Washington internet, where farm counties have more fiber than Puget Sound
Fiber is available at 39.4% of the 2,577,599 homes and businesses the FCC counts in Washington, and wired broadband of at least 100/20 Mbps at 88.5%. 40.0% of locations have a choice of two or more wired providers at that speed; at 48.5% there is only one.1
FCC National Broadband Map, availability as of June 30, 2026 (data revised November 10, 2026), as reported by providers.
West region, Pacific division
Washington has one of the lowest fiber shares in the country, and the map is lopsided: utility-district networks in the central Columbia Basin reach nearly every home and business, while most homes and businesses in the counties around Olympia and Bremerton have a single wired provider. The unserved are concentrated in the northeast and the San Juan Islands, and the state's BEAD plan sends more of its locations to fixed wireless than to fiber.
Who sells home internet in Washington
86 companies report wired or fixed wireless home internet somewhere in Washington in the FCC's data as of June 30, 2026 (revision of November 10, 2026). Satellite from Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat is reported at virtually every one of the state's 2.6 million1 broadband serviceable locations, so the useful question is which ground networks reach a place. A provider counts a location as covered when it says it could install service there within ten business days; the claim can be challenged on the FCC map.
| T-Mobile | Licensed wireless | 68.2% | 21.2% | 100 Mbps | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | Fiber Cable | 66.9% | 66.9% | 2 Gbps | 34.5% |
| Verizon | Licensed wireless | 61.8% | 23.2% | 1 Gbps | – |
| AT&T | Fiber Licensed wireless | 47.8% | 18.2% | 8 Gbps | 0.0% |
| CenturyLink | Fiber DSL | 34.9% | 2.8% | 8 Gbps | 0.1% |
| Ziply Fiber | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless Fixed wireless | 23.0% | 17.0% | 10 Gbps | 0.7% |
| Spectrum | Fiber Cable | 9.7% | 9.7% | 1 Gbps | 5.3% |
| Astound | Fiber Cable DSL Fixed wireless | 9.1% | 9.1% | 2 Gbps | 4.8% |
| PocketiNet | Fiber DSL Licensed wireless Fixed wireless | 7.4% | 5.6% | 2 Gbps | 0.0% |
| Wired or Wireless Inc | Fiber Fixed wireless | 6.1% | 1.0% | 1 Gbps | 0.1% |
| Lightcurve | Fiber Cable DSL | 4.8% | 3.9% | 8 Gbps | 0.1% |
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 (HughesNet, Starlink, Viasat) report service at nearly every location and are left out of the table.
Xfinity is the main wired network. Its cable reaches 66.9% of locations, and at 34.5% it is the only wired provider offering 100/20 Mbps. Spectrum (9.7%) and Astound (9.1%) run the other large cable systems. The largest fiber footprint is Ziply Fiber's, at 17.0% of locations, with advertised downloads up to 10 Gbps1.
AT&T reported nothing in Washington in June 2022. It now reports service at 47.8% of locations, mostly licensed fixed wireless, and fiber at 14.0%. That fiber was CenturyLink's in the December 2025 filings for Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma: Lumen, the company behind CenturyLink, told the SEC it closed the sale of its residential fiber business, Quantum Fiber included, to AT&T on February 2, 2026, keeping its copper lines. CenturyLink still reports service at 34.9% of Washington's locations, almost all DSL, and offers 100/20 Mbps at 2.8%1.
The 5G home internet services of T-Mobile (68.2% of locations) and Verizon (61.8%) are licensed fixed wireless. Each reaches far more locations than it serves at 100/20 Mbps: 21.2% for T-Mobile, 23.2%1 for Verizon.
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 | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 39.4% | 62.6% |
| Cable | 83.8% | 80.3% |
| DSL (copper) | 36.8% | 36.2% |
| Licensed fixed wireless (incl. 5G home) | 85.9% | 87.3% |
| Unlicensed fixed wireless | 23.4% | 19.7% |
Fiber: among the lowest shares in the country
Fiber to the premises is reported at 39.4% of Washington's homes and businesses, the 3rd lowest share among the states and DC, against 62.6% nationally. The gap widened over four years. Washington's share rose by 11.3 percentage points from June 2022, the 7th lowest gain of any state, while the national share rose by 25.4 percentage points1.
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.
