TL;DR
Digital equity requires three things working together — affordable devices, reliable internet access, and digital skills training. Despite 93.1% internet penetration in the U.S. as of early 2025, millions of working families remain disconnected due to cost barriers, not infrastructure gaps. Human-I-T tackles all three pillars at once — check your eligibility for low-cost devices, internet, and digital training.
Table of Contents
- What is digital equity — and why does it still matter?
- How bad is the connectivity gap in the U.S. today?
- Why aren’t affordable devices reaching the people who need them?
- What does digital equity actually look like in practice?
- FAQ
Introduction
There were 322 million individuals using the internet in the United States at the start of 2025, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2025 report — putting online penetration at 93.1%. That sounds like progress. It is progress.
But penetration rates mask the real story. The families still on the wrong side of the digital divide aren’t scattered randomly across the map. They’re concentrated in low-income communities, rural areas, and neighborhoods shaped by decades of digital redlining. And for them, "connected" isn’t a matter of flipping a switch — it’s a question of whether they can afford the device, the plan, and the knowledge to use both.
"If someone doesn’t have access to technology, access to digital equity, they aren’t able to communicate to their family, to the world, or to their government," says James Jack, Co-Founder of Human-I-T. The stakes haven’t changed. What has changed is how urgently we need solutions that address all three barriers — devices, internet, and digital literacy — at once.
What Is Digital Equity — and Why Does It Still Matter?
Digital equity means every person has the devices, internet access, and educational opportunities needed to fully participate in modern life. It’s not one of those three things — it’s all of them working together.
At Human-I-T, we connect these aspects for new technology users in urban and rural communities alike. Without a device, a broadband connection is useless. Without internet, a laptop is a paperweight. And without digital skills training, both sit unused on a kitchen table. The gap in any one of these pillars locks working families out of education, employment, healthcare, and civic engagement.
"Our vision is to make sure that everybody that can possibly have access to those things, will have access to those things," says Aaron Wilkins, CFO of Human-I-T.
How Bad Is the Connectivity Gap in the U.S. Today?
The gap is narrowing on paper — and persisting in practice. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, a record-high 96% of Californians had access to internet at home in 2023, up from 92% in 2019. California has also surpassed 3,000 miles of broadband under construction as part of its Broadband for All initiative.
But raw access numbers don’t capture affordability. As Gabe Middleton, Co-Founder and CEO of Human-I-T, has emphasized: lacking access to good internet and good technology "hurts everyone." Even in a state pouring billions into broadband infrastructure, cost remains the primary barrier for working families — not coverage.
The urban-rural divide compounds the problem. Globally, 85% of urban dwellers use the internet in 2025, compared to just 58% of the rural population, according to ITU’s Facts and Figures 2025. In the United States, the OECD reported in July 2025 that while digital connectivity is expanding overall, rural areas are actually falling further behind. Different communities face different barriers — and they need different solutions.
Why Aren’t Affordable Devices Reaching the People Who Need Them?
Because the market isn’t designed to serve income-qualified families — it’s designed to extract maximum profit. New devices cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Manufacturers lean into planned obsolescence, pushing upgrade cycles that leave perfectly functional hardware in junk drawers and landfills.
Finding available and affordable devices is a massive barrier that communities face when options are limited to retail pricing. Wilkins describes Human-I-T’s approach: "helping build a program that’s going to be robust for internet access and making sure that we have the best offers for people, so that way if cost is a barrier to entry, they’re able to afford a device and service."
This is where the circular economy meets digital equity. Donated technology — refurbished and redistributed — gives devices a second life while making ownership possible for families priced out of the new-device market.
What Does Digital Equity Actually Look Like in Practice?
It looks like well-informed communities with access to information, local services, and employment opportunities. Digital equity isn’t just about getting online — it’s about what happens once you’re connected.
As Jack points out, "access to information and the ability to communicate" are the two pillars that connected communities depend on. Without them, education stalls. Social services go unclaimed. Job opportunities disappear behind application portals that require a device, a connection, and the skills to navigate both.
Digital equity is a bridge — not just in one community, but in every community across the country. Having affordable and available devices in addition to inclusive internet access is vital for connecting more people to the services they need. What’s important now is improving people’s ability to stay connected and remain well informed about decisions shaping their lives.
Take Action
The digital divide won’t close by accident. It closes when people and organizations choose to act.
Need a device or internet access? Check your eligibility for Human-I-T’s programs — low-cost devices, affordable internet, digital training, and tech support with no hidden fees.
Have technology to give? Donate your devices here and give your old hardware a second life while helping close the digital divide.
FAQ
What are the three pillars of digital equity?
Digital equity requires affordable devices, reliable internet access, and digital literacy training — all working together. Missing any one of these locks families out of education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation.
Is the digital divide still a problem in 2025?
Yes. While U.S. internet penetration reached 93.1% at the start of 2025, millions remain disconnected — disproportionately in rural areas, low-income households, and communities of color. The barrier is increasingly about affordability, not infrastructure.
How does the urban-rural internet gap compare today?
Globally, 85% of urban residents are online compared to 58% in rural areas, according to ITU’s 2025 data. In the U.S. and across the OECD, rural communities continue to fall further behind despite expanding connectivity overall.
How can I help close the digital divide?
Donate working technology to Human-I-T instead of recycling it. Donated devices get refurbished and redistributed to income-qualified families — extending device lifespans while keeping e-waste out of landfills.
Does Human-I-T offer low-cost internet and devices?
Yes. Human-I-T provides low-cost refurbished laptops, affordable internet plans, digital training, and ongoing tech support — all through a single program with transparent pricing. Fill out the form to get connected today.
