About one in four households across the Central Coast lacked a high-speed internet connection, a computer, or both in 2021. That means residents cannot apply for jobs online, access telehealth appointments, complete government forms digitally, or help children with homework that requires internet access. Digital access is no longer optional infrastructure. It determines access to employment, healthcare, education, and government services.

The gap falls heavily on Latinx and Black households. Thirty-five to 40 percent of Latinx households across the three counties lacked internet or computers at home in 2021, compared to about 17 percent of white households. In Santa Barbara County, 31 percent of Black households lacked access. Asian American households had access rates similar to white households in most counties.

The disparity reflects both income and infrastructure. High-speed internet service costs money families cannot always afford, and broadband infrastructure does not reach all neighborhoods equally. Rural areas and lower-income urban neighborhoods often have fewer providers and slower speeds. Without internet and computers at home, residents are locked out of systems that increasingly require digital access to participate.

Insights & Analyses: Central Coast

• About a quarter of all residents in the Central Coast lack a high-speed internet connection, a computer, or both. 
• About 40 percent of Latinx households and 31 percent of Black households lack a high-speed internet connection, a computer, or both in Santa Barbara County compared to 25 percent of all residents.
• In Ventura County, 35 percent of Latinx households are digitally disconnected, compared to 28 percent on average.
• In San Luis Obispo County, 35 percent of Latinx households are digitally disconnected, compared to 25 percent on average.