Older Adults Need Broadband, but Costs Create Strain

A new AARP broadband affordability survey finds that most adults 50 and older rely on high-speed home internet, but the cost of staying connected is creating pressure on household budgets. Broadband is not a luxury for this group; it is an essential service that supports day-to-day living, even as many older adults worry it will become more expensive.

Access is widespread and personally important. Ninety percent of adults 50 and older have a high-speed home connection, and 87% say having that connection is personally important to them. At the same time, 64% say their internet bill creates at least some financial strain, and 72% are concerned that the cost will increase in the coming year.

That strain is already shaping household choices. Sixty-four percent say the cost of internet has presented some financial strain; among that group, nearly half (49%) had to make a change, including cutting spending, switching plans, cutting back on groceries, or making other adjustments.

Support for public action is broad. Eighty-five percent of adults 50 and older agree that the federal government should work to ensure all Americans have access to low-cost internet service, including 98% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans, and 90% of Independents. Similarly, 84% support government programs that help make home internet more affordable for households with lower or fixed incomes, including 94% of Democrats, 74% of Republicans, and 81% of Independents.

Together, the findings point to a clear opportunity: Older adults value broadband and want affordability to be part of the access conversation. Overall, about 7 in 10 adults 50 and older (69%) say affordability for lower-income households and those in hard-to-reach areas is personally important to them. For policymakers, advocates, and providers, the message is direct: Broadband access depends not only on whether service is available, but whether people can keep paying for it without making harmful trade-offs.

Methodology

This survey was conducted April 9 to 13, 2026, using the Foresight 50+ Consumer Omnibus, a monthly, nationally representative survey of U.S. adults 50 and older administered by NORC at the University of Chicago. The study included 1,077 respondents and used a mixed-mode approach. Data are weighted to reflect the U.S. population age 50-plus by gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, and region.

For more information on this issue, contact Coralette Hannon at channon@aarp.org. For more information about this survey, contact Brittne Kakulla at bkakulla@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact media@aarp.org.