.2% ±4.1 |
| McLean County | 4,604 | 66.3% | 85.3% | 7.3% | 5.0% | AT&T | 58.6% ±5.2 |
| Meade County | 11,288 | 96.8% | 99.7% | 52.0% | 0.0% | Brandenburg Telecom LLC | 77.5% ±2.6 |
| Menifee County | 4,553 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | Mountain Rural Telephone Coop Corp. Inc | 63.4% ±6.5 |
| Mercer County | 10,569 | 31.4% | 68.8% | 28.4% | 10.0% | Spectrum | 62.4% ±3.3 |
| Metcalfe County | 4,705 | 83.9% | 87.1% | 24.5% | 8.5% | South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative | 73.0% ±4.6 |
| Monroe County | 5,786 | 68.9% | 77.7% | 35.6% | 12.5% | South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative | 65.1% ±4.0 |
| Montgomery County | 11,738 | 54.7% | 89.4% | 40.8% | 3.7% | Spectrum | 62.6% ±3.2 |
| Morgan County | 5,780 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | Mountain Rural Telephone Coop Corp. Inc | 73.9% ±3.8 |
| Muhlenberg County | 14,315 | 31.1% | 87.1% | 4.5% | 6.4% | Xfinity | 60.6% ±3.5 |
| Nelson County | 20,490 | 48.5% | 60.9% | 25.3% | 4.5% | AT&T | 67.7% ±2.5 |
| Nicholas County | 3,537 | 12.2% | 43.6% | 0.0% | 22.6% | AT&T | 36.4% ±7.2 |
| Ohio County | 10,944 | 48.2% | 82.7% | 2.3% | 8.3% | Spectrum | 49.9% ±2.7 |
| Oldham County | 23,248 | 94.2% | 98.2% | 87.5% | 0.4% | AT&T | 84.5% ±1.8 |
| Owen County | 7,158 | 49.6% | 49.7% | 0.9% | 31.3% | Spectrum | 50.5% ±5.5 |
| Owsley County | 1,994 | 99.2% | 99.2% | 0.3% | 0.9% | Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative | 63.5% ±5.7 |
| Pendleton County | 6,649 | 86.9% | 89.4% | 27.0% | 5.9% | altafiber | 66.7% ±4.5 |
| Perry County | 10,942 | 67.3% | 94.7% | 60.6% | 4.0% | Kinetic | 76.8% ±3.3 |
| Pike County | 29,339 | 9.0% | 94.4% | 5.9% | 5.3% | Inter-Mountain Cable Inc | 67.7% ±2.4 |
| Powell County | 6,752 | 82.0% | 82.0% | 40.5% | 9.7% | AT&T | 48.4% ±5.3 |
| Pulaski County | 32,723 | 45.4% | 80.0% | 38.9% | 10.4% | Kinetic | 69.4% ±2.4 |
| Robertson County | 1,807 | 42.1% | 44.6% | 0.3% | 30.8% | Kinetic | 38.6% ±8.3 |
| Rockcastle County | 10,116 | 44.2% | 63.9% | 31.6% | 16.0% | Kinetic | 62.2% ±3.8 |
| Rowan County | 9,948 | 63.0% | 84.8% | 57.2% | 9.8% | Kinetic | 76.9% ±3.5 |
| Russell County | 11,341 | 95.9% | 99.6% | 0.1% | 0.4% | DuoBroadband | 70.6% ±3.3 |
| Scott County | 21,721 | 81.5% | 97.3% | 58.8% | 0.7% | Spectrum | 70.6% ±2.5 |
| Shelby County | 18,183 | 56.0% | 80.3% | 42.0% | 3.6% | Spectrum | 67.5% ±2.8 |
| Simpson County | 8,418 | 90.2% | 97.9% | 62.4% | 0.9% | Franklin EPB Fiber | 69.1% ±3.4 |
| Spencer County | 8,010 | 59.5% | 76.3% | 46.5% | 7.5% | AT&T | 68.4% ±4.0 |
| Taylor County | 11,549 | 51.0% | 74.7% | 48.2% | 9.9% | Kinetic | 68.7% ±3.5 |
| Todd County | 6,055 | 92.2% | 94.0% | 29.0% | 0.1% | energynet | 49.8% ±5.5 |
| Trigg County | 9,000 | 63.2% | 82.3% | 30.7% | 7.9% | energynet | 45.5% ±4.0 |
| Trimble County | 5,279 | 47.8% | 85.2% | 0.0% | 11.4% | Spectrum | 49.4% ±7.7 |
| Union County | 6,689 | 36.6% | 89.4% | 13.3% | 3.6% | AT&T | 62.5% ±3.6 |
| Warren County | 46,837 | 78.0% | 97.3% | 62.7% | 0.3% | Spectrum | 75.0% ±1.5 |
| Washington County | 6,013 | 72.6% | 81.0% | 16.1% | 7.2% | Spectrum | 48.3% ±5.2 |
| Wayne County | 10,850 | 72.9% | 77.9% | 40.7% | 13.4% | Kinetic | 69.5% ±3.4 |
| Webster County | 6,793 | 17.7% | 66.9% | 0.4% | 14.1% | AT&T | 53.4% ±4.0 |
| Whitley County | 14,232 | 26.2% | 90.0% | 24.6% | 5.0% | Spectrum | 68.8% ±3.3 |
| Wolfe County | 4,618 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | Mountain Rural Telephone Coop Corp. Inc | 82.3% ±5.8 |
