11 Best Internet Providers in Essex, IL

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Above are the top 4 providers in Essex, IL for most people based on high speed internet coverage, speeds, and customer reviews. Click below to see all providers in your city.

All Providers

Speed and technology may vary by address for all providers. Please note we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers above, which does not impact the customer ratings displayed. Customer ratings listed above are national ratings, local Essex ratings may vary and are shown below.

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Who is the Best Internet Provider in Essex, IL?

SURF Internet is the best internet provider in Essex based on Illinois customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, SURF Internet had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in Essex, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. SURF Internet is an option for 48.22% of the city.

The chart and table below show average customer ratings from customers in Essex, Illinois, and customers throughout the country.

Top Rated Internet Providers in Essex

Local, State, and National Ratings for all Essex Internet Providers

Based on 99 reviews from Illinois internet customers, SURF Internet is the best internet service provider for Essex residents. SURF Internet was rated at an average of 5.00 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. Verizon wins for second-place in Illinois, with 4.10 out of 5 stars and 63.0% coverage in Essex.

At a national level, based on 2235 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, Bertram Internet is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.00 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Essex?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the city, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by SURF Internet. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Mediacom should have faster speeds at a local level. While we typically put more weight on real-world customer ratings, we display both satisfaction and technical maximum information for customers to decide for themselves.

Data Reported to FCC by ISPs: Average Maximum Available in Essex

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	Mediacom	1,000 Mbps
	Verizon	300 Mbps
	Frontier Communications	115 Mbps
	Community Fiber Solutions (CFS)	100 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Bertram Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	Rise Broadband	25 Mbps
	AT&T	25 Mbps
	EarthLink	25 Mbps
	SURF Internet	25 Mbps
	ClearSKY Systems	25 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Essex

Based on data reported by Essex ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Mediacom. The company offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps in Essex. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 1,000 Mbps if they're willing to purchase the fastest subscription tier available at their homes.

Additionally, actual customers in the city rated their satisfaction with internet speed highest with SURF Internet. This indicates Surf reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Essex?

Illinois customers rate SURF Internet as the cheapest internet service provider in state. Data comes from customers in the state rating their satisfaction with pricing. This feedback is valuable because it considers price changes and whether the speeds paid for are worth it.

SURF Internet received a local rating of 5.00 out of 5, which is higher than the average across all internet providers in the country. Verizon is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Essex customers with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.

The chart and graph below show how customers in Essex, Illinois, and the United States rated the affordability of their internet service.

Rated Affordability in Essex

Essex Internet Health Assessment

ISP Reports evaluates the technological infrastructure across the United States. This includes assessing a grade for ISP providers and infrastructure in the city and setting an index number for the digital connectivity of its residents. You can view the ISP Report Card and the Digital Connectivity Index for Essex below, including the metrics used and how Essex compares to the rest of Illinois and nation.

Essex ISP Report Card: D

	Metric (hover for details)	Essex	Illinois	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Essex that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	0.00%	44.05%	67.25%
	Average Download SpeedThe maximum download speed most households can get on average. This is measured by availability in a block group and weighted by the population in that area.	721 Mbps	2,791 Mbps	3,293 Mbps
	Provider CountThe number of providers available for most people. This is a weighted average by block rather than a total for Essex.	5.0	7.1	6.8

 

Essex Digital Connectivity Index: 40 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	Essex	Illinois	USA
	Average Household SizeA larger household size in a city indicates that there will be a greater need for bandwidth due to simultaneous usage, multiple devices, and network congestion.	2.6	2.6	2.7
	Work From Home PercentA higher percent of the population working from home indicates bandwidth requirements being more widely needed rather than consolidated to commercial portions of the city.	16%	14%	14%
	Households with DevicesA higher percentage of households with computing devices in the home indicates a higher level of infrastructure needed to support those households.	93%	95%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	83%	90%	90%
	Households with BroadbandA higher percentage of households with a broadband connection (defined as speeds above 25 Mbps) indicates heavier usage needs within these households.	46%	74%	75%
	Broadband Usage vs. AvailabilityThis measures what percentage of households who have a broadband connection to their home actually have an active subscription to that service.	46%	75%	76%

Essex ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Essex is D, which is much worse than other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Essex is high with a score of 40 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Essex have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Essex ISP Report Card evaluates the city on availability and speed metrics compared to other cities in the United States. ISP Infrastructure can vary greatly and on its own isn’t a perfect measure of what a city needs. Please see our ISP Report Card along with the Digital Connectivity Index above to evaluate how well the connectivity demand is met by the existing infrastructure.

83% of Essex households have an internet connection despite having 100.00% availability. 46% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 21% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 1% of households have internet but don’t pay for a subscription because it’s subsidized by the Affordable Connectivity Program.

As you can see in the table above, while 46% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 46% subscribe to it. A very low number of Essex residents are taking advantage of the available internet infrastructure.

For more details, please visit our ISP Report Card and Digital Connectivity Index pages.

How do Neighboring Cities Compare to Essex?

How Much Speed does a Essex Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Essex is 2.6, which is smaller than the Illinois average of 2.6 and smaller than the national average of 2.7. Essex's average household income is $92,789 which is higher than the Illinois average of $93,298 and higher than the national average of $90,606. Homes with more people living in them and with higher incomes tend to indicate more devices being used more often.

Essex also has 15% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the Illinois average of 16%. Additionally, 16% of residents work from home, which is higher than the 14% of residents in Illinois who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Essex has a low need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Essex households are about average when it comes to technological engagement. 93% of households have some sort of computing device, 80% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 88% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Essex?

According to the most recently submitted data by internet service providers to the FCC, there are currently no fiber providers available in Essex, IL.

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Essex?

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Essex?

Which Fixed Wireless and LTE Internet Providers are Available in Essex?

Which ISP Should You Choose in Essex?

The right ISP for you depends upon your needs, but in general we can make the following suggestions:

• The best all-around internet service provider in Essex is Surf.
• The fastest internet provider should be Mediacom. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, SURF Internet may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in Essex is Surf.
• Viasat, HughesNet, and Bertram Internet has the broadest coverage in Essex, and is most likely to cover your home. To find out exactly what's available at your home, please use our address search tool.

How does Essex compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Essex stacks up on the national level, it's useful to look at some other cities with similarly sized populations. Below you can see a list of these cities and how they compare to Essex's D ISP Report Card and 40 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.