CALIFORNIA’S DIGITAL DIVIDE

AUGUST 2010

 CALIFORNIANS’ ACCESS TO BROADBAND CONTINUES TO RISE—EVEN IN A SEVERE RECESSION.

Currently, 70% of Californians have access to high-speed broadband Internet at home (up from 62%
a year ago and 55% in 2008). Internet use increased about as much this year (up 5 points) as last year
and has climbed 16 points since 2000 (65% in 2000, 70% in 2008, 76% in 2009, 81% today). By
comparison, 79% of Americans report using the Internet and 66% have access to broadband at home,
according to a 2010 Pew Internet & American Life Project survey.

 DESPITE GROWTH IN USE, DIFFERENCES PERSIST ACROSS MANY GROUPS.

Despite double-digit gains in Internet use and access to broadband since 2008, some groups still
remain much more likely than others to report use of information technology. Internet use and
access to broadband are reported by overwhelming majorities of whites (90% Internet, 82%
broadband), Asians (87% Internet, 77% broadband), and blacks (82% Internet, 70% broadband),
compared to far fewer percentages of Latinos (65% Internet, 50% broadband). U.S. natives are far
more likely than noncitizens to use the Internet (89% vs. 51%) and to have access to broadband
(79% vs. 36%). Nearly all college graduates (95%) use the Internet, compared to only 62% of those
without any college education; and 90% of college graduates have access to broadband, compared
to only 46% of those with no college education. Those with incomes of $80,000 or more are far more
likely than those with incomes under $40,000 to use the Internet (98% vs. 66%) or to have
broadband at home (94% vs. 49%). Homeowners are much more likely than renters to use the
Internet (85% vs. 75%) and to have access to broadband at home (77% vs. 61%).

 USAGE VARIES ACROSS LATINO SUBGROUPS.

While technology use among Latinos as a group has increased steadily, stark differences emerge
among Latinos. Reports of technology use among some subgroups are on a par with other
racial/ethnic groups: Latinos who are U.S. born (87% Internet, 70% broadband), those who prefer
to speak English (89% Internet, 72% broadband), and those who earn at least $40,000 per year
(85% Internet, 73% broadband). However, other subgroups lag far behind: Latinos who are
noncitizens (40% Internet, 25% broadband) or who are naturalized (59% Internet, 45% broadband),
those who prefer to speak Spanish (45% Internet, 30% broadband), and those who earn under
$40,000 per year (56% Internet, 38% broadband).

 INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER RESIDENTS REMAIN AT A TECHNOLOGICAL DISADVANTAGE.

Californians with disabilities are far less likely than others to use information technologies. Among
those who report having a disability, handicap, chronic disease, or who say they have difficulty
seeing, hearing, walking, or talking, 68% use the Internet and 55% have access to broadband,
compared to 85% and 75%, respectively, of those who do not report a disability. Residents age 55
and older are much less likely to report Internet use and access to broadband (73% Internet, 64%
broadband) than residents ages 18 to 34 (87% Internet, 76% broadband).

 FEWER DIFFERENCES EMERGE ACROSS OTHER GROUPS.

Men are just 4 points more likely than women to use the Internet, but 7 points more likely to have
access to broadband. Access and use of Internet technology is similar among Californians with and
without children age 18 or younger and among Californians from both rural and urban communities.

www.ppic.org
 California’s Digital Divide
Internet use* Broadband at home
2008 2009 2010 2008 2009 2010
All adults 70% 76% 81% 55% 62% 70%
Asians 80 85 87 67 74 77
Blacks 82 81 82 66 62 70
Race/Ethnicity
Latinos 48 53 65 34 39 50
Whites 81 88 90 68 75 82
U.S.-born 81 85 89 67 71 79
Citizenship Naturalized citizen 62 68 71 46 57 60
Noncitizen 36 45 51 23 31 36
No college 47 54 62 32 37 46
Education Some college 81 84 88 63 69 75
College graduate 92 93 95 81 83 90
Under $40,000 49 58 66 33 40 49
Income $40,000 to under $80,000 83 87 86 64 74 78
$80,000 or more 92 97 98 85 89 94
Own 76 83 85 64 73 77
Homeownership
Rent 61 66 75 44 48 61
Yes 57 60 68 36 47 55
Disability**
No 73 79 85 60 65 75
18 to 34 78 83 87 60 65 76
Age 35 to 54 73 75 83 61 64 73
55 and older 58 68 73 44 57 64
Men 71 77 83 59 65 74
Gender
Women 68 74 79 52 59 67

Children age 18 Yes 69 74 83 54 62 71

or younger? No 71 77 81 57 63 71
Central Valley 71 67 78 53 51 64
San Francisco Bay Area 77 86 86 65 73 79
Region Los Angeles 61 71 78 48 58 67
Orange/San Diego 73 81 82 58 70 75
Inland Empire 70 76 81 56 60 71
Rural 63 77 81 51 59 69
Community
Urban 70 76 81 56 63 71
* “Internet use” includes those who answered yes to the question “Do you ever go online to access the Internet or send or receive email?”
or to the question “Do you send or receive email, at least occasionally?”
** For 2008, “Disability” includes those who answered yes to the question “Does any disability, handicap, or chronic disease keep you from
participating fully in work, school, housework, or other activities, or not?” Since 2009, it includes those who answered yes to that question or
to the question “Do you often have difficulty seeing, hearing, talking, or walking in the course of your everyday life?”
Sources: (1) PPIC Statewide Surveys, June 2008 (2,503 adults), June 2009 (2,502 adults), and July 2010 (2,502 adults). Margin of error for
all adults is ±2%; margin of error for subgroups is larger. (2) Pew Internet & American Life Project, Spring 2010.
Note: June 2008 and June 2009 surveys were supported with funding from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) and ZeroDivide.
Contact: surveys@ppic.org

www.ppic.org