8 Best Internet Providers in Salem, IA

Compare Providers Ranked by Coverage, Speed, and Customer Ratings

Above are the top 4 providers in Salem, IA 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 Salem ratings may vary and are shown below.

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3. Salem, IA Internet Service Providers
   

Who is the Best Internet Provider in Salem, IA?

Windstream is the best internet provider in Salem based on Iowa customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. Based on our extensive and unbiased survey, Windstream had the best reviews at the local, state, and national levels versus all available providers in Salem, making it a solid recommendation among providers with reviews. Windstream is an option for 96.26% of the city.

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

Top Rated Internet Providers in Salem

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

Based on 14 reviews from Iowa internet customers, Windstream is the best internet service provider for Salem residents. Windstream was rated at an average of 4.33 out of 5 in our report for overall customer satisfaction. US Cellular wins for second-place in Iowa, with 4.33 out of 5 stars and 89.5% coverage in Salem.

At a national level, based on 1366 national reviews for any of the providers listed above, KCTC is rated higher than any other provider, with a rating of 4.00 out of 5.

Who is the Fastest Internet Provider in Salem?

According to unbiased feedback from real internet customers in the city, they reported being happiest with speeds provided by Windstream. On the other hand, based on data provided by the internet providers to the FCC, Nextlink 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 Salem

	ISP / Tech Type	Max Advertised Speed
	Windstream	2,000 Mbps
	KCTC	1,000 Mbps
	Nextlink	1,000 Mbps
	Liberty Communications	500 Mbps
	T-Mobile Home Internet	100 Mbps
	Viasat	100 Mbps
	EarthLink	25 Mbps
	AT&T	25 Mbps
	US Cellular	25 Mbps
	HughesNet	25 Mbps

Customer Ratings for Internet Provider Speeds in Salem

Based on data reported by Salem ISPs to the FCC, the fastest speeds in the city are available through Nextlink. The company offers speeds up to 2,000 Mbps in Salem. Therefore, the average customer can get up to 998 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 Windstream. This indicates Windstream reliably delivers speeds expected by the customer based on the plan they are paying for.

Who is the Cheapest Internet Provider in Salem?

Iowa customers rate T-Mobile Home 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.

T-Mobile Home Internet received a local rating of 4.00 out of 5, which is lower than the average across all internet providers in the country. US Cellular is rated in second place for affordability by the company’s Salem customers with an average price rating of 4.00 out of 5.

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

Rated Affordability in Salem

Salem 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 Salem below, including the metrics used and how Salem compares to the rest of Iowa and nation.

Salem ISP Report Card: B-

	Metric (hover for details)	Salem	Iowa	USA
	Fiber Availability Percent The percentage of households in Salem that have a Fiber internet connection available to their home.	73.85%	78.64%	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.	1,138 Mbps	2,759 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 Salem.	6.7	7.3	6.8

 

Salem Digital Connectivity Index: 50 / 100

	Metric (hover for details)	Salem	Iowa	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.	2.7	2.4	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%	11%	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.	96%	94%	95%
	Households with InternetA higher percentage of households with internet indicates a higher need for usage and connectivity in people’s daily lives.	88%	88%	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.	48%	71%	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.	48%	71%	76%

Salem ISP Report Card & Digital Connectivity Index

The ISP Report Card in Salem is B-, which is much worse than other cities. The local demand for broadband internet connectivity in Salem is high with a score of 50 / 100 in our Digital Connectivity Index. This means that internet service providers operating in Salem have done a average job meeting the needs of its residents.

The Salem 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.

88% of Salem households have an internet connection despite having 99.78% availability. 48% of households have fiber, cable, or DSL, 33% have satellite, 0% are still on dial-up, and 2% 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 48% of households have a broadband connection such as fiber, cable or DSL available to their home, 48% subscribe to it. A very low number of Salem 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 Salem?

How Much Speed does a Salem Household Need?

Higher speed is typically preferred, but that comes at a higher price. The average size of a household in Salem is 2.7, which is larger than the Iowa average of 2.4 and larger than the national average of 2.7. Salem's average household income is $88,123 which is much higher than the Iowa average of $80,609 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.

Salem also has 9% of its population enrolled in school between the 6th grade and college level, this is lower than the Iowa average of 16%. Additionally, 16% of residents work from home, which is higher than the 11% of residents in Iowa who work from home. This and other factors you can see above show us that the community of Salem has an average need for internet connectivity and speeds.

Compared to the rest of the country, Salem households are more technology-engaged. 96% of households have some sort of computing device, 82% have desktops or laptops in the home, and 93% have smartphones. To see what speeds you are currently getting, please visit our internet speed test tool.

Which Fiber Internet Providers are Available in Salem?

Which Cable Internet Providers are Available in Salem?

According to the most recently submitted data by internet service providers to the FCC, there are currently no cable providers available in Salem, IA.

Which DSL Internet Providers are Available in Salem?

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

Which ISP Should You Choose in Salem?

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 Salem is Windstream.
• The fastest internet provider should be Nextlink. Considering speed for the money and reliability in speeds, Windstream may be a better choice based on real-world local customer feedback.
• The most affordable internet provider in Salem is T-Mobile Home Internet.
• Viasat, Liberty Communications, and HughesNet has the broadest coverage in Salem, 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 Salem compare to other cities with a similar population?

To see how Salem 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 Salem's B- ISP Report Card and 50 / 100 Digital Connectivity Index.