Most folks in New Jersey rely on their internet connection to work remotely, attend school online and keep in touch with loved ones.
So, it should be no surprise that The Garden State has the second fastest internet speed in the country, according to a new report from HighSpeedInternet.com.
Staff researcher Laura Leininger said this is an annual report where they analyze a year’s worth of speed test results (this year, there were 1.4 million speed test results), then they take the average numbers from each city and compile those numbers within the states to determine the fastest and slowest states.
“This year, New Jersey’s average download speed is 144.72 megabits per second. Interesting enough, New Jersey was actually the second fastest state as well. Last year in 2021, their average speed was 120.4 megabits per second,” Leininger said.
To give this some context, the average national internet speed this year is 119.03 Mbps, so New Jersey is faster than the national average.
When COVID-19 hit, Leininger said the nation relied heavily on the internet to connect with others on Zoom, to work remotely or attend school online, and even take part in telehealth appointments.
As the pandemic normalized, she said internet speed increased to follow that as people need to be online for just about everything.
Internet speeds have been rising nationwide in the past few years. This ongoing trend reflects the increased demand for faster speeds. In fact, many parts of the US have also seen expanded access to technology like fiber internet and 5G, which further contributes to increased speeds.
A state’s internet speed depends on the internet options available in each state. Leininger said the East Coast is home to the fastest internet speeds in the country with average speeds more than double the speeds found in rural states, which ranked at the bottom of the list.
Less populated states, that lack the infrastructure, funding, and availability for internet options have slower internet speeds, she added.
Delaware has the fastest internet speed in the nation at 145.8 Mbps, just barely higher than the second-place New Jersey. Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida round out the top 10 states with the fastest internet speeds.
West Virginia, a rural state with relatively low population density has the slowest internet speed in America at 60.7 Mbps. Montana, Wyoming, Maine, Idaho, Arkansas, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Iowa round out the top 10 states with the slowest internet speeds.
New Jersey’s neighbors, New York and Pennsylvania ranked 15th and 17th on the lists of speedy internet service.
“Make sure, especially if you’re working remotely, that you’re testing your internet speed frequently and you’re happy with your speed. If not, take a look at what you can do to get the internet speed you need because it’s super, super important to have good access to the internet these days,” said Leininger.
For a full report to see where each state ranks, visit www.highspeedinternet.com.
Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her from ella at [email protected]
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