Minority Americans and young adults are among the groups that are most attuned to the need for a home broadband connection. African-Americans and English-speaking Latinos are significantly more likely than whites to say that a lack of broadband access is a “major disadvantage” when it comes to finding out about job opportunities; getting health information; learning new things to improve or enrich one’s life; using government services; and keeping up with local community happenings.

On the other side of the spectrum, attitudes about the importance of broadband service in daily life drop dramatically for those ages 65 and older. Seniors are significantly less likely than other age groups to view a lack of broadband access as a major disadvantage across a range of topics—from finding out about job or career opportunities to using government services.