NC Strategic Scorecard
7.4.1 Private Technology Access

Target: At least 100% of US average personal internet access rate
Actual: 94% of US average
US Rank 2003: 42nd (up from 44th in 1999)
SE Rank 2003: 6th (up from 7th in 1999)
SE Region: AL FL GA KY MS NC SC TN VA WV   Updated 4/12/06
 
Primary Performance Indicator

Percent Of Households With Internet Access
 Performance Trend:
Improving
The trend depicts the degree to which actual performance has approached the target in recent years.
Comments
•

NC's household internet access rate is rapidly improving.

•

In 2003, NC’s private internet access rate rose to nearly 94% of the US average, ranking it 37th in the nation and 4th in the SE region.

•

In 2004, NC continued to close the gap and, by some reports, may have surged ahead of the national average. A recent study by the e-NC Authority concluded that, by the end of 2004, NC’s internet access rate had surpassed the US average.
  Definition (What Is Being Measured)
Percent of households with internet access.
Source: US Commerce Dept., National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) and US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Internet and Computer Use Supplement; Governing Magazine, State & Local Sourcebook, Progressive Policy Institute and NC Rural Internet Access Authority.		 Relevance (Why This Is Important)
Private household internet access is an important indicator of public involvement in the digital economy and state competitiveness in emerging Internet-driven economic sectors (e.g., retail goods and services).
 
Other Highlights
North Carolina
•
 In 2003, NC’s high-speed access rate was the 17th highest in the US, and all of NC’s counties had high-speed Internet service, but service availability varied widely by county.
•
 In 2005, the Triangle was ranked the 8th most wireless-accessible metro area in the US (Source: Intel).
•
 In 2003, 66.1% of the Raleigh/Durham population had internet access, ranking it 16th among metro areas and 18.1% had high-speed connections, ranking it 28th among metro areas (Scarborough Research and Governing Magazine).
•
 In 2003, 75% of NC’s zip codes had at least one high-speed Internet subscriber, the 8th highest rate in the US and the 2nd highest in the SE region (Source: FCC).
  
   
•
 In 2003, all of NC's counties had high-speed internet service, but service availability varied widely by county (Source: NC Rural Economic Development Center).
Other
• In 2000, only 20% of NC households had Internet access, ranking NC 46th in the nation (Source: Governing Magazine).
• In 2000, only 35% of NC households had computers, ranking NC 45th in the US (Source: Governing Magazine).
Southeast Region
National
Global
  Data Links
National Telecommunications & Information Administration
Public Technology Inc.
  
National Association of State Chief Information Officials (NASCIO)
Southern Growth Policies Board 2004 report
NC Rural Internet Access Authority
Goal 7.4: Support an Extensive Technology Infrastructure