Unserved and underserved broadband locations by state

On the FCC National Broadband Map as of June 30, 2026 (file revision of November 10, 2026), Alaska has the largest share of unserved homes and businesses, 17.5%, followed by West Virginia (11.4%), Wyoming (9.2%), Montana (9.1%) and Idaho (7.7%). The District of Columbia (0.0%), North Dakota (0.1%), Connecticut and New Jersey (both 0.2%) have the smallest. Across the country 2,740,686 locations are unserved, 2.4% of the total, and the middle state sits at 2.2%¹.

Locations, not people

The question people type is how many residents lack broadband. The FCC map does not answer it in that form. The FCC map counts broadband serviceable locations: a house, an apartment building or a small business, each counted once whatever the number of people or units inside. Every figure on this page is a count or share of those locations.

"Unserved" follows the definitions of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the federal program run by NTIA that pays for networks in unserved and underserved areas. A location is unserved when no provider reports reliable service of at least 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. Reliable means fiber, cable, DSL or licensed fixed wireless reported as low-latency; satellite and unlicensed fixed wireless do not count. A location with reliable service of 25/3 Mbps or more but below 100/20 Mbps is underserved. The methodology gives the full rules.

The Census Bureau measures the other side of the question: households that do not subscribe to internet service, whether or not it is available. Those survey figures are on the household subscriptions ranking.

The most unserved locations: a different list

Ranked by number rather than share, the order changes. Texas has 217,940 unserved locations, more than any other state, yet that is 2.1% of its homes and businesses, tied for 23rd lowest among the states. California follows with 168,684 (1.6%), then Washington with 137,562, Pennsylvania with 122,893 and Virginia with 122,184. Of the five states with the highest shares, only West Virginia is also among the ten largest counts, with 102,269. Alaska has 49,447 unserved locations and Wyoming 24,129¹: large shares of small totals.

United States2,740,686

Texas217,940

California168,684

Washington137,562

Pennsylvania122,893

Virginia122,184

Michigan109,501

West Virginia102,269

Alabama98,853

Louisiana95,090

Missouri91,448

North Carolina83,136

Colorado80,260

Wisconsin78,439

Arizona76,966

Illinois72,669

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

State	Unserved (locations)
United States	2,740,686
Texas	217,940
California	168,684
Washington	137,562
Pennsylvania	122,893
Virginia	122,184
Michigan	109,501
West Virginia	102,269
Alabama	98,853
Louisiana	95,090
Missouri	91,448
North Carolina	83,136
Colorado	80,260
Wisconsin	78,439
Arizona	76,966
Illinois	72,669

Both views matter. The count is closer to the size of the job of connecting everyone; the share says how likely a given home or business in the state is to be without reliable service.

Satellite-only locations are a minority of the unserved

An unserved location is not necessarily one with no service at all. Nationally, 962,554 locations, 0.8%, have no terrestrial provider of any kind and can order only satellite service. The rest of the 2.7 million¹ unserved locations have some terrestrial provider listed, but one that fails the BEAD test: unlicensed fixed wireless, service slower than 25/3 Mbps, or service not reported as low-latency.

The two kinds of gap are spread differently. Alaska has the highest satellite-only share, 7.2%, and West Virginia the 2nd highest, 6.4%: in both, a large part of the unserved total has no ground network at all. In Idaho, by contrast, 7.7% of locations are unserved but 2.4% are satellite-only; in Wyoming the figures are 9.2% and 3.8%, and in Montana 9.1% and 3.5%¹. Most of those western states' unserved locations do have a terrestrial provider on the map, just not one that counts as reliable.

Under 0.5%0.5% to 1%1% to 3%3% to 6%6% or more

Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_state_20m. Darker states have larger gaps; DC is the dot. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.