| Woodford County | 11,480 | 70.2% | 75.3% | 66.4% | 7.1% | Kinetic | 72.9% ±2.9 |
| Kentucky | 1,843,487 | 72.8% | 90.7% | 52.7% | 3.9% | 71.1% |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year detailed tables. Shares of broadband serviceable locations as of June 30, 2026 (FCC). 2+ wired choices: two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps. Unserved: BEAD definition. Largest wired provider: reports fiber, cable or DSL at the most locations. Wired subscription: households with a cable, fiber or DSL subscription, American Community Survey 2020–2024 (± 90% margin of error).
Fiber's biggest jumps since 2022
Where fiber grew fastest, one network now covers most of the county. In Hancock County, on the Ohio River, fiber rose by 95.6 percentage points; Conexon Connect LLC now reports service at 98.4% of its locations. Hickman County rose by 94.4 percentage points, with Gibson Connect at 70.2%, and Butler County by 89.6 percentage points, with North Central Communications at 68.6%. In 181 counties the gain was 50 percentage points or more.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. Darker counties are higher. Point at a county for its value; the county table has every figure. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.
The metro counties moved too. Fiber in Jefferson County, home to Louisville, rose by 23.1 percentage points to 86.2%; Fayette County, consolidated with Lexington, was already at 91.6% and changed little. At the other end, Letcher County had the largest fall in fiber share, −2.4 percentage points1.
Two wired choices: common in the cities, rare in the hills
Coverage does not mean choice. 52.7% of Kentucky locations can choose between two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps, against 55.6% nationally, and 38.0% have exactly one. The share with two or more rose by 17.4 percentage points1 since June 2022.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026. Different wired providers (fiber, cable or DSL; FCC provider IDs) reporting 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up or more at the same location. Fixed wireless and satellite are not counted.
Show the numbers
| Area | None | One | Two | Three or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 9.3% | 38.0% | 44.9% | 7.8% |
| Jefferson County | 1.8% | 13.1% | 75.6% | 9.5% |
| Fayette County | 1.3% | 7.2% | 57.0% | 34.5% |
| Pike County | 5.6% | 88.5% | 5.9% | 0.0% |
| Wolfe County | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| United States | 7.8% | 36.6% | 44.6% | 11.1% |
Choice concentrates in the metro counties. Fayette County, around Lexington, has the highest share with two or more wired choices, 91.5%, followed closely by Kenton (91.3%) and Boone (88.7%) counties, across the river from Cincinnati. In Carroll County the share is 0.0%; only 301 counties reach half.
Kentucky households subscribe less than the map suggests
The Census Bureau's 2025 survey counts households, not locations, so it answers a different question: who pays for service. 91.9% of Kentucky households had a broadband subscription of any kind (margin of error ±0.4 percentage points), which ranks tied for 6th lowest among the states, and 8.0% had no internet subscription at all. Two related figures stand out: 4.7% of households had no computer, smartphone or tablet, the 2nd highest share among the states, and 84.6% of Kentuckians aged 65 and older lived in a household with a computer and broadband, tied for 2nd lowest6 among the states. Survey estimates this close can trade places, so the ranks are approximate.
