The Digital Divide: An Isolating Problem in Cleveland

Based on 2018 statistics from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Cleveland (OH) ranks 33rd in the nation when it comes to completely unconnected households (27.42%), and ranks 33rd when it comes to homes without a wire line (44%). Cincinnati (OH) ranked 158th out of 625. About 17% of households have no broadband of any type. About 30% of households lack a wireline: fiber, cable or DSL. The city ranks 211st when it comes to those metrics. Solving the problem is taking many forms. Local libraries and community organizations offer computer labs and digital literacy training. One nonprofit is building a network to enhance connectivity in some of Cleveland's poorest communities. But those fragmented efforts don't address the most daunting obstacle to digital inclusion: poverty.