Internet Prices by State 2026
By Axis Intelligence Research
Co-author: James Porter | Last updated: September 29, 2026 | License: CC BY 4.0
The average advertised fixed broadband plan in the United States costs $98.66 a month in 2026, according to Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of 11,268 plan-level rate records in the FCC’s 2026 Urban Rate Survey. Illinois posts the highest average bill ($110.03). Alaska charges the most for the same speed, 59.1% above the national price.
Quick Answer: How Much Does Internet Cost by State in 2026?
Fixed home internet averages $98.66 per month nationally (median $90.00), per Axis Intelligence Research’s household-weighted analysis of FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey data. Raw view: Illinois is the most expensive state at $110.03. Normalized view: on Axis Intelligence Research’s Same-Speed Price Index (SSPI™, U.S. = 100), Alaska ranks first at 159.1 and Illinois leads the lower 48 at 108.7.
Key Findings
- Fixed broadband plans in the U.S. averaged $98.66 per month in 2026, per Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of the FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey (11,268 rate records, 234 providers).
- Alaska pays 59.1% more than the national price for identical speed tiers, scoring 159.1 on Axis Intelligence Research’s Same-Speed Price Index (SSPI™), based on FCC 2026 survey data.
- Plans under 100 Mbps cost 25.5% more than plans at 100–299 Mbps ($65.05 vs $51.84), a gap Axis Intelligence Research calls the Slow-Lane Premium (SLP™), from FCC 2026 data.
- Like-for-like broadband prices fell 4.5% between the 2025 and 2026 FCC surveys, while the raw average bill rose 7.6%, per Axis Intelligence Research, because the plan mix shifted toward faster tiers.
- Idaho is the cheapest well-sampled state on both views: $71.12 per month on average and an SSPI™ of 80.8, per Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey data.
Why Raw Average Prices Mislead: The Same-Speed Price Index (SSPI™)
A state’s average bill is mostly a readout of what its providers sell. Colorado’s average surveyed plan advertised 1,605 Mbps in the 2026 survey; South Carolina’s advertised 753 Mbps. Compare their averages and you’re comparing gigabit fiber to mid-tier cable, not two markets.
The Same-Speed Price Index (SSPI™) is Axis Intelligence Research’s answer. SSPI™ measures how much a state’s providers charge for the same download tier, relative to the national price for that tier, with the United States set at 100. A score of 120 means households pay 20% more than the national average for an equivalent plan; 90 means 10% less.
The formula, applied to the FCC’s plan-level records:
SSPI(state) = 100 × Σ w(t) × [ P(state, t) ÷ P(US, t) ]
- t = six download tiers: under 100 Mbps, 100–299, 300–499, 500–999, 1,000–1,999, and 2,000 Mbps or more
- P = household-weighted average total monthly charge in that tier (FCC weight field)
- w(t) = the tier’s share of national household weight, fixed for every state so each state is priced against the same basket; weights are renormalized when a state has no offers in a tier
The national basket is dominated by fast plans: the 1,000–1,999 Mbps tier carries 27.2% of the weight and 500–999 Mbps carries 24.3%, per Axis Intelligence Research’s calculation from FCC 2026 data. National tier prices run from $51.84 (100–299 Mbps) to $178.53 (2 Gbps and above).
| Download tier | National avg. monthly price | SSPI™ basket weight | Source (data year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 100 Mbps | $65.05 | 12.5% | FCC URS 2026 |
| 100–299 Mbps | $51.84 | 10.7% | FCC URS 2026 |
| 300–499 Mbps | $74.65 | 10.6% | FCC URS 2026 |
| 500–999 Mbps | $87.03 | 24.3% | FCC URS 2026 |
| 1,000–1,999 Mbps | $109.11 | 27.2% | FCC URS 2026 |
| 2,000 Mbps and above | $178.53 | 14.7% | FCC URS 2026 |
Weights are the FCC household weights summed by tier across 50 states and DC; see FCC Urban Rate Survey data.
Which States Pay the Most for Internet at the Same Speed?
Ranked by SSPI™, highest first. The Grade column tells you how much weight a row can carry: A = 20+ sampled census tracts and 5+ providers; B = 8–19 tracts and 3+ providers; C = thinner samples, directional only. Every headline in this article uses A and B states.