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables. Availability is a share of locations as of June 30, 2026 (FCC); subscriptions are a share of households from the American Community Survey, 2025 (whiskers: 90% margin of error). Different units and dates: read the gap as a sign, not an exact number.
Show the numbers
| Measure | Share | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Wired 100/20 Mbps available (FCC, share of locations) | 90.7% | |
| Households subscribing to cable, fiber or DSL (Census) | 73.7% | ±0.7 |
| Households relying only on a cellular data plan | 13.1% | ±0.5 |
| Households with no internet subscription | 8.0% | ±0.4 |
Income draws the sharpest line: 79.6% of households earning under $20,000 had a broadband subscription, against 97.2%6 of those earning $75,000 or more. In NTIA's 2023 Internet Use Survey, Kentucky households that did not use the internet at home most often said they did not need it (66.6%); 14.3%7 named cost, an estimate with a wide margin. Lifeline, the federal discount for low-income households, had 123,6428 Kentucky subscribers. When the Affordable Connectivity Program stopped enrolling in February 2024, 455,6859 Kentucky households were signed up, about 25.1 per 100 households10; it ended on June 1, 2024.
Kentucky's BEAD plan and earlier federal money
About a third of Kentucky's $1.09 billion11 allocation from the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program goes to construction in the approved Final Proposal: $367.1 million for 87,160 locations, $4,212 each, with the chosen providers adding $238.2 million12.
Source: NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs. Locations in the state's approved BEAD Final Proposal by technology of the selected projects, as printed in NTIA's Final Proposal overview; subject to NTIA and NIST final review and award.
Show the numbers
| Technology | Share of BEAD locations |
|---|---|
| Fiber | 68.0% |
| Cable | 0.3% |
| Fixed wireless | 6.5% |
| Low-Earth-orbit satellite | 25.1% |
| Other | 0.1% |
59,300 locations (68.0%) are assigned to fiber, 21,902 (25.1%) to low-Earth-orbit satellite and 5,667 (6.5%) to fixed wireless. $719.0 million12 of the allocation is not assigned to construction in the plan; how it may be used was not settled as of November 2026. The Kentucky Office of Broadband Development publishes the Final Proposal and its awards. Earlier federal money is listed below, including $182.8 million13 from the Treasury's Capital Projects Fund.
| Program | Amount | As of |
|---|---|---|
| BEAD allocation (NTIA, announced June 26, 2023) | $1,086,172,537 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: locations to be connected | 87,160 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: deployment cost | $367,126,274 | |
| BEAD cost per location | $4,212 | |
| BEAD allocation not assigned to deployment | $719,046,263 | |
| Treasury Capital Projects Fund allocation | $182,769,205 | |
| RDOF: locations built with support (cumulative) | 44,611 | |
| USDA ReConnect grants reported to USAspending | $51,477,093 | |
| Lifeline subscribers claimed | 123,642 | |
| Lifeline participation rate | 29.4% | |
| Households in the Affordable Connectivity Program, February 2024 | 455,685 |
Source: NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Award Recipients pages; NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs; Department of the Treasury, Capital Projects Fund Awards Made to States, Territories, and Freely Associated States, to date; USAC, CAF Disbursements and Locations Data; Department of the Treasury, spending_by_award API for Assistance Listings 10.752; Universal Service Administrative Co., Lifeline Disbursements; USAC, Lifeline participation rate; USAC, ACP Enrollments by County as of February 8, 2024. BEAD figures are as printed in NTIA's Final Proposal overview, subject to final review; "not assigned to deployment" is the allocation minus the deployment cost (NTIA calls it savings; how it may be used is not settled). The ACP stopped taking applications on February 8, 2024 and ended on June 1, 2024.