Show the numbers
| County | Fiber available |
|---|---|
| Grant County | 95.5% |
| Chelan County | 85.8% |
| Wahkiakum County | 75.2% |
| Douglas County | 71.9% |
| Snohomish County | 70.0% |
| Pend Oreille County | 67.2% |
| Whitman County | 65.3% |
| Columbia County | 62.3% |
| Garfield County | 60.9% |
| King County | 47.6% |
| Benton County | 46.2% |
| Walla Walla County | 45.8% |
| Spokane County | 44.1% |
| Cowlitz County | 43.2% |
| Kittitas County | 41.1% |
| Adams County | 40.2% |
| Skagit County | 38.8% |
| Island County | 35.4% |
| San Juan County | 34.2% |
| Yakima County | 32.9% |
| Clark County | 32.1% |
| Whatcom County | 31.1% |
| Mason County | 29.9% |
| Asotin County | 29.7% |
| Lincoln County | 29.0% |
| Grays Harbor County | 26.4% |
| Lewis County | 23.7% |
| Franklin County | 22.2% |
| Pierce County | 21.5% |
| Stevens County | 15.1% |
| Klickitat County | 14.5% |
| Okanogan County | 14.0% |
| Pacific County | 13.3% |
| Kitsap County | 13.2% |
| Skamania County | 12.9% |
| Clallam County | 12.5% |
| Ferry County | 12.1% |
| Jefferson County | 11.6% |
| Thurston County | 7.3% |
The longer record starts with the FCC's Form 477 reports. Until 2021 they counted a whole census block as covered if one location in it could be served, so the older figures run high and do not line up exactly with the location-by-location map that began in 2022.
Source: FCC, Form 477 fixed broadband deployment area tables, December 2016 to June 2021; 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. Two FCC methods: until 2021 a census block counted as served if one location in it was (Form 477, share of people); since 2022 every location is counted on its own (National Broadband Map, share of locations). The vertical line marks the break; the series are not comparable across it. Form 477 "100 Mbps" is a download tier with a lower upload tier.
Show the numbers
| Date | Fiber, Form 477 (share of people) | Fiber, broadband map (share of locations) | 100 Mbps terrestrial, Form 477 (people) | 100/20 Mbps terrestrial, broadband map (locations) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2016 | 29.9% | – | 89.1% | – |
| Jun 2017 | 31.7% | – | 89.3% | – |
| Dec 2017 | 32.6% | – | 92.8% | – |
| Jun 2018 | 34.1% | – | 93.4% | – |
| Dec 2018 | 43.5% | – | 92.2% | – |
| Jun 2019 | 41.3% | – | 92.2% | – |
| Dec 2019 | 35.6% | – | 92.9% | – |
| Jun 2020 | 38.8% | – | 93.6% | – |
| Dec 2020 | 43.3% | – | 94.3% | – |
| Jun 2021 | 43.1% | – | 92.5% | – |
| Jun 2022 | – | 28.2% | – | 86.6% |
| Dec 2025 | – | 37.8% | – | 92.0% |
| Jun 2026 | – | 39.4% | – | 92.2% |
The statewide figure averages very different places. 9 of the 392 counties have fiber at half their locations or more, and most of them are small. The large counties on Puget Sound split sharply: 70.0% in Snohomish County, 47.6% in King County, 21.5% in Pierce County, 13.2% in Kitsap County and 7.3%1 in Thurston County, around Olympia, the lowest of any county in the state.
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 |
|---|---|
| Grant County | 95.5% |
| Chelan County | 85.8% |
| Douglas County | 71.9% |
| Snohomish County | 70.0% |
| United States | 62.6% |
| King County | 47.6% |
| Washington | 39.4% |
| Pierce County | 21.5% |
| Kitsap County | 13.2% |
| Thurston County | 7.3% |
Utility-district fiber in the Columbia Basin
The county with the most fiber is Grant County, in the farm country of the Columbia Basin, where it is reported at 95.5% of 39,026 locations. One network accounts for nearly all of it: Grant PUD, the county's public utility district, reports fiber at 88.6%1. Washington law lets public utility districts build telecommunications facilities and sell wholesale service, and permits retail service to end users in unserved areas. Grant PUD's fiber page tells customers to sign up through an internet service provider they choose from its list.
Grant County's choice figures are also unusual. 6 providers report fiber in Grant County, and 70.0% of its locations have two or more wired providers at 100/20 Mbps, against 40.0% statewide. Unserved locations are almost absent (0.2%1).
