What does this measure?
The percentage of households that have access to the Internet.
Why is this important?
Access to the Internet is crucial for households to communicate, search for jobs, complete schoolwork and participate in other important activities like banking, health care access and consumer research.
How is our region doing?
In 2014-18, 87% of households in MetroWest had access to the Internet, slightly higher than the state (85%) and higher than the national rate of 81%. Worcester County's rate of 84% was lower than Middlesex and Norfolk (88% and 89%).
Rates of Internet access were 95% or higher in, Boxborough, Dover, Harvard, Lexington, Medway, Sherborn and Sudbury. Waltham and Milford were on the lower end of the spectrum, with 87% and 85%, respectively. Rates were 88% in Framingham and 91% in Natick. The rate in Boston, for comparison, was 84%.
Notes about the data
Internet access questions were not included in surveys until 2013. Data for this indicator is expected to be released annually in December.
2014-18 | |
---|---|
United States | 81% |
Massachusetts | 85% |
Region | 87% |
Middlesex | 88% |
Norfolk | 89% |
Worcester | 84% |
Acton town, Middlesex County | 93% |
Ashland town, Middlesex County | 93% |
Bedford town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Bellingham town, Norfolk County | 91% |
Boxborough town, Middlesex County | 96% |
Carlisle town, Middlesex County | 94% |
Concord town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Dedham town, Norfolk County | 88% |
Dover town, Norfolk County | 98% |
Framingham city, Middlesex County | 88% |
Franklin town, Norfolk County | 93% |
Groton town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Harvard town, Worcester County | 95% |
Holliston town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County | 94% |
Hudson town, Middlesex County | 88% |
Lexington town, Middlesex County | 95% |
Lincoln town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Littleton town, Middlesex County | 90% |
Marlborough city, Middlesex County | 91% |
Maynard town, Middlesex County | 92% |
Medfield town, Norfolk County | 94% |
Medway town, Norfolk County | 95% |
Milford town, Worcester County | 85% |
Millis town, Norfolk County | 94% |
Natick town, Middlesex County | 91% |
Needham town, Norfolk County | 94% |
Sherborn town, Middlesex County | 95% |
Southborough town, Worcester County | 93% |
Stow town, Middlesex County | 93% |
Sudbury town, Middlesex County | 97% |
Walpole town, Norfolk County | 91% |
Waltham city, Middlesex County | 87% |
Wayland town, Middlesex County | 93% |
Wellesley town, Norfolk County | 93% |
Westborough town, Worcester County | 93% |
Westford town, Middlesex County | 93% |
Weston town, Middlesex County | 90% |
Westwood town, Norfolk County | 92% |
Notes: * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.
2014-18 | |
---|---|
United States | 96,820,405 |
Massachusetts | 2,212,749 |
Region | 1,024,474 |
Middlesex | 530,803 |
Norfolk | 234,333 |
Worcester | 259,338 |
Acton town, Middlesex County | 8,169 |
Ashland town, Middlesex County | 6,245 |
Bedford town, Middlesex County | 4,821 |
Bellingham town, Norfolk County | 5,827 |
Boxborough town, Middlesex County | 2,180 |
Carlisle town, Middlesex County | 1,712 |
Concord town, Middlesex County | 6,218 |
Dedham town, Norfolk County | 8,771 |
Dover town, Norfolk County | 1,967 |
Framingham city, Middlesex County | 24,756 |
Franklin town, Norfolk County | 10,807 |
Groton town, Middlesex County | 3,738 |
Harvard town, Worcester County | 1,766 |
Holliston town, Middlesex County | 4,881 |
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County | 5,622 |
Hudson town, Middlesex County | 6,728 |
Lexington town, Middlesex County | 11,118 |
Lincoln town, Middlesex County | 2,460 |
Littleton town, Middlesex County | 3,190 |
Marlborough city, Middlesex County | 14,269 |
Maynard town, Middlesex County | 3,917 |
Medfield town, Norfolk County | 3,907 |
Medway town, Norfolk County | 4,449 |
Milford town, Worcester County | 9,417 |
Millis town, Norfolk County | 2,831 |
Natick town, Middlesex County | 13,052 |
Needham town, Norfolk County | 10,066 |
Sherborn town, Middlesex County | 1,471 |
Southborough town, Worcester County | 3,261 |
Stow town, Middlesex County | 2,397 |
Sudbury town, Middlesex County | 6,161 |
Walpole town, Norfolk County | 8,105 |
Waltham city, Middlesex County | 20,542 |
Wayland town, Middlesex County | 4,594 |
Wellesley town, Norfolk County | 8,021 |
Westborough town, Worcester County | 6,312 |
Westford town, Middlesex County | 7,748 |
Weston town, Middlesex County | 3,434 |
Westwood town, Norfolk County | 5,037 |
Notes: * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.
INDICATORS | TREND |
---|---|
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments | Increasing |
Households Without Vehicles | Maintaining |
Means of Transportation to Work | Not Applicable |
Average Travel Time to Work | Increasing |
Households With Internet Access | Not Applicable |
Voter Participation Rate | Decreasing |
Average Charitable Contribution | Maintaining |
Protected Land | Not Applicable |
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate | Increasing |
Crimes Against People | Decreasing |
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |