During the summer of 2021, the City launched the Philadelphia Household Internet Assessment Survey to better understand the digital access needs of its residents. Previous data–from the 2019 American Community Survey–did not represent the current state of Philadelphia’s internet and device usage.
To inform its digital equity work, the City needed fresh data and worked with Wilco Electronic Systems, Centri Tech, SSRS, and broadband expert Dr. John Horrigan to create and conduct this survey.
So, what does the data say about Philadelphia’s digital needs?
Let’s talk numbers
The report, “Connecting Philadelphia: 2021 Household Internet Assessment Survey,” shows that Philadelphia is making progress.
Here are some key data points:
Technology adoption
- 84% of Philadelphia households have home high-speed internet connections, a marked increase from the 70% reported in the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS).
- 75% of Philadelphia households have a working desktop or laptop computer, compared with 71% in 2019 (according to the ACS).