The neighboring counties look similar. In Chelan County, around Wenatchee, PUD No1 of Chelan County reports fiber at 84.7% of locations and fiber overall reaches 85.8%. Across the Columbia River, Douglas County has the highest share of locations with two or more wired choices in the state, 88.9%, with Ziply Fiber reporting service at 91.6% of them. In the north, the Okanogan County utility district reports service at 57.1% of its county's locations, and Pend Oreille PUD at 20.5%1 of Pend Oreille County's.
Around the Sound, a single wire
Wired service of 100/20 Mbps reaches 88.5% of Washington's locations, but at 48.5% exactly one wired provider offers it, the 8th highest share among the states; nationally it is 36.6%. Only 40.0% have two or more wired choices, compared with 55.6%1 across the country.
The single-wire counties are not remote ones. In Thurston County 79.0% of locations have exactly one wired 100/20 provider, and in Kitsap County, across the water from Seattle, 80.8%. Cable reaches most of both counties, while the phone network there is mostly DSL (78.3% and 72.0% of locations). Jefferson County, on the Olympic Peninsula, has the lowest share with two or more wired choices: 0.8%1.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 11.5% | 48.5% | 34.0% | 6.0% |
| Grant County | 4.4% | 25.6% | 61.2% | 8.8% |
| Thurston County | 9.6% | 79.0% | 11.5% | 0.0% |
| Kitsap County | 6.6% | 80.8% | 12.1% | 0.5% |
| United States | 7.8% | 36.6% | 44.6% | 11.1% |
Overlapping fiber networks are rare. Two or more fiber providers are reported at 4.3% of locations, a share that ranks tied for 10th lowest among the states, against 12.1%1 nationally.
Copper shrank and cable got faster
The biggest change since the first National Broadband Map is in DSL. It was reported at 70.8%4 of Washington's locations as of June 30, 2022 and at 36.8% four years later, a fall of 34.1 percentage points1. Most of that drop was already in the December 2025 data (37.8%5).
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber available | 28.2% | 37.8% | 39.4% | 11.2 pts |
| DSL available | 70.8% | 37.8% | 36.8% | −34.1 pts |
| Gigabit (1,000/100) | 16.2% | 63.3% | 67.4% | 51.2 pts |
| Wired 100/100 Mbps | 28.2% | 63.4% | 67.3% | 39.1 pts |
| Two or more wired choices | 29.4% | 37.1% | 40.0% | 10.6 pts |
Advertised speeds rose much faster than fiber. The share of locations offered at least 1 Gbps download with 100 Mbps upload went from 16.2% to 67.4%. Fiber alone cannot account for that, because it reaches only 39.4%; much of the rest is cable advertising faster uploads. The fastest tiers moved the same way: the share of locations where the fastest advertised download is 2 Gbps or more went from 0.7%4 to 60.5%1. These are providers' maximum advertised speeds, not measurements.
The northeast and the islands wait
5.3% of Washington's locations are unserved under the BEAD definition, the 6th highest share among the states, against 2.4% nationally. That is 137,5621 homes and businesses with no reliable service of even 25/3 Mbps.
The highest shares are along the Canadian border and in the dry country west of Spokane. In Ferry County 55.5% of locations are unserved and satellite is the only service at 26.1%. Lincoln County, which has no cable at all, is unserved at 51.0%; Okanogan County at 48.1%, with fixed wireless the only way to get 100/20 Mbps at 32.9% of its locations. The San Juan Islands are a different case: DSL is reported at 77.8% of locations, but 44.9% are unserved. In the Columbia Gorge, Skamania (41.9%) and Klickitat (40.3%1) counties are close behind.
| Ferry County, Washington | 4,566 | 55.5% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 12.1% | 12.1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, Washington | 7,714 | 51.0% | 13.6% | 7.2% | 28.8% | 29.0% |
| Okanogan County, Washington | 23,670 | 48.1% | 15.3% | 32.9% | 32.6% | 14.0% |
| San Juan County, Washington | 12,264 | 44.9% | 12.5% | 2.3% | 40.5% | 34.2% |
| Skamania County, Washington | 5,848 | 41.9% | 17.1% | 0.6% | 43.9% | 12.9% |
| Klickitat County, Washington | 11,836 | 40.3% | 19.4% | 6.3% | 42.7% | 14.5% |
| Stevens County, Washington | 24,930 | 34.6% | 7.3% | 30.5% | 35.2% | 15.1% |
| Washington | 2,577,599 | 5.3% | 1.7% | 3.7% | 88.5% | 39.4% |
| United States | 115,784,915 | 2.4% | 0.8% | 3.6% | 92.3% | 62.6% |
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.
