If you want the fastest broadband Internet in the US, consider moving to Virginia. That’s the takeaway from a new bit of research from communications firm Broadview Networks, which ranks average broadband speeds for all 50 United States and the District of Colombia.
Virginia tops the list with an average connection speed of 13.7 megabits per second (about 1.7 megabytes per second), while Alaska pulls up the rear at a relatively meager 7Mbps (about .875 megabytes per second). Delaware and Massachusetts are tied for second fastest at 13.1Mbps; Rhode Island and the District of Colombia round out the top five with average speeds of 12.9 and 12.8Mbps, respectively.
Broadview NetworksBroadview’s research—an analysis of data provided in Akamai’s State of the Internet Report—shows that California ranks 20th, with an average speed of 10.9Mbps (1.36MB/sec): A surprising result, perhaps, given the fact that it’s home to Silicon Valley.
In general, Broadview found that Midwestern and Southern states lagged behind the Northeast and West Coast in average speed.
It goes without saying, but average Internet speeds don’t tell the whole story: Actual connection speeds can vary widely depending on your provider, your connection type (DSL, cable, and so on), and where you live. If you would like to get an idea of how your provider stacks up, YouTube’s Video Quality Report can give you a snapshot of how your ISP compares to others in your area.