SSPI™ Ranking: 50 States + DC (2026)
| Rank | State | SSPI™ | Avg. monthly price | Price rank | Like-for-like change vs 2025 | Grade | Source (data year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 159.1 | $106.20 | 5 | +0.4% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 150.9 | $103.88 | 7 | +10.8% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 3 | Montana | 141.3 | $85.13 | 46 | n/a | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 4 | Illinois | 108.7 | $110.03 | 1 | -1.5% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 5 | Indiana | 106.9 | $103.31 | 10 | +3.0% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 106.5 | $103.28 | 11 | +2.0% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 7 | Washington | 105.3 | $109.60 | 2 | +4.6% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 8 | New Mexico | 105.2 | $96.29 | 28 | +9.4% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 105.2 | $85.34 | 45 | +0.4% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 10 | Georgia | 104.9 | $102.01 | 14 | +0.1% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 11 | Maryland | 103.8 | $99.31 | 19 | -5.4% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 103.8 | $106.63 | 4 | -12.7% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 13 | Mississippi | 103.3 | $98.19 | 24 | +1.0% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 103.1 | $98.87 | 23 | +0.7% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 15 | Michigan | 103.0 | $99.26 | 20 | -7.9% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 16 | Delaware | 102.5 | $104.93 | 6 | -8.5% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 17 | Texas | 102.4 | $98.92 | 22 | -5.9% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 18 | Vermont | 102.4 | $82.11 | 47 | +42.6% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 102.0 | $90.97 | 38 | -12.2% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 20 | Ohio | 101.7 | $91.96 | 36 | -10.8% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 101.6 | $101.07 | 17 | -1.3% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 22 | Louisiana | 100.9 | $96.52 | 27 | -4.2% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 23 | Oregon | 100.9 | $106.67 | 3 | +8.9% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 24 | California | 100.4 | $98.97 | 21 | -6.3% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 25 | Colorado | 99.8 | $103.58 | 9 | +7.2% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 26 | Arkansas | 99.8 | $93.26 | 35 | -6.3% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | 99.7 | $97.80 | 25 | -0.7% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 28 | New Jersey | 99.2 | $102.05 | 13 | +3.6% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 29 | Alabama | 99.0 | $89.13 | 42 | +10.9% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 30 | Florida | 98.7 | $94.36 | 34 | -6.9% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 98.6 | $95.61 | 31 | -14.1% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 32 | Virginia | 97.9 | $97.41 | 26 | -7.0% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 33 | Nevada | 97.8 | $99.55 | 18 | -4.2% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 34 | Nebraska | 97.2 | $94.39 | 33 | +7.3% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 35 | Minnesota | 97.1 | $103.15 | 12 | +0.3% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 36 | Arizona | 96.9 | $94.66 | 32 | -2.2% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 37 | Connecticut | 96.8 | $103.74 | 8 | +0.0% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 38 | Iowa | 96.8 | $90.26 | 40 | -4.1% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 39 | North Carolina | 96.7 | $91.29 | 37 | -10.2% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 40 | South Carolina | 96.2 | $90.71 | 39 | -14.3% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 41 | Kansas | 95.7 | $96.04 | 29 | +0.8% | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| 42 | Hawaii | 95.1 | $88.15 | 43 | -1.5% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 43 | Missouri | 94.7 | $101.10 | 16 | -9.2% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 44 | Utah | 94.4 | $101.19 | 15 | +2.5% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 45 | Maine | 93.5 | $89.31 | 41 | -2.8% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 46 | New York | 92.1 | $95.73 | 30 | -4.0% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 47 | West Virginia | 87.7 | $80.46 | 48 | +22.4% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 80.9 | $71.55 | 49 | -3.1% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 49 | Idaho | 80.8 | $71.12 | 50 | -2.5% | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| 50 | South Dakota | 69.8 | $64.65 | 51 | -24.5% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 57.8 | $86.67 | 44 | -0.0% | C | FCC URS 2026 |
Read the top of this table carefully. The next two scores after Alaska come from C-grade samples — DC (3 tracts, 2 providers) and Montana (1 tract, 1 provider) — where one provider’s price card sets the whole reading. Strip those and the lower-48 leaders are Illinois (108.7), Indiana (106.9), Pennsylvania (106.5) and Washington (105.3), all built on 28 or more sampled tracts.