Show the numbers

State	Satellite only
Alaska	7.2%
West Virginia	6.4%
Wyoming	3.8%
Montana	3.5%
Idaho	2.4%
Maine	2.4%
Louisiana	2.3%
Alabama	1.9%
Arkansas	1.8%
Virginia	1.7%
Washington	1.7%
Oregon	1.7%
Hawaii	1.4%
Kentucky	1.2%
New Mexico	1.2%
Colorado	1.2%
Michigan	1.2%
Wisconsin	1.0%
Pennsylvania	0.9%
New York	0.8%
North Carolina	0.8%
Minnesota	0.7%
Arizona	0.7%
Oklahoma	0.7%
California	0.7%
Rhode Island	0.7%
Utah	0.7%
Mississippi	0.6%
South Dakota	0.6%
Missouri	0.6%
Nebraska	0.6%
New Hampshire	0.5%
Georgia	0.5%
Texas	0.5%
Ohio	0.5%
Indiana	0.5%
Illinois	0.4%
Kansas	0.4%
Tennessee	0.4%
Iowa	0.4%
Florida	0.3%
Vermont	0.3%
Massachusetts	0.3%
Nevada	0.3%
Maryland	0.3%
South Carolina	0.2%
Delaware	0.1%
New Jersey	0.1%
Connecticut	0.1%
North Dakota	0.0%
District of Columbia	0.0%

How far the gap has narrowed since 2022

On the first national map, as of June 30, 2022, 7.4% of US locations were unserved. The share has since fallen by 5.0 percentage points, and by 0.4 percentage points¹ in the six months since December 31, 2025. In 2022 four states had more than a fifth of their locations unserved: Montana (24.3%), Alaska (22.4%), Mississippi (22.1%) and West Virginia (20.9%³).

Mississippi moved furthest. Its unserved share fell by 20.9 percentage points to 1.1%, the largest decline of any state, and it also had the largest drop of the latest six months (−3.1 percentage points). Over the same four years the share of Mississippi locations with fiber rose by 34.0 percentage points. Montana's share fell by 15.1 percentage points, the second-largest decline, Arkansas's by 12.4 percentage points and Kentucky's by 11.9 percentage points. Alaska's fell by only 4.9 percentage points, so it now heads the ranking. Rhode Island is the one state where the unserved share is higher than in 2022, 0.9%¹ against 0.7%³, a small rise from a low base.