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.
Show the numbers
| County | Unserved |
|---|---|
| Ferry County | 55.5% |
| Lincoln County | 51.0% |
| Okanogan County | 48.1% |
| San Juan County | 44.9% |
| Skamania County | 41.9% |
| Klickitat County | 40.3% |
| Stevens County | 34.6% |
| Garfield County | 33.0% |
| Columbia County | 30.6% |
| Lewis County | 23.4% |
| Pend Oreille County | 21.7% |
| Kittitas County | 16.5% |
| Whitman County | 16.3% |
| Clallam County | 16.2% |
| Adams County | 15.3% |
| Jefferson County | 14.4% |
| Cowlitz County | 10.0% |
| Mason County | 8.4% |
| Pacific County | 7.8% |
| Grays Harbor County | 7.7% |
| Skagit County | 6.8% |
| Thurston County | 5.8% |
| Chelan County | 5.7% |
| Asotin County | 5.4% |
| Whatcom County | 5.2% |
| Clark County | 4.6% |
| Wahkiakum County | 4.4% |
| Island County | 4.3% |
| Franklin County | 4.3% |
| Spokane County | 3.9% |
| Douglas County | 3.6% |
| Walla Walla County | 3.1% |
| Yakima County | 3.1% |
| Kitsap County | 3.0% |
| Snohomish County | 2.6% |
| Pierce County | 2.4% |
| Benton County | 0.9% |
| King County | 0.5% |
| Grant County | 0.2% |
| Adams County | 7,406 | 40.2% | 64.4% | 31.2% | 15.3% | Ziply Fiber | 51.3% ±4.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asotin County | 9,495 | 29.7% | 90.5% | 32.8% | 5.4% | Sparklight | 67.3% ±3.4 |
| Benton County | 71,778 | 46.2% | 90.3% | 41.5% | 0.9% | Spectrum | 77.9% ±1.1 |
| Chelan County | 36,052 | 85.8% | 89.0% | 83.9% | 5.7% | Ziply Fiber | 76.5% ±1.6 |
| Clallam County | 36,822 | 12.5% | 66.5% | 7.9% | 16.2% | CenturyLink | 73.3% ±1.6 |
| Clark County | 167,072 | 32.1% | 90.3% | 37.7% | 4.6% | Xfinity | 81.7% ±0.6 |
| Columbia County | 2,601 | 62.3% | 63.8% | 60.8% | 30.6% | Columbia iConnect | 49.6% ±5.1 |
| Cowlitz County | 42,925 | 43.2% | 79.5% | 40.6% | 10.0% | Xfinity | 70.8% ±1.6 |
| Douglas County | 17,344 | 71.9% | 94.3% | 88.9% | 3.6% | Ziply Fiber | 75.7% ±2.7 |
| Ferry County | 4,566 | 12.1% | 12.1% | 5.3% | 55.5% | Television Association of Republic | 39.2% ±4.5 |
| Franklin County | 29,298 | 22.2% | 85.1% | 16.2% | 4.3% | PocketiNet | 74.6% ±2.2 |
| Garfield County | 1,443 | 60.9% | 60.9% | 49.4% | 33.0% | CenturyLink | 42.3% ±9.1 |
| Grant County | 39,026 | 95.5% | 95.6% | 70.0% | 0.2% | Grant PUD | 73.6% ±2.4 |
| Grays Harbor County | 37,027 | 26.4% | 85.6% | 22.7% | 7.7% | Xfinity | 69.9% ±2.5 |
| Island County | 39,646 | 35.4% | 87.4% | 33.8% | 4.3% | Xfinity | 82.4% ±1.8 |
| Jefferson County | 18,826 | 11.6% | 75.8% | 0.8% | 14.4% | CenturyLink | 74.4% ±2.2 |
| King County | 604,743 | 47.6% | 98.1% | 50.9% | 0.5% | Xfinity | 85.3% ±0.3 |
| Kitsap County | 100,282 | 13.2% | 93.4% | 12.6% | 3.0% | CenturyLink | 84.0% ±0.9 |
| Kittitas County | 23,600 | 41.1% | 60.9% | 21.7% | 16.5% | Lightcurve | 73.2% ±1.9 |
| Klickitat County | 11,836 | 14.5% | 42.7% | 10.9% | 40.3% | CenturyLink | 57.2% ±4.2 |
| Lewis County | 37,317 | 23.7% | 58.6% | 8.4% | 23.4% | CenturyLink | 62.3% ±2.1 |
| Lincoln County | 7,714 | 29.0% | 28.8% | 13.5% | 51.0% | CenturyLink | 48.9% ±3.4 |
| Mason County | 34,969 | 29.9% | 87.3% | 12.5% | 8.4% | CenturyLink | 74.1% ±2.0 |
| Okanogan County | 23,670 | 14.0% | 32.6% | 7.5% | 48.1% | Public Utility District No.1 of Okanogan County | 52.1% ±2.2 |
