In 2021, it seems odd to think that there are people who never use the internet in the United States. It seems as though everyone is online all of the time or at least that everyone has access to the internet, but that simply isn't the case.

A new study has found that 7 percent of Americans never go online, and it's for a variety of reasons. Age is a big part of it, with 25 percent of those 65 and older saying they're never on the internet. Poverty also plays a big part in those who stay off the internet, according to the new Pew Research survey.

The New York Post writes:

Pew also defines household income as an indicator of connectivity, with 14 percent of adults living in households earning fewer than $30,000 per year reporting never using the internet.

Among households making $30,000 to $49,999 per year, the percentage of non-internet users drops to 9 percent and plummets to 2 percent of adults in households making $50,000 to $74,999 per year.

The other big group that just isn't connected, and this probably won't surprise many, are those who live in rural areas. Ten percent of adults in rural areas never use the internet, according to Pew's study.

This is part of the reason why you have Texas lawmakers discussing rural broadband access during the 87th Texas legislative session. Rural broadband has been deemed a priority for the governor and lawmakers who represent more rural areas. Rural students have also been hurt by the lack of access to the internet over the last year as the coronavirus has led to many students learning online.

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