Missouri is among the top ten fastest states connecting to the Internet, according to National Telecommunications and Information Administration, US Department of Commerce. In 1998, only 41.8% of Missouri households had a personal computer in the home and only 24.3% were wired to the information superhighway. In 2000, those numbers grew substantially to 52.6% of households owning a personal computer and 42.5% connected to the Internet. That represents a 10.8% increase in households owning a computer and an 18.2% increase in households connected to the Internet. Nationally Missouri ranked 11th for increased households with computers and tied for 6th in households connected to the Internet.
While Missouri ranks 22nd in the nation for both households owning a computer and access to the Internet, Missouri is among the leaders compared with our surrounding states. In 2000, Missouri ranked 3rd among surrounding states for households owning a personal computer and second for households with Internet access. In addition, Missouri placed 3rd for the biggest percentage change in households owning computers and 2nd for the biggest percentage change in households with Internet access for the surrounding states
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