Houston Internet Trends Report

Houston is the best city in Texas for connectivity, but residents who experience reliability issues (even once a month) may want to shop around. They have plenty of high-speed internet options to choose from at a decent price.

According to our latest survey data, Houston’s internet prices are 11% lower than the national average. A closer look shows that the average resident pays $72 per month for internet, which is slightly lower than the national average of $81 per month. But despite having affordable internet, 25% of Houston’s residents feel like they’re overpaying for “mediocre” service.

How does your internet compare in terms of cost, speed, and reliability? We’ll break down the state of Houston’s connectivity to help you compare and find a more reliable, faster internet provider.

Houston’s internet cost comes in better than most

As we mentioned, Houston has better internet prices than most of the country—and it’s 1.7% cheaper than the average internet price in Texas.

At the current rate, Houstonians can expect to pay around $72 a month, totaling $864 a year for a lifetime cost of $50,076. The average internet user in Houston can expect about 1.5% of their income to go toward internet bills, according to our survey.

Currently, 25% of our survey respondents felt like their service’s quality didn’t match its cost. And if prices rose, even just by $10 every month, 45% of residents would switch to a better-priced internet service provider (ISP)—and they have plenty of affordable internet options to choose from.

Houston’s options for internet go beyond the big guys

If you’re looking for internet in Houston, two major providers take up the majority of the market in Houston: Xfinity (40%) and AT&T (31%). But you’re not limited to the big guys. The metropolitan area has over 27 internet service providers to choose from, although availability depends on where you live.

However, 92% of our survey respondents were unaware they had that many options—38% of those said they thought there were only 6 to 10 ISPs. This makes sense when you consider that 54% of survey respondents didn’t know that internet comparison sites exist, leaving many to rely on recommendations from a friend or sheer brand recognition. While not every zip code has access to all 27 ISPs, everyone shopping for internet can compare to see all of the options available to them.

Why do most Houstonians keep their current ISP?

• 26% say their ISP fits their budget
• 20% don’t want to deal with the hassle of switching
• 12% think their current ISP is their only option

If you are considering switching ISPs, you should know your current contract terms and how to negotiate your internet bill to get the best price and contract relative to your connection type, speed, and reliability.

Houstonians who experience issues should find a more reliable provider

While Houston’s internet is mostly reliable, there’s a surprisingly big chunk of users who would benefit from comparison shopping if they can. Two-thirds of Houstonians say their internet service is “very reliable”—but over a third of users experience issues every month.

Depending on your internet connection type, you may experience more issues than the current gold standard of fiber, but still, experiencing monthly issues doesn’t count as reliable internet.

When asked what they do when they have issues with the internet, half of our respondents said they’d turn to a mobile hotspot and nearly a fourth said they’d use public Wi-Fi. But up to 66% of Houston internet users would be willing to pay more for better service.

According to our poll, 11% of our respondents said their internet never stops working. If you are encountering issues, it may be worth investigating why your internet is so slow or different ways to improve your Wi-Fi speed.

Houston’s download speeds are faster than national averages

Fortunately for most residents of Houston, their internet is not only reliable but faster than the rest of the nation: Houston ranks as 11% faster for average download speeds and 18% faster for upload speeds.

Virtually everyone has access to high-speed internet in Houston

As shown in our overview of Texas internet providers, 100% of Houston is covered by high-speed internet providers—three or more provide service throughout the entire city. The vast majority (94%) of households have a computer.

However, costs may still be prohibitive to internet access in Houston without some help: 323,627 Houston residents relied on Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) funding for high-speed internet before it shut down this year. Fortunately, there are still options for low or no-cost internet.

While we recommend comparing your internet options, it’s worth keeping in mind that, though your internet may not be perfect, it may be far better than many in the nation have access to.

Internet connectivity in Houston, Texas

Houston’s internet stands out as better than average

Internet service is so integrated into daily life that 87% of Houston residents believe the internet is a utility like gas, water, and electricity. The majority of our respondents use the internet for work, streaming, and browsing.

Most Houstonians are lucky to have great internet options: Houston has high-speed internet at better-than-average prices compared to the rest of the nation, and virtually everyone has access.

However, a third of our respondents had internet reliability issues at least once a month—which means they should compare their options in Houston to find cheaper internet, faster speeds, or a more reliable connection.

Methodology

Using Pollfish, we surveyed 500 Houston residents who currently pay for an internet service provider and collected proprietary insights for this report. Additionally, we used our proprietary speed data and data from our exhaustive database of internet plans as part of our analysis. All additional sources have been cited within the report.