Rhode Island0.2 pts

District of Columbia−0.1 pts

New Jersey−0.4 pts

Delaware−0.5 pts

Massachusetts−0.5 pts

Connecticut−0.6 pts

Iowa−1.2 pts

Maine−1.3 pts

Oregon−1.3 pts

Hawaii−1.9 pts

Maryland−1.9 pts

New York−1.9 pts

California−2.0 pts

Washington−2.0 pts

Kansas−2.7 pts

Ohio−2.8 pts

North Dakota−2.8 pts

Utah−2.8 pts

Arizona−2.9 pts

Nevada−3.3 pts

New Hampshire−3.4 pts

Illinois−3.5 pts

Pennsylvania−3.8 pts

Florida−3.8 pts

Colorado−4.2 pts

Idaho−4.4 pts

North Carolina−4.8 pts

Alaska−4.9 pts

United States−5.0 pts

Minnesota−5.0 pts

Oklahoma−5.2 pts

South Dakota−5.4 pts

Texas−5.7 pts

Tennessee−5.9 pts

Wisconsin−6.0 pts

South Carolina−6.4 pts

Indiana−6.4 pts

Wyoming−7.0 pts

Nebraska−7.2 pts

Virginia−7.9 pts

Georgia−8.1 pts

Missouri−8.9 pts

Michigan−9.2 pts

West Virginia−9.5 pts

Vermont−10.0 pts

Louisiana−10.3 pts

New Mexico−10.4 pts

Alabama−10.6 pts

Kentucky−11.9 pts

Arkansas−12.4 pts

Montana−15.1 pts

Mississippi−20.9 pts

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

State	Unserved: change since June 30, 2022
Rhode Island	0.2 pts
District of Columbia	−0.1 pts
New Jersey	−0.4 pts
Delaware	−0.5 pts
Massachusetts	−0.5 pts
Connecticut	−0.6 pts
Iowa	−1.2 pts
Maine	−1.3 pts
Oregon	−1.3 pts
Hawaii	−1.9 pts
Maryland	−1.9 pts
New York	−1.9 pts
California	−2.0 pts
Washington	−2.0 pts
Kansas	−2.7 pts
Ohio	−2.8 pts
North Dakota	−2.8 pts
Utah	−2.8 pts
Arizona	−2.9 pts
Nevada	−3.3 pts
New Hampshire	−3.4 pts
Illinois	−3.5 pts
Pennsylvania	−3.8 pts
Florida	−3.8 pts
Colorado	−4.2 pts
Idaho	−4.4 pts
North Carolina	−4.8 pts
Alaska	−4.9 pts
United States	−5.0 pts
Minnesota	−5.0 pts
Oklahoma	−5.2 pts
South Dakota	−5.4 pts
Texas	−5.7 pts
Tennessee	−5.9 pts
Wisconsin	−6.0 pts
South Carolina	−6.4 pts
Indiana	−6.4 pts
Wyoming	−7.0 pts
Nebraska	−7.2 pts
Virginia	−7.9 pts
Georgia	−8.1 pts
Missouri	−8.9 pts
Michigan	−9.2 pts
West Virginia	−9.5 pts
Vermont	−10.0 pts
Louisiana	−10.3 pts
New Mexico	−10.4 pts
Alabama	−10.6 pts
Kentucky	−11.9 pts
Arkansas	−12.4 pts
Montana	−15.1 pts
Mississippi	−20.9 pts

Changes here compare shares, not counts: the FCC's list of locations changes with each release (a net change of +3,495,329¹ since 2022), so a count can stay flat while the share falls.

Underserved: the second gap

Underserved locations are fewer, 1,885,951 or 1.6% of the US, and they rank differently. Wisconsin has 119,697 underserved locations, the second-largest number after Texas (139,289), and the 4th highest share, 5.2%. That is more than its unserved share of 3.4%: in Wisconsin, the more common gap is reliable service that stops short of 100/20 Mbps. Vermont (4.7% underserved, 3.6% unserved) shows the same pattern. Mississippi, after its drop, has almost no middle tier left: 0.3%¹ of its locations are underserved.

Under 1%1% to 2%2% to 4%4% to 8%8% or more

Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_state_20m. Darker states have larger gaps; DC is the dot. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people.

Show the numbers

State	Underserved
Montana	5.6%
Alaska	5.5%
Wyoming	5.3%
Wisconsin	5.2%
Vermont	4.7%
Idaho	4.1%
New Mexico	4.0%
Arkansas	3.9%
Washington	3.6%
Kentucky	3.0%
Colorado	2.8%
Arizona	2.7%
Alabama	2.6%
Nebraska	2.5%
West Virginia	2.5%
Maine	2.3%
Iowa	2.3%
Oregon	2.2%
Michigan	2.2%
Louisiana	2.2%
Missouri	2.1%
Minnesota	2.0%
Oklahoma	2.0%
Kansas	1.9%
Virginia	1.9%
South Dakota	1.8%
Indiana	1.8%
Illinois	1.8%
Ohio	1.5%
North Carolina	1.5%
Georgia	1.4%
Texas	1.3%
Utah	1.3%
Pennsylvania	1.2%
Delaware	1.1%
Florida	1.0%
California	0.9%
Nevada	0.9%
Tennessee	0.7%
South Carolina	0.6%
Maryland	0.6%
New York	0.4%
New Hampshire	0.4%
Mississippi	0.3%
Rhode Island	0.2%
North Dakota	0.2%
Hawaii	0.1%
New Jersey	0.1%
Massachusetts	0.1%
Connecticut	0.1%
District of Columbia	0.0%

Inside the states: county gaps

A state's share hides how unevenly the gaps fall inside it. Across all counties and county equivalents the median unserved share is 2.9%, but 182 counties have a quarter or more of their locations unserved and 34 half or more. The highest is Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska, at 100.0%; 11 of Alaska's boroughs and census areas are at half or more, while Anchorage is at 0.8%. In West Virginia the range runs from 1.2% in Ohio County to 54.3%¹ in Braxton County. The county ranking lists them all.

