Households Lacking Internet Access Dashboard — Detailed Summary & Demographic Insights

1. Overview

This dashboard analyzes the percentage of households lacking internet access across 24 counties in North Central Texas.
Using a combination of a geographic heatmap, county comparison bar chart, and a multi-year declining trend line, the dashboard highlights geographic disparities and long-term improvements in digital access.

The dashboard includes:

  • Interactive County Map (primary filter)
  • County Comparison Bar Chart
  • Trend of Internet Access Gaps (2016–2023)
  • Year Selection Panel

Selecting a county on the map dynamically filters the entire dashboard to show that county’s specific values and comparisons.

2. Dashboard Components & Their Function

A. Interactive Map — Primary Filter

The map represents each county’s 2023 “Households Lacking Internet Access (%)” using a color gradient.
Darker shades = higher gaps in internet access
Lighter shades = better access

Map Interactivity

  • Selecting a county filters both the bar chart and trend line for that specific location.
  • Allows users to explore individual county patterns over time.

Notable Map Insights:

Counties with highest percentages lacking internet access:

  • Eastland – 32.24%
  • Comanche – 31.27%
  • Jack – 29.40%
  • Hamilton – 28.83%
  • Erath – 18.45%
  • Navarro – 22.82%

Counties with lowest gaps:

  • Collin – 6.67%
  • Dallas – 6.69%
  • Denton – 7.26%
  • Rockwall – 11.36%
  • Johnson – 13.73%

These patterns reflect socioeconomic divides between rural and urban counties.

B. Bar Chart — County Comparison

The bar chart displays each county’s percent of households lacking internet for the selected year.

Key Observations:

  • Rural counties (e.g., Eastland, Comanche, Jack, Hamilton) consistently show higher digital exclusion.
  • Suburban/urban counties (Collin, Dallas, Denton) show significantly better connectivity.
  • The chart updates when a year or county filter is applied.

C. Trend Line — Regional Progress (2016–2023)

The trend line shows a steep decline in households lacking internet from 2016 to 2023, indicating improvements in infrastructure, affordability programs, and digital participation efforts.

Trend Values:

  • 2016: 521.1
  • 2017: 462.2
  • 2018: 390.8
  • 2019: 329.1
  • 2020: 284.7
  • 2021: 245.9
  • 2023: 211.1

Interpretation:

  • The region achieved a ~60% reduction over seven years.
  • The steepest improvements occurred from 2016–2019, likely due to broadband expansion and rural infrastructure grants.
  • COVID-19 (2020–2021) accelerated home internet adoption due to remote work and online schooling.
  • Decline continues into 2023, signaling ongoing progress.

3. Demographic & Socioeconomic Interpretation

A. Urban vs Rural Digital Divide

  • Rural counties (Eastland, Comanche, Hamilton, Jack) lack internet at much higher rates due to:
    • Limited broadband infrastructure
    • Lower population density (discourages provider investment)
    • Higher poverty levels
    • Fewer public Wi-Fi centers
    • Lower digital literacy
  • Urban counties (Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton) benefit from:
    • Strong fiber and cable networks
    • Affordable internet programs
    • Public & institutional access points

This divide explains the stark differences in the map and bar chart.

B. Income, Education, & Technology Access

Internet access correlates strongly with:

  • Household income
  • Education level
  • Employment opportunities
  • Housing stability

Counties with higher income and educational attainment—Collin, Rockwall, Denton—show the lowest rates of digital exclusion.

C. Workforce & Economic Impacts

Households lacking internet face challenges in:

  • Job applications
  • Remote work
  • Online education
  • Accessing telemedicine
  • Participating in e-commerce or digital services

This makes rural counties more vulnerable to economic stagnation and limits upward mobility.

4. Key Takeaways & Summary

 Internet access has dramatically improved from 2016–2023, declining from 521.1 to 211.1 households.

 Large geographic disparities persist, with some rural counties facing 2–4× higher rates of digital exclusion.

 Urban/suburban counties show near-complete digital coverage, reflecting investment, affordability, and socioeconomic advantages.

 Map serves as an intuitive county-level filter, enabling deep exploration of each county’s digital access over time.

 The dashboard supports policy-making around:

  • Broadband grants
  • Digital literacy programs
  • Rural connectivity initiatives
  • Fairly distributed access planning