The bottom is just as instructive. New York lands at 92.1 on 76 sampled tracts and 608 rate records, cheaper for the same speed than 45 other jurisdictions in the ranking. Idaho sits at 80.8 on 37 tracts.
Which State Has the Most Expensive Internet Bill?
Illinois, at an average of $110.03 per month for surveyed plans, per FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey data analyzed by Axis Intelligence Research. Washington ($109.60), Oregon ($106.67), Massachusetts ($106.63) and Alaska ($106.20) follow. The cheapest well-sampled state is Idaho at $71.12.
Raw Average Internet Prices: 50 States + DC (2026)
| State | Avg. monthly price | Median monthly price | Avg. price, 100/20 Mbps+ plans | Median $ per 100 Mbps | Avg. advertised download | Fiber share of offers | Sampled tracts / providers | Grade | Source (data year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $110.03 | $95.00 | $116.56 | $19.00 | 1,348 Mbps | 16.8% | 51 / 12 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Washington | $109.60 | $95.00 | $112.19 | $19.00 | 1,559 Mbps | 20.9% | 39 / 10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Oregon | $106.67 | $95.00 | $109.47 | $11.67 | 1,703 Mbps | 27.9% | 29 / 10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Massachusetts | $106.63 | $95.00 | $107.75 | $17.00 | 1,159 Mbps | 31.3% | 22 / 10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Alaska | $106.20 | $99.99 | $156.15 | $120.00 | 359 Mbps | 8.3% | 77 / 7 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Delaware | $104.93 | $95.00 | $108.18 | $17.00 | 1,303 Mbps | 28.9% | 3 / 3 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| District of Columbia | $103.88 | $84.99 | $103.88 | $17.00 | 709 Mbps | 93.6% | 3 / 2 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Connecticut | $103.74 | $95.00 | $110.30 | $12.00 | 1,498 Mbps | 41.7% | 22 / 6 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Colorado | $103.58 | $95.00 | $107.43 | $11.67 | 1,605 Mbps | 23.7% | 30 / 16 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Indiana | $103.31 | $80.00 | $114.97 | $20.60 | 1,307 Mbps | 26.0% | 28 / 13 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | $103.28 | $95.00 | $105.93 | $17.00 | 1,107 Mbps | 43.4% | 60 / 19 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Minnesota | $103.15 | $95.00 | $105.38 | $11.67 | 1,570 Mbps | 29.9% | 26 / 9 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| New Jersey | $102.05 | $95.00 | $105.93 | $17.00 | 1,243 Mbps | 53.7% | 34 / 6 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Georgia | $102.01 | $80.00 | $112.78 | $19.00 | 1,113 Mbps | 17.0% | 33 / 14 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Utah | $101.19 | $95.00 | $102.56 | $11.00 | 1,847 Mbps | 36.0% | 25 / 11 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Missouri | $101.10 | $91.60 | $107.41 | $11.00 | 1,413 Mbps | 25.3% | 39 / 13 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Tennessee | $101.07 | $80.00 | $109.61 | $16.00 | 1,284 Mbps | 22.3% | 40 / 18 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Nevada | $99.55 | $90.00 | $104.18 | $16.00 | 1,008 Mbps | 43.1% | 18 / 8 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Maryland | $99.31 | $95.00 | $100.80 | $17.00 | 1,093 Mbps | 46.3% | 19 / 6 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Michigan | $99.26 | $80.00 | $105.78 | $16.00 | 1,206 Mbps | 11.7% | 40 / 11 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| California | $98.97 | $85.00 | $104.51 | $16.25 | 1,167 Mbps | 21.1% | 137 / 20 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Texas | $98.92 | $80.88 | $110.47 | $16.00 | 1,053 Mbps | 34.4% | 126 / 30 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Oklahoma | $98.87 | $75.00 | $110.68 | $18.00 | 900 Mbps | 33.9% | 14 / 7 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Mississippi | $98.19 | $70.00 | $116.06 | $61.00 | 970 Mbps | 37.4% | 11 / 4 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Rhode Island | $97.80 | $90.00 | $98.11 | $17.00 | 816 Mbps | 35.0% | 5 / 3 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Virginia | $97.41 | $90.00 | $98.60 | $17.00 | 1,005 Mbps | 54.3% | 29 / 8 