Rural users lag in broadband adoption, and infrastructure availability is a reason
for this. Here are some highlights from the Pew Internet Project’s February 2004
survey:

• 55% of all adult Internet users – or 34% of all adult Americans – have access
  to high-speed Internet connections either at home or on the job.
• 39% of adult Internet users – or 24% of all adult Americans – have high-speed
  access at home, an increase of 60% since March 2003.
• A surge in subscription to DSL high-speed Internet connections, which has
  more than doubled since March 2003, is largely behind the growth in broadband
  at home.
• DSL now has a 42% share of the home broadband market, up from 28% in March
  2003.
• For the first time, more than half (52%) of a key demographic group – college
  educated people age 35 and younger – has broadband connections at home.
• Only 10% of rural Americans go online from home with high-speed connections,
  about one-third the rate for non-rural Americans.

—Broadband Penetration on the Upswing (Pew Internet Trust)

I hadn’t realized how popular high-speed home connections are.

The full report is available as a PDF.