FACTORS DETERMINING THE USE OF AND ACCESS TO BROADBAND CONNECTION IN EASTERN KENTUCKY COUNTIES

S. Ali Ahmadi
Karly Potts
Morehead State University

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors determining the broadband
Internet access and/or use in eastern Kentucky. Internet Access, as the dependent variable, was
postulated as being a function of two factors, “income level” and educational attainment. The
utilized data from regarding the median household income by county and Kentucky’s educational
attainment by percentage of high school graduates or higher were collected from the United States
Census Bureau. The results of the study indicated that while the level of education attainment in
the counties was an effective factor in the use and access to Internet use, the income level was not.

Keywords: Broadband, Kentucky, Census Bureau, education, income, internet