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Louisiana | $96.52 | $70.00 | $109.33 | $18.00 | 838 Mbps | 31.5% | 19 / 8 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| New Mexico | $96.29 | $85.00 | $105.24 | $22.50 | 1,092 Mbps | 11.4% | 8 / 5 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Kansas | $96.04 | $90.00 | $103.10 | $12.23 | 1,313 Mbps | 23.8% | 18 / 8 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| New York | $95.73 | $95.00 | $99.67 | $16.00 | 1,041 Mbps | 56.4% | 76 / 9 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Kentucky | $95.61 | $85.31 | $102.58 | $12.00 | 948 Mbps | 50.0% | 22 / 8 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Arizona | $94.66 | $90.00 | $98.43 | $16.40 | 931 Mbps | 27.3% | 55 / 18 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Nebraska | $94.39 | $85.00 | $103.24 | $18.00 | 886 Mbps | 34.5% | 16 / 6 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Florida | $94.36 | $80.00 | $99.86 | $16.00 | 1,007 Mbps | 26.8% | 111 / 22 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Arkansas | $93.26 | $70.00 | $106.19 | $21.67 | 853 Mbps | 35.1% | 13 / 9 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Ohio | $91.96 | $80.00 | $98.04 | $16.00 | 764 Mbps | 21.5% | 94 / 17 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| North Carolina | $91.29 | $80.00 | $94.33 | $12.23 | 977 Mbps | 32.9% | 47 / 15 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Wisconsin | $90.97 | $80.00 | $98.05 | $16.00 | 853 Mbps | 33.5% | 22 / 10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| South Carolina | $90.71 | $80.00 | $94.43 | $16.00 | 753 Mbps | 13.6% | 40 / 16 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Iowa | $90.26 | $80.00 | $94.93 | $12.00 | 1,098 Mbps | 54.4% | 57 / 15 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Maine | $89.31 | $80.00 | $90.00 | $16.00 | 729 Mbps | 48.6% | 2 / 2 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Alabama | $89.13 | $80.00 | $94.28 | $16.00 | 3,756 Mbps | 14.1% | 22 / 10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Hawaii | $88.15 | $80.00 | $90.73 | $16.00 | 658 Mbps | 15.0% | 11 / 2 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Wyoming | $86.67 | $85.00 | $86.67 | $4.25 | 2,667 Mbps | 100.0% | 1 / 1 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| New Hampshire | $85.34 | $78.99 | $95.44 | $39.49 | 470 Mbps | 53.6% | 2 / 2 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Montana | $85.13 | $75.00 | $117.60 | $170.00 | 135 Mbps | 20.0% | 1 / 1 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Vermont | $82.11 | $70.00 | $98.75 | $70.00 | 440 Mbps | 50.0% | 1 / 1 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| West Virginia | $80.46 | $75.00 | $98.79 | $19.00 | 976 Mbps | 31.1% | 3 / 3 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| North Dakota | $71.55 | $69.95 | $75.62 | $14.00 | 580 Mbps | 85.7% | 4 / 3 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| Idaho | $71.12 | $66.00 | $71.77 | $12.67 | 1,033 Mbps | 44.1% | 37 / 7 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| South Dakota | $64.65 | $60.00 | $64.65 | $12.00 | 922 Mbps | 53.3% | 3 / 2 | C | FCC URS 2026 |
| United States | $98.66 | $90.00 | $104.27 | $16.00 | 1,161 Mbps | 30.9% | 1,645 / 234 | — | FCC URS 2026 |
Two columns do the explaining here. Median $ per 100 Mbps strips out plan size: Utah and Missouri both sit at $11.00 per 100 Mbps, even though their average bills clear $100, because their providers sell a lot of fast plans. Alaska’s $120.00 per 100 Mbps is the outlier nobody else comes close to among graded states. Fiber share of offers tracks overbuild, not price: New York (56.4%), Iowa (54.4%) and Virginia (54.3%) lead the A-grade states.
Is Slower Internet Cheaper? The Slow-Lane Premium (SLP™)
No. In 2026 it’s the opposite at the bottom of the menu.
Nationally, plans under 100 Mbps average $65.05 a month and plans at 100–299 Mbps average $51.84, per Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of FCC 2026 data. That gap is the Slow-Lane Premium (SLP™): the percentage by which a state’s sub-100 Mbps plans cost more than its 100–299 Mbps plans. Formula: SLP = P(under 100 Mbps) ÷ P(100–299 Mbps) − 1. Nationally it’s +25.5%.
