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

The U.S. News & World Report evaluated 125 cities around the U.S. to rank the overall “best places to live in 2019.” 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 and what you can expect as far as internet service availability.

1. Austin, TX

Fastest speeds available: 4,700 Mbps
% of people with access to fastest speeds: 69%
Number of major providers available: 4
Internet types available: DSL, cable, fiber and satellite
Starting price for internet-only plan: $29.99/mo.* from Spectrum
Starting price for gig internet-only plan: $60/mo.* from AT&T Fiber
Fun fact: Austin is one of the sunniest cities in the U.S. with an average of 300 out of 365 days of sun.

Austin may be the best place to live, but it’s only the 13th most connected city in Texas. Four major providers are available to residents, including AT&T, Astound (formerly Grande Communications), Google Fiber and Spectrum. The fastest speeds in Austin are available to over half of the population (69%) and are offered by AT&T and Google Fiber.

Shop internet providers in Austin, TX

2. Denver, CO

Fastest speeds available: 3,000 Mbps
% of people with access to fastest speeds: 40%
Number of major providers available: 3
Internet types available: DSL, cable, fiber and satellite
Starting price for internet-only plan: $29.99/mo.* from Xfinity
Starting price for gig internet-only plan: $65/mo.* from Centurylink
Fun fact: Denver has seven professional sports teams including a horse race and rodeo team.

Denver is Colorado’s third-most connected city. 40% of the population has access to speeds up to 3,000 Mbps or 3 Gigs, offered by Xfinity. Other top providers are Centurylink and Starry Internet.

Shop internet providers in Denver, CO

3. Colorado Springs, CO

Fastest speeds available: 3,000 Mbps
% of people with access to fastest speeds: 15%
Number of major providers available: 3
Internet types available: DSL, cable, fiber and satellite
Starting price for internet-only plan: $25.00/mo.* from Xfinity
Starting price for gig internet-only plan: $65/mo.* from Centurylink
Fun fact: Colorado Springs is home to the United States Olympic Training Center and the Olympic Committee.

In another big win for the Centennial State, Colorado Springs is the third best city to live in the U.S. It’s also the most connected city in Colorado. City residents will be able to shop the same providers as in Denver (Centurylink, DISH and HughesNet), but only 15% have access to maximum speeds of 2,000 Mbps.

Shop internet providers in Colorado Springs, CO

4. Fayetteville, AR

Fastest speeds available: 4,700 Mbps
% of people with access to fastest speeds: 29%
Number of major providers available: 3
Internet types available: DSL, cable, fiber and satellite
Starting price for internet-only plan: $29.99/mo.* from Cox
Starting price for gig internet-only plan: $65/mo.* from CenturyLink
Fun fact: Of 12 total Fayetteville cities in the U.S., Fayetteville, AR has the largest metro population.

Despite coming in as the country’s fourth-best place to live, Fayetteville is the 82nd-most connected city in Arkansas. The Northwest region is serviceable by major providers like AT&T, CenturyLink and Cox. About a third of the area has access to 1 Gig speeds or 1,000 Mbps.

Shop internet providers in Fayetteville, AR

5. Des Moines, IA

Fastest speeds available: 1,000 Mbps
% of people with access to fastest speeds: 5%
Number of major providers available: 3
Internet types available: DSL, cable, fiber and satellite
Starting price for internet-only plan: $19.99/mo.* from Mediacom
Starting price for gig internet-only plan: $59.99/mo.* from Mediacom
Fun fact: Ben Silbermann, the founder of Pinterest, was born in Des Moines and still promotes STEM initiatives across the state.

Iowa’s 42nd-most connected city is the fifth-best place to live in the U.S. Only 5% of the Des Moines population has access to 1,000 Mbps from either Centurylink or Mediacom. HughesNet provides satellite internet access to rural regions in the area.

Shop internet providers in Des Moines, IA

Bookmark our resource center for more information on how you can get the fastest internet in the U.S. and find internet speed comparisons by city. Ready to buy? Call now to speak to one of our internet experts.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 6/16/22.

Written by:

Camryn Smith

Associate Writer

Camryn Smith is an Associate Writer with Allconnect.com. She specializes in writing about the broadband industry and helping consumers navigate complex internet service purchasing decisions…. Read more

Edited by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

Read bio