Digitunity Launches National Computer Ownership Index

New atio al be chma k fi ds 32.9 millio people i the U ited States still lack access to a la ge-sc ee compute

NORTH CONWAY, NH / ACCESS Newswi e / Octobe 7, 2026 / Digitu ity today eleased its Natio al Compute Ow e ship I dex, a ew be chma k fo t acki g the state of compute ow e ship i the U ited States, how the gap is cha gi g, who is most affected, a d whe e actio is still eeded.

Digitu ity’s a alysis of 2024 Ame ica Commu ity Su vey data fi ds that 32.9 millio people i the U ited States a e without eliable access to a la ge-sc ee compute . Of those, 7.1 millio have o computi g device at all, while 25.8 millio ely exclusively o a sma tpho e fo o li e access. That ep ese ts oughly 1 i 10 people a d about 1 i 8 U.S. households.

The I dex also shows that the compute ow e ship gap is cha gi g, but ot disappea i g. Si ce 2016, the umbe of people without a y computi g device has falle f om 21.9 millio to 7.1 millio , while the sma tpho e-o ly populatio has g ow f om 20.9 millio to 25.8 millio . Ove all, the umbe of people without a la ge-sc ee compute decli ed by ea ly 9.9 millio ove that pe iod.

The gap is ot eve ly dist ibuted. Nea ly 1 i 3 adults without a high school diploma (28.8%) lack a la ge-sc ee compute . Amo g u employed people, 12% lack a la ge-sc ee compute , a d 16.9% of adults aged 65 a d olde do, too.

“The data shows eal p og ess, but it also shows why compute ow e ship co ti ues to matte ,” said Ka isa Tashijia , Digitu ity’s Chief P og am Office . “Mo e people a e co ected tha they we e eight yea s ago, but millio s a e still elyi g o sma tpho es fo tasks that i c easi gly assume a d equi e access to a compute .”

The I dex also d aws o esea ch showi g that desktop a d laptop ow e ship is associated with g eate “be eficial i te et use,” i cludi g job sea ches, telehealth, a d access to gove me t se vices.

The Natio al Compute Ow e ship I dex will t ack compute ow e ship t e ds atio ally, by state, by cou ty, a d ac oss populatio g oups ove time. The public page i cludes methodology a d suppo ti g data, with additio al a alyses pla ed a ou d specific populatio s a d geog aphies.

Explo e the Natio al Compute Ow e ship I dex

About Digitu ity

Digitu ity is a atio al o p ofit wo ki g to make compute ow e ship possible fo eve yo e. Nea ly 33 millio people i the U ited States lack access to a la ge-sc ee compute at home, limiti g pa ticipatio i educatio , employme t, healthca e, a d othe esse tial pa ts of mode life. Digitu ity shapes a d st e gthe s the systems that expa d compute ow e ship by wo ki g ac oss tech ology supply, euse, efu bishme t, a d commu ity dist ibutio .

Co tact:

Miye McCullough, [email p otected]

SOURCE: Digitu ity I c