The composition explains it. DSL makes up 63.4% of the household weight in the sub-100 Mbps tier and fixed wireless 27.9%, per FCC 2026 records. Those are copper and radio networks carrying their own cost structures and little competitive pressure; cable and fiber operators fight over the 100–299 tier with entry pricing. The result: the household stuck on a legacy line pays more for less. The positive gap shows up in 29 of 39 A- and B-grade states.
SLP™ by State: A- and B-Grade States (2026)
| State | SLP™ | Avg. price, under 100 Mbps | Avg. price, 100–299 Mbps | Avg. price, 1–1.99 Gbps | Grade | Source (data year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | +60.9% | $60.35 | $37.50 | $120.46 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Illinois | +53.5% | $66.16 | $43.11 | $121.89 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Maryland | +51.1% | $60.35 | $39.93 | $125.50 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Massachusetts | +49.6% | $57.27 | $38.28 | $125.26 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Alabama | +44.4% | $67.93 | $47.06 | $105.46 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Minnesota | +41.0% | $61.94 | $43.94 | $115.37 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Michigan | +40.5% | $66.38 | $47.24 | $110.66 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Colorado | +34.8% | $59.72 | $44.30 | $116.40 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Oregon | +33.8% | $59.05 | $44.14 | $116.97 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Missouri | +32.9% | $67.50 | $50.80 | $101.53 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Indiana | +32.5% | $66.45 | $50.16 | $115.31 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Georgia | +32.0% | $68.70 | $52.04 | $110.15 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| South Carolina | +31.8% | $64.20 | $48.72 | $104.31 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Tennessee | +29.8% | $66.70 | $51.39 | $106.58 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Washington | +29.5% | $59.20 | $45.73 | $124.20 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| California | +29.3% | $66.16 | $51.15 | $108.17 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Florida | +28.3% | $66.00 | $51.43 | $106.05 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | +19.0% | $60.97 | $51.23 | $131.51 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Utah | +16.1% | $55.25 | $47.58 | $102.07 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| New Mexico | +15.7% | $60.19 | $52.02 | $123.63 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Nevada | +10.3% | $65.59 | $59.48 | $110.32 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Texas | +10.2% | $66.04 | $59.91 | $104.02 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Mississippi | +8.1% | $70.00 | $64.77 | $94.59 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Louisiana | +7.9% | $66.44 | $61.56 | $105.55 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Arkansas | +5.1% | $65.49 | $62.33 | $98.68 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Oklahoma | +3.8% | $67.83 | $65.35 | $105.68 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Idaho | +3.0% | $64.72 | $62.81 | $82.79 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Kansas | +0.6% | $64.17 | $63.82 | $96.62 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| Wisconsin | +0.2% | $67.47 | $67.36 | $97.41 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Ohio | -0.3% | $68.66 | $68.88 | $100.67 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Arizona | -0.4% | $58.55 | $58.78 | $111.23 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Kentucky | -1.4% | $73.54 | $74.61 | $96.04 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| North Carolina | -2.0% | $67.07 | $68.44 | $97.61 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Connecticut | -6.9% | $45.89 | $49.27 | $113.39 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Nebraska | -10.0% | $58.50 | $65.00 | $109.36 | B | FCC URS 2026 |
| New Jersey | -13.3% | $39.01 | $44.97 | $123.33 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Iowa | -20.2% | $59.68 | $74.76 | $102.51 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| New York | -29.5% | $38.84 | $55.06 | $103.10 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| Alaska | -32.7% | $82.53 | $122.66 | $164.48 | A | FCC URS 2026 |
| United States | +25.5% | $65.05 | $51.84 | $109.11 | — | FCC URS 2026 |
Virginia’s number stops you: $60.35 for sub-100 Mbps service against $37.50 for 100–299 Mbps, a 60.9% premium. Illinois (+53.5%), Maryland (+51.1%) and Massachusetts (+49.6%) follow. At the other end, New York’s sub-100 Mbps plans average $38.84, 29.5% below its 100–299 Mbps tier.
If you’re on DSL, check what the cable or fiber provider on your street charges for its entry tier. The docs won’t volunteer it: in most states that plan is both faster and cheaper.
Did Internet Prices Go Up in 2026?
