US median download speeds rose 5.26%, but rural states continue to lag
The 10 Fastest & Slowest States for Internet Speed in 2026
The 10 Fastest & Slowest States for Internet Speed in 2026
Salt Lake City, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Internet download speeds across the United States increased modestly in 2026, rising 5.26% year-over-year, according to a new report from HighSpeedInternet.com. The site’s fourth annual state-by-state ranking found that the national median climbed from 125.35 Mbps to 131.94 Mbps, with top-performing states boasting speeds nearly three times faster than those at the bottom of the rankings.
Based on an analysis of more than 4.7 million speed tests conducted via HighSpeedInternet.com and its mobile app between July 2025 and July 2026, the report (The 10 Best, Worst, and Most Improved States for Internet Speed in 2026) ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C., using median download speeds.
Delaware claimed the top spot for the second consecutive year with a median download speed of 193.87 Mbps, followed by New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. Each of the ten fastest states cleared 150 Mbps, clustering heavily in the Northeast and Southeast where fiber and cable infrastructure are the most established.
10 fastest states by median download speed:
- Delaware (193.87 Mbps)
- New Jersey (187.31 Mbps)
- New Hampshire (185.18 Mbps)
- Connecticut (184.14 Mbps)
- New York (178.17 Mbps)
- Florida (176.08 Mbps)
- South Carolina (169.67 Mbps)
- Maryland (164.42 Mbps)
- Massachusetts (163.15 Mbps)
- Tennessee (158.32 Mbps)
Rural states saw the most dramatic improvements in internet speeds in 2026, showing that some of the biggest year-over-year gains are happening in underserved areas. West Virginia recorded the nation’s largest improvement, jumping 51.64% to a median speed of 129.97 Mbps, followed by Alaska with a 42.81% surge to 73.42 Mbps. For rural households, these boosts translate directly into faster file downloads, smoother video calls, and better access to remote work and telehealth.
Broadband access and speeds improved through fiber expansion, DOCSIS 4.0 cable upgrades, and wider 5G fixed wireless service. The slowest states are largely in the rural Mountain West and Midwest, where sparse populations make broadband networks more expensive to build.
Five of the 10 slowest states, including Alaska, Wyoming, and Montana, also rank among the top 10 for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program funding per resident. In June 2025, BEAD moved away from its fiber-first requirement to allow lower-cost options. So far, awards total about 46% of the program’s original allocations.
“The hard truth about home internet still stands: the quality of your service is directly linked to where you live,” said Michael De Medeiros, Editor in Chief at HighSpeedInternet.com. “But change is coming! New fiber and better satellite service are reaching historically underserved places, and our data shows it. Better, faster internet may already be on your block–you just need to check out what’s available at your zip code with our free tool.”
Key findings from the 2026 report:
- Median download speeds nationwide increased from 125.35 Mbps in 2025 to 131.94 Mbps in 2026, a 5.26% year-over-year gain.
- Delaware ranked as the fastest state for the second year in a row, with a median download speed of 193.87 Mbps.
- Alaska recorded the slowest median speed in the nation at 73.42 Mbps, despite a 42.81% year-over-year improvement.
- West Virginia posted the largest year-over-year increase of any state, up 51.64% from 85.71 Mbps to 129.97 Mbps.
- 38 states saw median speeds increase in 2026, while 13 states recorded slower median speeds than in 2025.
- Average (mean) download speeds outpaced median speeds in every state, showing that a subset of connections in each state runs far faster than the typical household’s.
- The 10 fastest states are concentrated in the Northeast and Southeast; the 10 slowest are concentrated in the rural Mountain West and Midwest.
10 slowest states by median download speed:
- Alaska (73.42 Mbps)
- Montana (86.36 Mbps)
- Idaho (86.81 Mbps)
- New Mexico (90.14 Mbps)
- Iowa (90.82 Mbps)
- Nebraska (94.62 Mbps)
- Wyoming (98.04 Mbps)
- Minnesota (104.02 Mbps)
- Kansas (107.12 Mbps)
- North Dakota (110.54 Mbps)
The full report, including complete rankings for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., is available at: https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/fastest-slowest-internet
Methodology: HighSpeedInternet.com analyzed 4,727,224 speed tests taken on its speed test tool and app across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. between July 20, 2025, and July 20, 2026. When multiple tests originated from the same IP address, only the fastest result was used. Year-over-year changes were calculated against results from the prior 12-month period, and state rankings are based on median download speeds.
About HighSpeedInternet.com: HighSpeedInternet.com is an online resource dedicated to helping people find and understand the best ways to connect to the internet. Backed by proprietary research, a database of more than 1,700+ providers, and more than 64,000 customer reviews, its team of tech experts and journalists delivers accurate insights on internet providers and trends nationwide.
Attachments
- The 10 Fastest & Slowest States for Internet Speed in 2026
- The 10 Fastest & Slowest States for Internet Speed in 2026
CONTACT: Tim Tincher HighSpeedInternet.com [email protected]