Under 1%1% to 3%3% to 6%6% to 12%12% or more

Source: FCC, National Broadband Map, data as of June 30, 2026; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. FCC file revision of November 10, 2026. Shares are of broadband serviceable locations (homes and businesses), not people. The table lists the 25 highest and 25 lowest counties; every county is in the downloads.

Show the numbers

County	Unserved
Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska	100.0%
Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska	100.0%
Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska	98.2%
Eureka County, Nevada	97.7%
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska	96.2%
Esmeralda County, Nevada	95.8%
Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska	79.0%
Alpine County, California	68.7%
Carter County, Missouri	66.9%
Nome Census Area, Alaska	65.8%
Park County, Colorado	65.2%
Bethel Census Area, Alaska	63.9%
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska	62.5%
Cameron Parish, Louisiana	62.0%
Sierra County, California	58.9%
Trinity County, California	58.6%
Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska	57.4%
Dillingham Census Area, Alaska	57.0%
Keweenaw County, Michigan	56.6%
Kalawao County, Hawaii	56.6%
Banner County, Nebraska	55.5%
Ferry County, Washington	55.5%
Boise County, Idaho	54.9%
Shannon County, Missouri	54.6%
Braxton County, West Virginia	54.3%
Stutsman County, North Dakota	0.0%
Towner County, North Dakota	0.0%
Traill County, North Dakota	0.0%
Walsh County, North Dakota	0.0%
Ward County, North Dakota	0.0%
Wells County, North Dakota	0.0%
Horry County, South Carolina	0.0%
Davison County, South Dakota	0.0%
Harding County, South Dakota	0.0%
Hyde County, South Dakota	0.0%
Moody County, South Dakota	0.0%
Sully County, South Dakota	0.0%
Walworth County, South Dakota	0.0%
DeKalb County, Tennessee	0.0%
Fentress County, Tennessee	0.0%
Grundy County, Tennessee	0.0%
Hamblen County, Tennessee	0.0%
Jackson County, Tennessee	0.0%
Lake County, Tennessee	0.0%
Montgomery County, Tennessee	0.0%
Overton County, Tennessee	0.0%
Bailey County, Texas	0.0%
Lexington city, Virginia	0.0%
Marion County, Alabama	0.0%
San Francisco County, California	0.0%

The map and the BEAD plans count different things

Each state's BEAD final proposal names the locations it will fund. Across the states those plans cover 3,772,113 locations, while the June 2026 map shows 2,740,686 unserved and 1,885,951 underserved. The figures are separate counts and should not be read as one list: the plan totals come from NTIA's summaries of the final proposals, which NTIA notes are subject to change, and the map totals from the FCC's June 2026 release. West Virginia's plan covers 73,091 locations against 102,269 unserved on the current map; Alaska's covers 46,508⁵ against 49,447¹. The BEAD funding ranking compares the plans by cost and technology, and each state page sets its plan beside its county gaps.

Pitfalls

• Unserved does not mean offline. Many unserved locations can order satellite or unlicensed fixed wireless service. The ranking measures what the BEAD rules count as reliable, not whether anyone is connected.
• Locations are not households. One apartment building is one location. Sites that convert locations to people or households use their own assumptions, which the FCC data do not support.
• Available means reported available. A provider's listing says it can install within ten business days; anyone can challenge a listing on the FCC map, and corrected listings move locations in and out of this count with each revision.
• Undated numbers are not comparable. The share fell from 7.4%³ to 2.4%¹ between the first map and this one, so a figure without its FCC date can be years out of step. Our article on why coverage numbers disagree explains the other common differences.