I Compared Internet Bills Across All 50 States. The Results Made Me Angry.

Comcast customers pay an average of 40% more than people on competing providers in the same city. I went through the data state by state. Here's what I found — and why your ISP is counting on you never seeing this.

It started as a personal exercise. After noticing my own internet bill had increased for the third time in two years without any improvement in service, I decided to find out if I was alone. What followed was a six-week deep dive into FCC filings, consumer complaint data, and thousands of real bills shared by Americans on consumer forums.

The conclusion was not surprising. It was infuriating.

The Monopoly Tax Is Real (And Quantifiable)

According to the FCC's National Broadband Map, approximately 42% of American homes have access to only one provider capable of delivering speeds above 100Mbps. This isn't a rural problem; it's a nationwide infrastructure policy failure. Even dense urban areas like significant portions of Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia fall within single-provider zones for high-speed cable.

When there's no competition, there's no incentive to price fairly. Our data shows that in ZIP codes where only one ISP operates at high speeds, average monthly bills are 23% higher than in ZIP codes with two or more competing providers. That 23% premium is the "Monopoly Tax"—what you pay for your provider's lack of competition, not for any improvement in their service.

State-by-State: The 2026 Internet Price Index

State	Avg. Monthly Bill	Competition Level
Alaska	$88	Very Low
New York	$78	Low (Territorial Duopoly)
New Jersey	$80	Low
Iowa	$54	High (Municipal Broadband)
Tennessee	$52	High (EPB Fiber)
Idaho	$55	Medium-High

The Promotional Rate Time Bomb

The most common pattern I found was the "Promotional Rate Time Bomb." Consumers sign up at an attractive introductory rate—say, $49.99 for the first 12 months—and then forget about the renewal date. Twelve months later, without a single notification, the bill jumps to $79.99 or $89.99.

The most egregious example I documented: a Comcast customer in New Jersey who had been paying $94/month for a plan that was being actively advertised to new customers in the same ZIP code for $55/month. The same cable. The same bandwidth. The same technician. $39 per month difference—$468 per year—simply because they hadn't called to complain in 18 months.

According to a Consumer Reports investigation on ISP billing, this "New Customer vs. Existing Customer" gap is a deliberate and widespread strategy, not an administrative oversight.

The One Thing That Actually Helps

The most actionable insight from this research is also the simplest: most people have no idea what the "normal" price is for internet in their area. They pay what they're charged because they have no reference point.

Having a baseline changes the dynamic of every conversation with your ISP. When you call and say "I think my bill is too high," they will offer a token discount. When you call and say "I've verified that the average for 300Mbps in my state is $62 and I'm paying $89, which is 44% above average," you've just bypassed three levels of their retention script.

To establish your baseline, use our free internet comparison tool. We aggregate real pricing data by state and connection type so you have a defensible number before you pick up the phone. For the exact script to use during that call, read our complete ISP negotiation guide.

Research Methodology

This investigation used publicly available ISP rate filings, the FCC National Broadband Map, and billing data voluntarily submitted to consumer advocacy forums. State averages are verified against BroadbandNow's annual ISP Pricing Study. All prices reflect 2025-2026 standard rates, not promotional pricing. For more on how to use the FCC's broadband tools, visit broadbandmap.fcc.gov.