The bar chart compares the percentage of households with internet access across four income groups—lowest, second, third, and highest—in the years 2010 and 2020.
Overall, internet access increased markedly across all income groups over the ten-year period. However, an unexpected pattern emerges: the third income group consistently reported higher levels of access than the highest income group in both years.
In 2010, approximately 75% of households in the third income category had internet access, exceeding the roughly 70% observed in the highest income group. By 2020, this gap widened, with the third group reaching around 90%, while the highest group rose to just over 80%. This deviation from the typical association between income and digital access is particularly notable.
The second income group also demonstrated a steady increase, climbing from slightly below 60% in 2010 to about 70% in 2020. The lowest income group, though starting from a considerably lower base of around 35%, experienced substantial improvement, with access levels rising to approximately 50% by 2020.
In summary, while internet accessibility improved universally between 2010 and 2020, the data defy conventional expectations, as the third income group consistently outperformed the highest income group in terms of digital connectivity.