North Carolina Internet Providers

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North Carolina internet at a glance

116

Internet providers available in North Carolina

$69.73

Average monthly cost of internet in North Carolina

204.31 Mbps

Average download speed in North Carolina

North Carolina ranks #29 in the nation for internet speeds, averaging 126 Mbps—just shy of the 133.9 Mbps national benchmark. The average monthly internet cost in the state sits at $69.73, offering a mix of affordability and performance.

When it comes to availability, fiber internet reaches 45.82% of North Carolina, while cable covers 67.01%, providing widespread access to reliable broadband. Meanwhile, 5G home internet blankets 72.01% of the state, expanding wireless broadband options for residents. Whether you’re streaming, gaming, or working from home, North Carolina’s internet landscape delivers a balance of speed, cost, and accessibility.

On this page:

Average cost of internet in North Carolina
Access to internet in North Carolina
Average internet speeds in North Carolina

Average cost of internet in North Carolina

In North Carolina, 90.35% of households in North Carolina have internet access, while 9.7% remain without it, impacting over 417,929 residents. This digital divide affects work, education, and healthcare access across the state. To bridge the gap, North Carolina has been allocated over $1.53 billion in BEAD funding to expand broadband, particularly in rural and underserved areas. With 15% of the population living in rural communities, broadband expansion efforts are focused on improving fiber infrastructure and wireless broadband accessibility.

In July 2024, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology announced an additional $112 million in Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program projects, aiming to connect 25,903 households and businesses across 19 counties to high-speed internet.

Average cost of internet in North Carolina

$69.73/month

National Average: $80.11/month

Median household income in North Carolina

$4,654.95/month

National Average: $6,717.50/month

Access to internet in North Carolina

83.53% of households

have access to internet in North Carolina

16.47% of households

do not have access to internet - that leaves over 708.09K people.

$1.53B BEAD funding

The total allocated BEAD funding in North Carolina is $1,532,999,481.15. This calculates out to 146.85 per state resident.

The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) initiative provides $42B to expand high-speed internet access to underserved areas across the U.S.

BEAD internet funding across states

Internet availability in North Carolina

Urban hubs like Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro enjoy widespread access to high-speed fiber and cable internet, but many rural counties still struggle with connectivity gaps. 5G home internet covers 72.01% of the state, providing a viable broadband alternative for residents without fiber or cable access.

To close these gaps, North Carolina is leveraging federal and state broadband funding to expand high-speed internet into remote areas, ensuring more residents in farming and coastal communities gain reliable digital access.

Internet availability by connection type

DSL availability

67%

DSL maxes out at 100Mbps, but many DSL customers get much slower speeds than that. DSL is becoming obsolete, but it’s still a solid option in rural areas.

Fiber availability

42%

Renowned for its reliability, fiber can reach download and upload speeds up to 10,000Mbps. While it isn’t available everywhere, it’s the best internet you can get.

Cable availability

53%

Cable is bread-and-butter internet—widely available, often affordable, and very fast, delivering download speeds that range anywhere from 25Mbps to 1,200Mbps.

5G Home availability

52%

5G home internet is fast, affordable, easy to install, and available in many locations where other options are limited.

Satellite availability

99%

Satellite is available practically everywhere, even in the most remote parts of the country. It’s costly and comes with strict data limits and slow speeds, so use it as a last resort.

Top 3 North Carolina providers

Provider	Max download speed	Price starting at	Availability	Learn More
	245Mbps	$50	44%	View Plans
	5,000Mbps	$55	21%	View Plans
	1,000Mbps	$50	41%	View Plans

Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change. Data verified as of the article's publication date.

How we review internet providers

At Reviews.org, our mission is to help you find the home internet service that works best for you. When it comes to internet providers, it’s easy to get swayed by the pizzazz of advertisements and endless discounts, so we dig beyond the surface to find out if those deals are really worth your time and hard-earned money.

Just like your neighbor or friend who’s looking out for your needs, our reviewers make sure you know exactly what you’re signing up for: We uncover the fine print and spell out the extra fees so you don’t get blindsided later. We interview dozens of real customers who dish on their experience with their internet provider—the good stuff and the bad. We also maintain an up-to-date library of internet plans and their prices available in every zip code across the country, so you have all the best internet options laid out for you.

For a deeper look at our review process, check out How we test internet providers.

Summary of internet services in North Carolina

North Carolina ranks #29 nationally for internet speeds, averaging 126 Mbps, with strong broadband access in cities but persistent gaps in rural regions. To address this, the state has secured $1.53 billion in BEAD funding to expand broadband to unserved and underserved communities. Rural broadband expansion remains a priority, with efforts focused on increasing fiber availability (45.82%) and 5G home internet coverage (72.01%) statewide. While urban centers benefit from extensive high-speed broadband, rural areas continue to rely more on fixed wireless and DSL connectivity.

– Trevor Wheelwright

FAQ's for internet in North Carolina

The average internet speed in North Carolina is 204.31 Mbps

The average cost of internet in North Carolina is $69.73/month.

Fiber internet is available in 83.98% of North Carolina.

Find internet providers in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Raleigh, NC

Greensboro, NC

Durham, NC

Winston-Salem, NC

Fayetteville, NC

Cary, NC

Browse all cities in North Carolina

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North Carolina Internet Providers

North Carolina internet at a glance

116

$69.73

204.31 Mbps

Average cost of internet in North Carolina

Average cost of internet in North Carolina

$69.73/month

Median household income in North Carolina

$4,654.95/month

Access to internet in North Carolina

83.53% of households

16.47% of households

$1.53B BEAD funding

Internet availability in North Carolina

Internet availability by connection type

Top 3 North Carolina providers

How we review internet providers

Summary of internet services in North Carolina

FAQ's for internet in North Carolina

What is the average internet speed in North Carolina?

What is the average cost of internet in North Carolina?

What percentage of North Carolina has fiber internet available?

Find internet providers in North Carolina

Browse all cities in North Carolina