Around 61% of Polk County residents have a computer at home, compared to 71% statewide, according to an analysis made recently by Connected Tennessee. The survey also showed that 57% have Internet service in Polk County, compared to 65% statewide, with 26% of local homes having broadband access, compared to 43% across the state.

Asked about barriers to computer ownership, 65% of those who don’t have a computer said they don’t need one, 16% said it’s too expensive, and 12% said they use a computer elsewhere.

Of those who don’t have an Internet connection, 55% locally said they don’t own a computer, 32% said they don’t need the Internet, 9% said it’s too expensive, 2% said Broadband is not available, and 2% said they can access the Internet elsewhere. For those with dial-up access, 52% said Broadband is not available (36% statewide), 25% said they don’t need Broadband, 17% said it’s too expensive and 4% said they can access it elsewhere.

The largest Internet use is for email, 65%, about the same as the state average. Internet uses in which local residents are close to those statewide include: researching a product, 52%; using a search engine, 52%; purchasing a product, 45%; finding health information, 42%; and researching or booking travel, 46%.

For online banking, local use is around 26%, compared to 38% statewide. Around 22% do schoolwork research online, compared to 32% across the state; 22% search for government information, compared to 29%; 20% send instant messages, compared to 29%; 18% work from home online, compared to 22%; 8% search for a job, compared to 22%; and 90% watch videos or movies, compared to 22%.