More Californians are gaining broadband internet access, but Black and Latino households still lag

More Californians are gaining access to broadband internet, but Black and Latino households still lag behind their white counterparts, according to an analysis of the latest available American Community Survey data. The Public Policy Institute of California, which recently presented the findings, noted that the US Census Bureau survey paints a picture of expanding but unequal access to high-speed internet service in the state at a time when reliable internet service became a necessity for remote work and school. According to the data, 85 percent of California households had high-speed internet in 2020 while 94 percent had internet access of any kind, including cellphone data plans. Eighty-seven percent of white households had access to high-speed internet, compared with 83 percent of Black households and 80 percent of Latino ones. The divides were not only among racial groups; households headed by adults 65 or older or non-college graduates lagged behind younger and college-educated households. Likewise, households with an annual income below $50,000 were less likely to have access to broadband than wealthier households. Additionally, 15 percent of both Black and Latino households, and 23 percent of low-income households, reported not having a laptop, desktop or “other computing device” at home.