This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Drawing on 14 years of data, we examined whether access to broadband internet could improve Americans' use of time and found that a 10% increase in broadband adoption across a community corresponds to a 1.19% reduction in waiting time. Losing time waiting for goods and services is a reality millions of Americans face.
Whether standing at a store checkout or sitting on hold over the phone, delays contribute to a chronic sense of not having enough time—a condition known as time poverty. This phenomenon affects most Americans and is linked to poorer health, lower community engagement and greater social inequality. It hits lower-income women hardest.
As scholars of public administration and public policy, we study how government use of technology can address social challenges while supporting vulnerable populations. Our results suggest that living in counties with greater broadband adoption rates reduces waiting time. That's usually because businesses, health care providers and government agencies offer more online services, allowing residents to complete tasks from home.
And as more people handle their errands online, physical lines at stores, clinics and government offices shrink, creating shorter queues for people who still need to visit in person. That 10% increase in broadband adoption saves each person 1.5 hours each year. With 24 million Americans lacking broadband access, a 10% nationwide increase in adoption could reclaim about 36.5 million hours annually.
That time is worth about US$1.2 billion at the mean hourly wage of $33.54 determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2025. Research indicates that women and low-income people are disproportionately affected by time poverty. Because women still shoulder most caregiving and household responsibilities, they end up waiting not only for themselves but on behalf of others.
Hence, they have 20% less leisure time than their male counterparts. Low-income people, instead, frequently face significant challenges because of multiple jobs, unpredictable shift work and poor services. As a result, low-income women are the most affected group because they often work for pay in addition to all the daily duties at home.
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