Kentucky cities and towns
Louisville and Lexington have their own pages. Every larger Kentucky city and town is listed below.
| Louisville | 641,962 | 88.6% | 98.7% | 87.1% | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | 329,751 | 91.6% | 98.7% | 91.5% | 4 |
| Bowling Green | 78,505 | 69.6% | 69.6% | 67.3% | 4 |
| Owensboro | 60,892 | 88.1% | 88.1% | 86.1% | 4 |
| Covington | 41,847 | 95.3% | 99.0% | 93.5% | 3 |
| Georgetown | 40,883 | 83.7% | 98.8% | 82.3% | 2 |
| Richmond | 40,663 | 86.7% | 99.2% | 83.5% | 4 |
| Elizabethtown | 35,448 | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.1% | 3 |
| Florence | 34,018 | 94.7% | 98.0% | 91.0% | 2 |
| Nicholasville | 33,857 | 96.7% | 99.8% | 95.4% | 3 |
| Hopkinsville | 30,411 | 89.3% | 89.3% | 88.0% | 3 |
| Independence | 30,198 | 98.1% | 99.5% | 96.6% | 2 |
| Jeffersontown | 29,193 | 91.6% | 95.6% | 90.1% | 3 |
| Frankfort | 28,657 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 58.6% | 2 |
| Henderson | 27,822 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 96.3% | 4 |
| Paducah | 26,730 | 86.5% | 89.4% | 86.1% | 5 |
| Radcliff | 22,576 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 96.4% | 4 |
| Ashland | 20,996 | 97.7% | 97.7% | 94.4% | 2 |
| Erlanger | 20,158 | 95.8% | 99.1% | 93.9% | 2 |
| Winchester | 19,514 | 84.3% | 97.3% | 82.4% | 3 |
| Madisonville | 19,428 | 99.6% | 99.6% | 93.4% | 2 |
| Mount Washington | 18,989 | 70.1% | 99.3% | 71.7% | 2 |
| Murray | 18,964 | 63.6% | 63.6% | 60.8% | 3 |
| Shelbyville | 18,453 | 85.7% | 97.7% | 83.4% | 2 |
| St. Matthews | 17,868 | 76.5% | 97.7% | 77.2% | 2 |
| Danville | 17,736 | 80.4% | 95.2% | 78.4% | 2 |
| Fort Thomas | 17,142 | 97.7% | 99.4% | 96.8% | 2 |
| Berea | 16,662 | 95.1% | 99.6% | 94.0% | 3 |
| Shively | 15,895 | 85.0% | 98.8% | 83.2% | 2 |
| Glasgow | 15,302 | 97.8% | 97.8% | 84.1% | 3 |
| Shepherdsville | 14,931 | 90.2% | 97.7% | 85.9% | 2 |
| Bardstown | 14,161 | 96.5% | 97.0% | 69.9% | 3 |
| Newport | 13,998 | 95.4% | 98.5% | 92.6% | 3 |
| Somerset | 12,695 | 79.3% | 97.7% | 72.9% | 2 |
| Lawrenceburg | 12,329 | 87.4% | 98.3% | 86.4% | 2 |
| Campbellsville | 11,783 | 90.3% | 90.3% | 90.1% | 2 |
| Lyndon | 11,301 | 82.3% | 97.7% | 81.0% | 3 |
| Alexandria | 10,994 | 96.9% | 99.6% | 96.0% | 2 |
| Franklin | 10,759 | 93.1% | 93.2% | 90.7% | 2 |
| Versailles | 10,734 | 95.1% | 99.8% | 95.0% | 3 |
| La Grange | 10,669 | 92.1% | 97.3% | 89.5% | 2 |
| Paris | 10,130 | 80.8% | 97.4% | 76.1% | 2 |
Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates; Census Bureau, 2020 Census Block Assignment Files. Shares of broadband serviceable locations inside city limits (2020 census blocks), as of June 30, 2026. Population: July 1, 2025 estimate. Gigabit: 1,000/100 Mbps.
Questions and answers
What internet providers serve Kentucky?
Apart from satellite, the providers that report the widest reach are T-Mobile (65.4% of locations) and Verizon (59.6%), both mainly with fixed wireless home internet. The largest wired networks are Spectrum (57.4%, fiber and cable), AT&T (53.8%) and Kinetic (21.0%, fiber and DSL). In total 621 wired providers report service somewhere in the state, as of June 30, 2026.
