The State with the Best Gigabit Broadband Availability is . . .

North Dakota ranks as the best-connected state with gigabit broadband availability, according to a new report from Smarthomestarter.com. North Dakota broadband providers offer gigabit service to 60.58% of residential locations in the state — the highest percentage in the nation, according to the research. The average North Dakota household’s annual expenditure on telecommunications services is $1,670.25, which is nine dollars less than the national average ($1,679.96), indicating that residents are getting good value for their broadband expenditures. Neighboring Minnesota has the second highest availability of gigabit broadband speeds with the service available to 60.41% of residential locations, according to the report. Though the percentage is close to that of North Dakota, Minnesota residents pay significantly more for their broadband, with the average annual bill for services at $1,840.70. Much further south than the top two states, Tennessee places a distant third for residential access to gigabit broadband – 48.28% of properties can get it – and possibly at a low cost, with the state’s average annual spend on services at $1,544.13. The other states in the top 10 are (in order) Utah, Connecticut, Texas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Kansas, and Indiana.