Depends which number you read. The raw average monthly charge rose from $91.71 in the 2025 FCC survey to $98.66 in 2026, a 7.6% increase. Priced like-for-like — the same speed tiers, the same basket weights — Axis Intelligence Research calculates prices fell 4.5%.
Both are true. Providers raised the floor of what they sell: the national average advertised download in surveyed plans went from 676 Mbps to 1,161 Mbps between the two surveys. A household that keeps its old tier is paying less; the menu handed to new customers starts higher.
The Pacific Northwest and the upper Midwest show the gap most sharply:
| State | Raw avg. price change, 2025→2026 | Like-for-like change | Avg. advertised download, 2025 → 2026 | Grade | Source (data year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | +34.9% | +8.9% | 579 → 1,703 Mbps | A | FCC URS 2025, 2026 |
| Colorado | +32.8% | +7.2% | 514 → 1,605 Mbps | A | FCC URS 2025, 2026 |
| Minnesota | +29.2% | +0.3% | 531 → 1,570 Mbps | A | FCC URS 2025, 2026 |
| Washington | +28.5% | +4.6% | 558 → 1,559 Mbps | A | FCC URS 2025, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | +16.1% | −12.7% | 566 → 1,159 Mbps | A | FCC URS 2025, 2026 |
Massachusetts is the cleanest case: the average bill rose 16.1% while the price of any given tier fell 12.7%. Every dollar of increase came from the plan mix.
States Where the Story Is
Alaska: 59% more for the same plan
Alaska’s SSPI™ of 159.1 is the highest in the country, built on the largest number of rate records of any state in the survey (1,720 records across 77 tracts). Its 100/20 Mbps-and-up plans average $156.15 against a national $104.27. The FCC runs a separate Alaska stratum and publishes a separate Alaska reasonable-comparability benchmark — $127.49 for 100/20 Mbps unlimited versus $96.46 nationally, per FCC Public Notice DA 25-1088. Same-tier prices barely moved year over year (+0.4%). Alaska is also the one A-grade state where slow plans are cheaper than mid-tier ones (SLP™ −32.7%), because its 100–299 Mbps plans average $122.66.
Illinois: the highest bill in the lower 48, for two reasons
Illinois has the highest raw average ($110.03) and the highest lower-48 SSPI™ (108.7). Most states that rank high on raw price get there on plan size; Illinois pays a premium at the same speed too. It also carries the second-highest Slow-Lane Premium among graded states (+53.5%): $66.16 for sub-100 Mbps against $43.11 for 100–299 Mbps.
Idaho: cheapest on both views
Idaho’s $71.12 average is the lowest of any A- or B-grade state, and its SSPI™ of 80.8 is the lowest too. Advertised speeds aren’t thin — the average surveyed plan listed 1,033 Mbps — and 44.1% of offers ran over fiber.
New York: a big market priced below the curve
New York scores 92.1 on SSPI™, sixth-lowest overall and second-lowest among A-grade states after Idaho. Its sub-100 Mbps plans average $38.84, the cheapest slow tier of any graded state, and 56.4% of surveyed offers were fiber.
Virginia: the steepest penalty for staying slow
Virginia’s SLP™ of +60.9% is the widest in the country among graded states. The state’s overall SSPI™ is below average (97.9) and like-for-like prices fell 7.0% — the market is competitive where it’s competitive, and the sub-100 Mbps tier isn’t part of that.
South Carolina and Kentucky: the largest like-for-like cuts
Among A-grade states, South Carolina (−14.3%), Kentucky (−14.1%) and Massachusetts (−12.7%) posted the steepest same-tier price declines between the 2025 and 2026 surveys, followed by Wisconsin (−12.2%), Ohio (−10.8%) and North Carolina (−10.2%).
Alabama: prices up at the same speed
Alabama’s like-for-like prices rose 10.9%, the largest increase among A-grade states, even though its raw average barely moved (+0.5%). The average surveyed Alabama plan advertised 3,756 Mbps in 2026, pulled up by multi-gig fiber offers.
How Axis Intelligence Research Built This Ranking
Source. Every price comes from the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics fixed broadband Urban Rate Survey — the survey the FCC uses to set the reasonable-comparability benchmarks that Universal Service Fund recipients must price at or below. The 2026 survey drew 2,000 sampling units from a frame of 321,818 provider–tract pairs covering 1,129 providers and 58,665 urban census tracts in the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, per the FCC’s data file notes.
