Delaware is a high-speed internet leader in the US

A recent analysis by consumer advocacy org HighSpeedInternet.com put Delaware in the top three states when it comes to internet speed, after New Jersey and Maryland.

Speeds in Delaware average 59.08 Mbps, just barely behind Jersey’s 59.58 Mbps. Maryland has a comfortable lead, with a 65.05 Mbps average. The nation’s slowest average is Alaska’s 17.03 Mbps.

Per a spokesperson, to find the average rates for each state, HighSpeedInternet.com looked at data from 1 million of its speed test tool results. The national average was 42.42 Mbps.

Delaware’s average will likely see a spike in the coming years, as high-speed wireless internet infrastructure is put into place in Kent and Sussex counties, including rural “broadband deserts” that pull the state’s average speed down. (In New Castle County, most people with high-speed internet are well above the 100 Mbps mark.)

The issue of broadband deserts affects states nationwide, with more rural regions seeing slower overall averages. For a small state like Delaware, providing statewide access is less of a challenge than in large, sparsely populated states like Alaska, Idaho and Montana. (Rhode Island, the fourth fastest state, is another case in point).

For context, speeds of 40 Mbpg and over are fast enough that multiple people can stream HD video and play video games simultaneously. Alaska’s 17 Mbps average speed is fast enough to stream HD and play games, but accommodates less simultaneous use.