| Pacific County | 16,938 | 13.3% | 85.5% | 5.5% | 7.8% | CenturyLink | 68.8% ±3.5 |
| Pend Oreille County | 8,898 | 67.2% | 74.8% | 23.9% | 21.7% | Wired or Wireless Inc | 65.6% ±3.7 |
| Pierce County | 291,302 | 21.5% | 94.3% | 39.7% | 2.4% | Xfinity | 81.9% ±0.6 |
| San Juan County | 12,264 | 34.2% | 40.5% | 4.3% | 44.9% | CenturyLink | 67.8% ±1.7 |
| Skagit County | 51,020 | 38.8% | 86.7% | 36.9% | 6.8% | Xfinity | 76.9% ±1.3 |
| Skamania County | 5,848 | 12.9% | 43.9% | 2.3% | 41.9% | Astound | 63.8% ±3.6 |
| Snohomish County | 257,288 | 70.0% | 94.0% | 67.8% | 2.6% | Xfinity | 83.3% ±0.6 |
| Spokane County | 187,412 | 44.1% | 86.0% | 45.7% | 3.9% | Xfinity | 77.1% ±0.7 |
| Stevens County | 24,930 | 15.1% | 35.2% | 10.6% | 34.6% | Pogozone powered by Neubeam | 46.4% ±2.1 |
| Thurston County | 106,920 | 7.3% | 90.4% | 11.5% | 5.8% | Xfinity | 83.2% ±1.0 |
| Wahkiakum County | 2,545 | 75.2% | 89.9% | 26.1% | 4.4% | Spectrum | 57.0% ±6.4 |
| Walla Walla County | 22,785 | 45.8% | 89.1% | 40.1% | 3.1% | PocketiNet | 72.4% ±2.7 |
| Whatcom County | 83,286 | 31.1% | 87.4% | 29.1% | 5.2% | Xfinity | 79.6% ±1.1 |
| Whitman County | 15,965 | 65.3% | 74.5% | 37.0% | 16.3% | First Step Internet LLC | 73.4% ±2.3 |
| Yakima County | 84,740 | 32.9% | 79.4% | 24.7% | 3.1% | Advanced High Speed Internet | 68.5% ±1.3 |
| Washington | 2,577,599 | 39.4% | 88.5% | 40.0% | 5.3% | 80.2% |
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).
BEAD: more fixed wireless than fiber
Washington's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) plan is one of the largest by reach. From an allocation of $1.23 billion, the 10th highest7 among the states, the approved Final Proposal covers 166,564 locations, the 6th highest count of any state plan, at a BEAD cost of $736.3 million, or $4,421 per location. Providers committed a further $283.7 million8.
Fixed wireless gets the largest share of the plan's locations, 63,655 (38.2%). Fiber gets 58,577 (35.2%), the 7th lowest fiber share of any state plan, and low-Earth-orbit satellite 44,332 (26.6%). $491.4 million8 of the allocation is not assigned to construction; how it may be used had not been settled as of November 2026. The Washington State Broadband Office posts the challenge results and its construction project area maps on its BEAD page. Earlier federal money is listed below, including $195.7 million9 from the Treasury's Capital Projects Fund.
| Program | Amount | As of |
|---|---|---|
| BEAD allocation (NTIA, announced June 26, 2023) | $1,227,742,066 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: locations to be connected | 166,564 | |
| BEAD Final Proposal: deployment cost | $736,319,365 | |
| BEAD cost per location | $4,421 | |
| BEAD allocation not assigned to deployment | $491,422,701 | |
| Treasury Capital Projects Fund allocation | $195,749,414 | |
| RDOF: locations built with support (cumulative) | 20,923 | |
| USDA ReConnect grants reported to USAspending | $72,235,358 | |
| Lifeline subscribers claimed | 86,629 | |
| Lifeline participation rate | 18.4% | |
| Households in the Affordable Connectivity Program, February 2024 | 358,024 |
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.
