Digging into the biggest broadband barriers in the Bronx

As states and cities across the US seek to close their digital divides, getting a closer look at where and why the problem is particularly persistent is key to finding the right solutions. In New York City, the greatest digital divide exists in the borough of the Bronx. The third-most densely populated county in the US, the Bronx is home to roughly 1.4 million people, as of the most recent census data. It also has the lowest rate of broadband adoption in the city of New York, with 22.4 percent of households lacking broadband, compared to 18 percent in Queens and 12.5 percent in Manhattan. A new report from the Center for an Urban Future—Understanding and Overcoming the Bronx Digital Divide—finds that the Bronx faces the digital divide at every level – from affordability to device access – putting the borough at "a very serious disadvantage" compared to the rest of the city.