Top Cities Offering the Fastest Internet in the U.S.

Key findings

Clearwater, FL ranks first for the best city in the U.S. for fast internet with 345 Mbps of average download speed and 269 Mbps of average upload speed.
Abilene, TX ranks second with 353 Mbps of average download speed and 194 Mbps of average upload speed.
Garland, TX ranks last on our top 20 list with 215 Mbps of average download speed and 84 Mbps of average upload speed.

The U.S. News & World Report evaluated 150 cities around the U.S. to rank the overall “best places to live in 2023.” They considered things like quality of life, job availability and whether or not the area was a desirable place to be with good value.

Sure, the job market is important, but our experts know what’s really on your mind: What cities have the best and fastest internet in the U.S? Take a quick look at the top five places to live in the country if you’re prioritizing a high-speed internet connection and what you can expect as far as internet service availability.

Methodology

We analyzed MLab speed test results from Q1-Q2 2023 for the data in this article. We also sourced information from the FCC National Broadband Map for the percentage of residents with access to certain speeds in each city.

U.S. cities with the fastest internet speeds

1. Clearwater, FL

Clearwater Beach in Florida, Coastal View of Pier, Drone Photo of Beach — Image credit: Getty Images

Clearwater, FL ranks number one on our list for best U.S. cities for internet, with 345 Mbps of download speed and 269 Mbps of upload speed. MClearwater falls short when it comes to gigabit access, with only 23% of residents able to access 1000/100 Mbps, but over 94% have access to at least 250 Mbps.

Average download speed: 345 Mbps

Average upload speed: 269 Mbps

Population: 117,027

% of residents with access to gigabit speeds: 23.6%

Types of internet available: Satellite, 5G, fiber, cable

Providers in Clearwater:

Shop internet providers in Clearwater, FL

2. Abilene, TX

Abilene, Texas downtown — Image credit: Getty Images

Abilene, TX follows Clearwater as the best city for internet. Abilene actually has a higher average download speed than Clearwater with 353 Mbps, but its slower upload speed of 194 Mbps drops it down a notch. Over 74% of Abilene residents have access to gigabit speeds (1000/100 Mbps) and 100% of residents have access to at least 100 Mbps of internet speed.

Average download speed: 353 Mbps

Average upload speed: 194 Mbps

Population: 127,385

% of residents with access to gigabit speeds: 74.4%

Types of internet available: Satellite, 5G, fiber, cable

Providers in Abilene:

Shop internet providers in Abilene, TX

3. Oakland, CA

Oakland aerial photo — Image credit: Getty Images

With an average download speed of 270 Mbps, Oakland, CA has the third fastest internet speed in the U.S. Oakland’s average upload speed is 184 Mbps, but 80% of its residents have access to gigabit speeds.

Average download speed: 270 Mbps

Average upload speed: 184 Mbps

Population: 430,553

% of residents with access to gigabit speeds: 80%

Types of internet available: Satellite, 5G, fiber, cable

Providers in Oakland:

Shop internet providers in Oakland, CA

4. Centennial, CO

Centennial, CO has an average download speed of 267 Mbps and an average upload speed of 175 Mbps, placing it as fourth overall in our best cities for fast internet rankings. 62% of Centennial residents have access to gigabit speeds and nearly 100% of residents have access to at least 250 Mbps.

Average download speed: 267 Mbps

Average upload speed: 175 Mbps

Population: 105,865

% of residents with access to gigabit speeds: 62%

Types of internet available: Satellite, 5G, fiber, cable

Providers in Centennial:

Shop internet providers in Centennial, CO

5. Madison, WI

Aerial view of Madison city downtown at sunset, Wisconsin — Image credit: Getty Images

Finishing out our top five list is Madison, WI with an average download speed of 235 Mbps and average upload speed of 173 Mbps. Only about 37% of Madison residents have access to gigabit speeds, but 94% of residents can get at least 250 Mbps.

Average download speed: 235 Mbps

Average upload speed: 173 Mbps

Population: 272,903

% of residents with access to gigabit speeds: 37%

Types of internet available: Satellite, 5G, fiber, cable

Providers in Madison:

Shop internet providers in Madison, WI

Summary of top 20 best U.S. cities for internet speed

The remaining 15 cities after our Top Five best cities in the U.S. for fast internet are listed below. Greeley, CO follows Madison, WI as the 6th-ranked city with 245 Mbps of average download speed. After Greeley, there isn’t much variation between average download speeds with most cities averaging out between 215 Mbps and 234 Mbps.

The average upload speeds of the remaining cities range from 83 – 126 Mbps, with some cities with faster upload speeds ranking higher even if their download speeds are slower than others.

The last city on our top 20 list is Garland, TX, with average speeds of 215/84 Mbps.

City	Average download speed	Average upload speed	Population
Clearwater, FL	345 Mbps	269 Mbps	117,027
Abilene, TX	353 Mbps	194 Mbps	127,385
Oakland, CA	270 Mbps	184 Mbps	430,553
Centennial, CO	267 Mbps	175 Mbps	105,865
Madison, WI	235 Mbps	173 Mbps	272,903
Greeley, CO	245 Mbps	94 Mbps	109,209
Lewisville, TX	227 Mbps	126 Mbps	131,215
Frisco, TX	223 Mbps	120 Mbps	219,587
Surprise, AZ	227 Mbps	114 Mbps	154,198
Miramar, FL	234 Mbps	83 Mbps	137,228
Huntsville, AL	222 Mbps	121 Mbps	221,933
Des Moines, IA	220 Mbps	120 Mbps	211,034
Lynn, MA	224 Mbps	98 Mbps	100,891
Hesperia, CA	219 Mbps	104 Mbps	100,744
Ann Arbor, MI	218 Mbps	103 Mbps	119,875
McKinney, TX	214 Mbps	91 Mbps	207,507
Allen, TX	210 Mbps	113 Mbps	111,551
Fort Collins, CO	216 Mbps	93 Mbps	169,249
Mesquite, TX	216 Mbps	89 Mbps	147,899
Garland, TX	215 Mbps	84 Mbps	240,854

Best places for the fastest internet

With the growing popularity of working or learning from home, a fast internet connection is now more important than ever. If you need a city with the best and fastest internet, we’d recommend Clearwater, FL. If Florida isn’t for you, other cities like Oakland, CA or Madison, WI will provide fast speeds as well.

Top fast internet cities FAQs

How much speed do you need?

Most internet activities for two people in a small household require at least 100 Mbps in speed. Mid-sized plans like 300 Mbps will ensure you can game and stream as much as you like.

What is fast internet speed?

The FCC defines fast internet as anything 100 Mbps or over. The U.S. average internet speed is 249 Mbps.

What city has the fastest internet?

Clearwater, FL, has excellent speeds and connectivity. If the East Coast isn’t for you, try Madison, WI, or Oakland, CA.

Allconnect: Let us compare providers for you

Why should you choose Allconnect? We’re the #1 broadband marketplace in the U.S, meaning you can trust us to search, compare and order internet and TV service for your home.

Get started

Illustration of a father and daughter in a living room. The father is sitting in an armchair and reading a newspaper, and the daughter is playing with a toy on the floor.

Written by:

Camryn Smith

As one of Allconnect’s writers, Camryn Smith helps consumers navigate complex home internet services and broadband technology through her helpful content. Using her expertise in the broadband space, Camryn edu… Read more

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Senior Editor, Broadband Content

Read bio