New Dashboard to Explore Impacts of Federal Broadband Investments on Local Communities

The US Census Bureau, in partnership with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), announced the launch of the ACCESS BROADBAND Dashboard. "ACCESS BROADBAND" stands for Advancing Critical Connectivity Expands Service, Small Business Resources, Opportunities, Access, and Data Based on Assessed Need and Demand Act. The new data tool shows how changes in broadband infrastructure expansion may impact local economies. The dashboard includes a series of maps showing different broadband access measures, as well as economic characteristics that research suggests could be influenced by increased access to broadband. Maps display statistics on employment, small business establishments, wages and income, poverty, home values, population change and migration, educational attainment, and gross domestic product (GDP). The Census Bureau and NTIA plan to update the dashboard annually so users can assess the economic context of areas where broadband availability and adoption efforts are underway. Each release will include the interactive dashboard and supplemental data files so users can access the underlying map data.