What we used. Total monthly charge (monthly charge + other mandatory charges + surcharges), undiscounted and unbundled, for standalone internet service. We weighted each rate record with the FCC’s household weight, which the FCC designates for national and subnational average-charge estimates (the 2025 file splits this into a separate field, Weight2, which we used for 2025). Puerto Rico appears in the CSV but is excluded from rankings and national figures.
What the survey covers. These are urban census tracts and advertised list prices: no promotional discounts, no bundles, no equipment rental unless mandatory. That makes the data clean for comparing markets and understates what many rural households pay.
Reliability grades. State samples range from 1 to 137 tracts. Grade A: 20+ tracts and 5+ providers (30 states). Grade B: 8–19 tracts and 3+ providers (9 states). Grade C: below that (11 states and DC). C-grade rows are published for completeness; no headline in this article relies on one.
Year-over-year. The FCC draws a new random sample each year, so the tracts differ between surveys. Like-for-like change uses 2026 national tier weights: Σ w(t) × [P2026(t) ÷ P2025(t)] − 1, over tiers present in both years.
All calculations were run in Python against the FCC files and re-verified before publication; every figure in this article appears in the dataset below.
Download the Data and Embed the Map
Dataset: internet-prices-by-state.csv — 1,186 rows, one observation per state, metric and survey year (2025 and 2026), with source, retrieval date, sample size and reliability grade on every row. License: CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Axis Intelligence Research, Internet Prices by State 2026.
Embed the interactive map (free, attribution required):
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<p>Source: <a href="https://axis-intelligence.com/internet-prices-by-state/">Axis Intelligence Research, Internet Prices by State 2026</a> (FCC Urban Rate Survey data).</p>
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- APA: Axis Intelligence Research, & Porter, J. (2026). Internet prices by state 2026. https://axis-intelligence.com/internet-prices-by-state/
- MLA: Axis Intelligence Research, and James Porter. “Internet Prices by State 2026.” Axis Intelligence, 29 Sept. 2026, axis-intelligence.com/internet-prices-by-state/.
- Chicago: Axis Intelligence Research and James Porter. “Internet Prices by State 2026.” Axis Intelligence, September 29, 2026. https://axis-intelligence.com/internet-prices-by-state/.
For connection counts, availability and competition data, see our broadband statistics hub.
Internet Price Questions, Answered with FCC Data
What should 100 Mbps internet cost in my state?
Nationally, plans at 100–299 Mbps average $51.84 a month in the FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey, per Axis Intelligence Research. State averages for that tier range from $37.50 in Virginia to $122.66 in Alaska among A- and B-grade states; the SLP™ table above lists every graded state.
Why is my 50 Mbps DSL plan more expensive than 200 Mbps cable?
Because sub-100 Mbps service is mostly DSL and fixed wireless, which averaged $65.05 a month in 2026 versus $51.84 for 100–299 Mbps plans, per Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of FCC data. That 25.5% gap is the Slow-Lane Premium (SLP™).
What is a “reasonable” price for broadband according to the FCC?
For 2026, the FCC set its reasonable-comparability benchmark at $96.46 per month for 100/20 Mbps unlimited service and $123.15 for 1,000/100 Mbps, per FCC Public Notice DA 25-1088. Universal Service Fund recipients must offer rates at or below these benchmarks.
Why did my internet bill go up if prices fell?
The average surveyed plan got faster — from 676 Mbps to 1,161 Mbps between the 2025 and 2026 FCC surveys — so the average bill rose 7.6% while same-tier prices fell 4.5%, per Axis Intelligence Research. Staying on the same tier usually costs less than moving up.
How much does gigabit internet cost in 2026?
Plans at 1,000–1,999 Mbps averaged $109.11 a month nationally in the FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey, per Axis Intelligence Research. Among graded states, the average ranges from $82.79 in Idaho to $164.48 in Alaska.
Is fiber internet more expensive than cable?
On the average bill, yes: fiber plans averaged $121.43 a month and cable plans $94.79 in 2026 FCC survey data. But the average fiber plan advertised 2,281 Mbps against 838 Mbps for cable, per Axis Intelligence Research, so fiber’s price per megabit is lower.
Which state has the cheapest internet in 2026?
Idaho, among states with robust FCC samples: $71.12 a month on average and an SSPI™ of 80.8 (U.S. = 100), per Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of the FCC 2026 Urban Rate Survey.