The best cities in the U.S. for the fastest internet 

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 fast 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

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 

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. Major providers in Clearwater include Spectrum, T-Mobile, Verizon and Frontier. Clearwater 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. 

Shop internet providers in Clearwater, FL

2. Abilene, TX

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 

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. Major providers in Abilene include T-Mobile, Optimum, AT&T, HughesNet and Starlink. 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. 

Shop internet providers in Abilene, TX

3. Oakland, CA

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 

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. Some major providers in Oakland include Xfinity, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. 

Shop internet providers in Oakland, CA

4. Centennial, CO

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 

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. Xfinity, CenturyLink and T-Mobile. 

Shop internet providers in Centennial, CO

5. Madison, WI

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 

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

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, which has average speeds of 215/84 Mbps. 

Wrapping up

A fast internet connection is now more important than ever with the growing popularity of working or learning from home. 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.