Connected Nation study highlights broadband adoption and population health outcomes in the U.S.

Bowling Green, Ky. (October 20, 2026) –  Connected Nation (CN) has released a new report examining the relationship between household computer ownership and internet adoption and health outcomes at the county level across the United States.

The report, titled “Broadband Adoption and Population Health Outcomes in the United States,” focuses on whether county-level household internet and device adoption is associated with county-level health outcomes across a broad set of measures. 

The study compared broadband adoption data with health data from rural and urban counties across the U.S. to see how internet access is connected to nine key health outcomes: years of potential life lost, percent of the population in fair or poor health, average number of physically unhealthy days, average number of mentally unhealthy days, injury death rates, percent of low-birth-weight births, rate of preventable hospitalizations, influenza vaccination rates among Medicare beneficiaries, and mammography rates among Medicare beneficiaries. 

“We've long argued that broadband is an important facet of healthcare in America, from telehealth visits to remote patient monitoring,” said Chris McGovern, Director, Research Development, CN. “This study shows that counties where more people own computing devices and subscribe to broadband fare better in eight out of nine tested health outcomes, even after incomes and household education levels are taken into consideration. This is important because it indicates how broadband and health outcomes are connected."

Some key findings from the report include:

• Internet and device adoption is associated with better health outcomes across eight of the nine measures examined.
• The strongest and most consistent associations appear in self-reported health and premature mortality.
• Associations are generally larger in urban-majority counties than in rural-majority counties.
• Economic conditions exhibit a stronger relationship with health outcomes than adoption does.

This report comes at a critical time as states begin to implement plans as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP): a five-year, $50 Billion federal initiative to help all 50 states strengthen rural healthcare delivery, infrastructure, and workforce stability.

"Across nearly every measure we examined, higher local connectivity was associated with better population health outcomes,” said David Nunnally, Research Data Scientist, CN. “The strongest links appeared in the indicators that matter most: how people feel and how long they live. As leaders weigh investments in health and infrastructure, connectivity and digital literacy belong in that conversation."

The study found a consistent association between digital connectivity and better health outcomes at the county level. However, the strength of that connection depends on the health outcome and whether the county is urban or rural.

To download and read the full report and its findings, click here. 

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About Connected Nation: Marking its 25th anniversary in 2026, the national nonprofit’s mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies for all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation. Learn more at connectednation.org.