DIGITAL EQUITY IN MARYLAND

Hundreds of thousands of households in Maryland do not have a foundational tool for internet connectivity – a wireline high-speed internet subscription for their home. Expensive subscription plans tend to keep people offline in urban areas, while poor network quality often discourages subscription in rural areas. Both problems are common throughout the state. In both cases, understanding where these problems are most severe is critical for decision making.

Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance

BNIA's new map sheds light on the geography of disconnection in Maryland. A two-thirds majority of disconnected Marylanders live in metro counties or Baltimore City. 40% of all Marylanders without wireline broadband are African American and the figures are similar for computer ownership of any kind (i.e., desktop, laptop, or tablet). Overall, nearly three-quarters of all disconnected Maryland households have incomes below the state’s median income. The map shows where high-speed internet subscription gaps are greatest - and by how much. 

Help Close Adoption Gaps & Address Disparities

• Engage in the statewide broadband planning process to address all dimensions of the problem
• Create partnerships focused on expanding digital inclusion and seek unprecedented federal and state funding for digital inclusion and network deployment
• Promote and increase public awareness of internet service affordability programs
• Improve access to computing devices for households with school children, low-income households, and Black and Latinx households
• Support digital literacy programs for learners of all ages

Research & Reports

In 2020 Community Development Network of Maryland (CDN) commissioned a research report, “Disconnected in Maryland: Statewide Data  Show the Racial and Economic Underpinnings of the Digital Divide,” authored by John Horrigan, Ph.D.: and funded by a grant from the Abell Foundation: 

NDIA Digital Inclusion Start Up Manual 

Digital divide persists even as Americans with lower incomes make gains in tech adoption - Pew Research Center