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 | 35.2% |
| Cable | 0.0% |
| Fixed wireless | 38.2% |
| Low-Earth-orbit satellite | 26.6% |
Nearly every household subscribes
The coverage gaps do not show up as low subscription. In the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey, 95.4% of Washington households had a broadband subscription of some kind (margin of error ±0.3 percentage points), the 3rd highest share among the states, and 79.5% subscribed to cable, fiber or DSL. Households earning under $20,000 subscribed at 85.8% (±1.3 percentage points), the 2nd highest point estimate for that income group among the states. Only 11.1%15 relied on a cellular data plan alone.
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) | 88.5% | |
| Households subscribing to cable, fiber or DSL (Census) | 79.5% | ±0.5 |
| Households relying only on a cellular data plan | 11.1% | ±0.4 |
| Households with no internet subscription | 4.5% | ±0.3 |
Of the Washington households in NTIA's 2023 Internet Use Survey that did not use the internet at home, 52.4% said they did not need it and 13.8%16 named cost, an estimate with a wide margin of error. When the Affordable Connectivity Program stopped enrolling in February 2024, 358,02414 Washington households were signed up; the program ended on June 1, 2024. The Lifeline discount continues, and USAC estimates that 18.4%13 of eligible Washington households take part.
Washington cities and towns
Each large city has its own page: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Spokane Valley and Renton.
| Seattle | 784,777 | 79.9% | 95.7% | 82.8% | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane | 230,783 | 76.9% | 96.8% | 78.4% | 5 |
| Tacoma | 229,816 | 53.1% | 85.7% | 91.2% | 5 |
| Vancouver | 199,698 | 42.9% | 96.9% | 51.3% | 5 |
| Bellevue | 154,193 | 27.4% | 93.5% | 35.7% | 4 |
| Kent | 134,871 | 15.9% | 68.0% | 20.8% | 4 |
| Everett | 113,567 | 83.0% | 95.4% | 82.5% | 3 |
| Spokane Valley | 108,405 | 20.6% | 86.0% | 27.7% | 5 |
| Renton | 104,975 | 10.5% | 65.3% | 16.6% | 3 |
| Federal Way | 99,729 | 11.5% | 91.8% | 16.2% | 4 |
| Yakima | 97,458 | 39.9% | 39.9% | 38.4% | 5 |
| Kirkland | 97,410 | 89.5% | 94.9% | 89.1% | 3 |
| Bellingham | 96,395 | 33.0% | 53.5% | 34.2% | 4 |
| Kennewick | 88,366 | 54.1% | 54.1% | 49.9% | 4 |
| Auburn | 86,301 | 14.3% | 88.0% | 20.2% | 2 |
| Pasco | 82,848 | 20.4% | 20.4% | 18.8% | 7 |
| Redmond | 82,506 | 79.1% | 99.1% | 78.9% | 4 |
| Marysville | 77,686 | 85.0% | 98.2% | 84.8% | 3 |
| Shoreline | 66,542 | 85.2% | 99.6% | 84.8% | 4 |
| Sammamish | 66,110 | 7.4% | 94.5% | 16.4% | 4 |
| Richland | 65,258 | 58.2% | 58.2% | 55.9% | 4 |
| Lakewood | 62,755 | 35.5% | 62.7% | 56.6% | 4 |
| Lacey | 58,833 | 15.5% | 70.8% | 24.7% | 3 |
| Olympia | 56,724 | 6.4% | 66.4% | 10.5% | 4 |
| Bothell | 52,199 | 83.0% | 91.6% | 82.8% | 3 |
| Burien | 51,859 | 74.7% | 93.2% | 77.0% | 3 |
| Bremerton | 45,482 | 49.3% | 86.3% | 50.0% | 4 |
| Edmonds | 42,748 | 95.0% | 100.0% | 94.2% | 3 |
| Puyallup | 42,682 | 15.4% | 82.2% | 19.2% | 3 |
| Lynnwood | 42,132 | 86.5% | 99.8% | 86.0% | 3 |
| Lake Stevens | 42,091 | 70.0% | 98.7% | 69.9% | 2 |
| Issaquah | 39,423 | 41.3% | 90.8% | 49.0% | 4 |
| Longview | 38,362 | 79.5% | 92.4% | 79.1% | 2 |
| Wenatchee | 35,547 | 99.8% | 99.8% | 98.5% | 4 |
| University Place | 35,479 | 17.9% | 45.1% | 80.8% | 2 |
| Mount Vernon | 35,193 | 40.0% | 94.6% | 40.5% | 2 |
| SeaTac | 34,578 | 54.9% | 87.7% | 57.2% | 2 |
| Walla Walla | 34,058 | 56.3% | 56.3% | 54.7% | 5 |
| Pullman | 33,756 | 73.4% | 73.4% | 71.2% | 5 |
| Des Moines | 33,032 | 52.3% | 57.7% | 58.1% | 2 |
| Maple Valley | 28,482 | 2.4% | 94.4% | 9.9% | 2 |
| Tumwater | 28,010 | 0.4% | 76.7% | 10.2% | 1 |
| Camas | 27,749 | 92.1% | 95.4% | 91.6% | 3 |
| Moses Lake | 27,469 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 90.9% | 4 |
| Mountlake Terrace | 25,430 | 88.6% | 99.9% | 88.5% | 3 |
| Mercer Island | 25,422 | 34.3% | 99.5% | 35.0% | 3 |
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 Washington?
Apart from satellite, the largest by reported reach as of June 30, 2026 are T-Mobile (68.2% of locations, licensed fixed wireless), Xfinity (66.9%, fiber and cable) and Verizon (61.8%, licensed fixed wireless). The largest fiber footprints belong to Ziply Fiber (17.0% of locations) and AT&T (14.0%1); CenturyLink reports mostly DSL.
How many people in Washington lack broadband?
Washington's unserved share is among the six highest of any state, with the largest gaps along the Canadian border and in the San Juan Islands. By the FCC's count of locations, not people, as of June 30, 2026, 137,562 Washington homes and businesses (5.3%) were unserved under the BEAD definition, with no reliable wired or licensed fixed wireless service of 25/3 Mbps, and 91,591 more were underserved. At 42,6751 locations satellite is the only service reported.
What is the cheapest internet in Washington?
Providers file no prices with the FCC, and no official source compares Washington plans; each provider's broadband facts label lists the price and fees of every plan. In PUD fiber areas such as Grant County, several internet companies sell service over the same public network, so one address can have several labels to compare. The federal Lifeline discount, $9.25 a month for eligible low-income households, had 86,62912 Washington subscribers.
Is fiber available at my address in Washington?
The figures here describe areas. Enter an address on the FCC's National Broadband Map to see every provider that reports service there; a listing that is wrong can be challenged.
Checking one address in Washington
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 Washington
Large cities with their own page: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Spokane Valley and Renton.
Neighboring states: Idaho and Oregon. Put Washington side by side with any state or large city in the comparison tool.
| Ranking | Value | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber internet availability by state | 39.4% | 49th of 51 |
| Internet speed by state: where gigabit service is offered | 67.4% | 36th of 51 |
| Broadband coverage by state | 88.5% | 39th of 51 |
| Internet provider competition by state | 40.0% | 43rd of 51 |
| Unserved and underserved broadband locations by state | 5.3% | 6th of 51 |
| Where fiber has grown since 2022 | 11.3% | 45th of 51 |
| 5G home internet and licensed fixed wireless by state | 85.9% | 32nd of 51 |
| Households with an internet subscription by state | 95.4% | 3rd of 51 |
| BEAD broadband funding by state | 4,421.0% | 30th 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
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file cb_2025_us_county_5m. www2.census.gov
- FCC, Form 477 fixed broadband deployment area tables, December 2016 to June 2021; December 2016 to June 2021. opendata.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, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year detailed tables; 2020-2024; released January 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- 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
- Universal Service Administrative Co., Lifeline Disbursements; Support months 2018-01 to 2026-09. opendata.usac.org
- USAC, Lifeline participation rate; released August 17, 2026. www.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
- 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
- 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.