Study Warns Young Children Are the Most Internet-Connected Population Segment in 15 US States

• Young children are the most internet-connected population segment in 15 US states
• Children as young as two or less are the leading generation for IT connectivity in Connecticut, Washington, Colorado and Alaska
• New Hampshire, Utah and Washington are the top states with the biggest internet footprint
• Overall, the leading IT generation in America is ninth to twelfth graders

New Hampshire, Utah and Washington are the top three US states with the biggest IT footprint. A new report has found that, in 15 states, young children are the population segment with the highest access to an internet-connected device. Ninth to twelfth graders are the most connected generation in America, leading in 22 states. 93% of the US population has some form of internet subscription on their computing device.

This is according to a new study from cybersecurity website VPNPro, who analyzed internet connectivity patterns across all US states and the District of Columbia. The researchers analyzed the data from the latest American Community Survey, covering the year 2022 as well as population data. The study focuses on participants that stated that they had at least one computing device, such as a laptop, mobile phone, tablet or any other form, with a paid-for internet connection, like fiber optic, DSL, cable, cellular data or another subscription-based service, whether separate or part of a bundle.

#1 – Ninth to twelfth grade children

The population segment with the highest IT footprint in America is ninth to twelfth grade children. This is the case for 22 states, where, compared to other age brackets and education levels, at least 19 out of 20 children enrolled in the grades between nine and twelve have access to a gadget and the internet. Maine, Idaho and North Dakota are the top three states where this is happening.

#2 – Pre-kindergarten to fourth grade children

In ten states and the District of Columbia, pre-kindergarten and fourth grade children are the leading generation in terms of internet and computing device access. This is particularly striking in Vermont and Rhode, where over 98% of school kids aged three to ten have at least one electronic device with internet access on it. Other states include Minnesota, Wyoming, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas.

#3 – Fifth to eighth grade children

In eight states, fifth to eighth graders are the best-connected population segment within their state. Nearly all (98.45%) children in New Hampshire enrolled in grades between fifth and eighth at school have access to an internet-connected computing device. This is also true for 98.07% of kids in this age bracket in Massachusetts. Oregon, Montana, Kansas, California, Missouri and Alabama are all home to the most IT-connected fifth to eighth graders in America.

#4 – Undergraduates and higher education students

College and graduate school students are only the fourth most IT-connected population segment in America. In seven US states, they are the generation with the biggest internet footprint, with South Dakota leading the way. 97.26% of undergraduates and higher education students here have a computing device with paid internet access. Around 19 out of 20 college and graduate school students in Arizona, Nevada, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana and New Mexico have an internet-connected gadget.

#5 – Children aged two and below

Research has found that, in four states, it is children aged two or less who are the most IT-connected segment of the population. The highest concentration is in Connecticut, where 99.12% of two-year-olds or younger have access to the internet on an IT device. The other three states with the most internet-connected kids aged two or less are Washington (97.92%), Colorado (96.80%) and Alaska (96.70%).

Top 10 US states with the biggest internet footprint

Overall, 93.01% of US residents have an internet subscription on at least one computing device. New Hampshire is the state with the biggest IT footprint in America. 95.55% of its entire population has some sort of internet-connected device. Utah and Washington follow closely behind, where this rate is 95.42% and 95.34%, respectively. Other highly internet-connected populations include those residing in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, Delaware and Connecticut.

Šarūnas Karbauskas, Technical Writer at VPNPro, commented on the findings: “What is most striking is that, in 15 states, toddlers and young children are incredibly connected to the online world, more so than any other population segment in their states. This raises serious cyber security concerns, such as predators being able to use the device’s built-in mic and camera or offering unsafe apps access to the photo library, location and contacts list. It may often be the case that children are more tech-savvy than their parents, so having several layers of security is highly advisable.

“Besides activating parental controls, we strongly encourage locking specific apps, installing a child-safe browser, and using content filters on YouTube, Google Chrome and other safety tools. Many adults are aware of Virtual Private Networking (VPN) as only a way to bypass geographic restrictions. Luckily, it can also help protect young children online by scrambling all the internet traffic and blocking prying eyes from using it in any way. Automatically limiting the time young children spend online can also prevent the use of that device during hours where an adult may be unable to supervise any unsafe activity.”

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The study was conducted by VPNPro – a consumer-focused cybersecurity website specializing in software reviews, comparisons, guides and other online safety information.

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