The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront just how important digital access is in order to fully participate in many aspects of modern life. From virtual learning, working from home, communicating with healthcare professionals via telemedicine, and beyond, digital connectivity has become central to our way of life. This heightened awareness also uncovered just how many people were lacking this necessary access.
Nearly half of all households in St. Louis City and County are affected by some aspect of the digital divide and will require investment to ensure adequate long-term connectivity. What was once considered primarily an issue of urban and rural divide has significant impact on urban and suburban families in our region.
A summary report of findings and a supplementary education report have been created to aggregate key data points and outline ways to address the challenges our region faces.