Rural areas in the United States have significantly lower broadband access and adoption rates compared to urban areas. Data from 2004 showed that only about one third of rural Americans had broadband available to them, and broadband penetration rates were found to be strongly correlated with population density, with the most rural zip codes having broadband availability rates of less than 10%. Rural broadband availability continues to lag urban areas, risking economic disadvantages for rural communities without robust broadband access and adoption.