How many Kentucky homes lack broadband?
72,553 homes and businesses (3.9%), the FCC's location count, had no reliable wired or licensed fixed wireless service of 25/3 Mbps as of June 30, 2026, against 15.8%2 in 2022. The highest shares are in Owen and Robertson counties in the north and Lee County in the east; another 54,4911 locations had reliable service below 100/20.
Is there fiber internet in Kentucky?
At least one provider reports fiber at 72.8% of Kentucky's homes and businesses, up from 44.7%2 in June 2022. 571 different companies report fiber in the state. Whether a particular address has it is a question for the FCC's National Broadband Map, which lists every provider reporting service there.
What is the cheapest internet in Kentucky?
No official source tracks Kentucky internet prices and the FCC map has none, so compare the broadband facts labels providers publish for each plan. Kentucky households use the federal Lifeline discount ($9.25 a month) more than most: USAC estimates that 29.4% of those eligible take part, the 7th highest16 rate among the states.
How much BEAD money does Kentucky get?
Kentucky's allocation, $1.09 billion, ranks 15th highest11. About a third of it, $367.1 million, is assigned in the approved plan to 87,160 locations; $719.0 million12 is not.
Checking one address in Kentucky
The figures on this page describe the whole area. Which providers report service at a single home or apartment is shown only on the FCC's own map: search the address at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. If a provider is listed there but cannot actually connect you within ten business days, or the location is missing or misplaced, the map has a button to file a challenge; providers must respond, and corrections flow into later releases. Prices and plans are not part of the FCC data: each provider must show them on its broadband facts label at the point of sale.
More on internet in and around Kentucky
Large cities with their own page: Louisville and Lexington.
Neighboring states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Put Kentucky side by side with any state or large city in the comparison tool.
| Ranking | Value | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber internet availability by state | 72.8% | 13th of 51 |
| Internet speed by state: where gigabit service is offered | 81.9% | 11th of 51 |
| Broadband coverage by state | 90.7% | 30th of 51 |
| Internet provider competition by state | 52.7% | 30th of 51 |
| Unserved and underserved broadband locations by state | 3.9% | 13th of 51 |
| Where fiber has grown since 2022 | 28.1% | 28th of 51 |
| 5G home internet and licensed fixed wireless by state | 80.0% | 42nd of 51 |
| Households with an internet subscription by state | 91.9% | tied 45th of 51 |
| BEAD broadband funding by state | 4,212.0% | 33rd of 50 |
Sources
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Availability as of June 30, 2026; released November 10, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2022; Availability as of June 30, 2022; released May 10, 2024. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of December 31, 2025; Availability as of December 31, 2025; released November 3, 2026. broadbandmap.fcc.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year detailed tables; 2020-2024; released January 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year detailed tables; 2025 (calendar-year sample); released October 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- NTIA Data Explorer "Analyze Table"; November 2023 (also all prior waves 1994-2021). www.ntia.gov
- Universal Service Administrative Co., Lifeline Disbursements; Support months 2018-01 to 2026-09. opendata.usac.org
- USAC, ACP Enrollments by County as of February 8, 2024; Enrolled households as of 2024-02-08 (Data Month January 2024 file). www.usac.org
- US Internet Map, Our calculation from the sources named in the definition.
- NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Award Recipients pages; Allocations announced 2023-06-26; released June 26, 2023. broadbandusa.ntia.gov
- NTIA BroadbandUSA, BEAD Final Proposal Overview one-page PDFs. broadbandusa.ntia.gov
- Department of the Treasury, Capital Projects Fund Awards Made to States, Territories, and Freely Associated States, to date; Allocations under ARPA sec. 604 (awards announced 2022-06 to 2023). home.treasury.gov
- USAC, CAF Disbursements and Locations Data. opendata.usac.org
- Department of the Treasury, spending_by_award API for Assistance Listings 10.752; Awards with action dates FY2008 to 2026-09-30. api.usaspending.gov
- USAC, Lifeline participation rate; released August 17, 2026. www.usac.org
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates; July 1, 2025; released May 14, 2026. www.census.gov
- Census Bureau, 2020 Census Block Assignment Files; released December 11, 2020. www2.census.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.