By Michael P. Bruno
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Friday, July 12, 2002; 6:34 AM
The Washington-Baltimore corridor boasts more citizens and businesses with computers and access to the Internet than every other part of Maryland, according to new data from a state-commissioned study.
The study divided Maryland's 23 counties into five regions, with the central region -- suburban Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties -- almost always placing at the top, and the western region -- the mountainous and largely rural Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties -- ranking last.
The study shows a strong correlation between technology adoption and affluence across Maryland. The correlation is important, experts say, because technology and affluence feed each other. Wealthier, better-educated communities tend
to make better use of technology, which provides skills that end up
boosting local economies.
"What's fascinating is to look at Maryland as an example of the haves
and the have-nots," said Pari Sabety, director of Ohio State
University's Technology Policy Group, which administers the ongoing
study for the Maryland Technology Development Corp. (Tedco).
"It tells [Maryland officials] they need to continue to maintain a focus
on Internet adoption across the state because it's so important to the
economy," said Professor Roland T. Rust, chairman of the marketing
department in the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University
of Maryland.
The study found that 74 percent of households in the central region -- largely the Baltimore-Washington corridor -- have personal computers (PCs) and 62 percent of them use the Internet. By contrast, 44 percent of households in the western region have PCs and only 34 percent of them get online.
The central region of Maryland also has the highest median household
income at $66,050, the survey said. The south followed at $61,100, north
at $53,220, west at $40,667 and east at $40,567.
Similarly, 37 percent of households in the central region have at least
a college-level education. The north followed at 21 percent, south at 17
percent, east at 15 percent and west at 11 percent.
"Income and education clearly drive whether people have computers and
use them," said Renee M. Winsky, deputy executive director of Tedco.
"Still, 25 percent of Marylanders don't care or don't want it."
Meanwhile, 25 percent of businesses polled in the central region
reported making sales via the World Wide Web, more than in any other region, as
well as the statewide average of 22 percent. But slightly more
northern-region businesses maintain Web sites than in other regions,
followed closely by those in the central region.
Internet service also was studied across Maryland. Cable modem service
is available in more than half of the state, but it is absent from
nearly the entire eastern region and half of the western region, the
study showed. DSL service is even less prevalent than cable modem
service and is really only provided in the middle third of the state.
"It's fairly common in several states that you'll see better affluent
communities be better connected," said Andy Carvin, senior associate the
District-based Benton Foundation, a nonprofit group that researches
public interest use of communications technology and the Internet.
Carvin said the state must convince citizens and businesses that
technology is important to them. "People need to see [that] the Internet
is relevant to their lives," he said.
The latest results marked the second phase of the three-part Maryland
study, which was sponsored by $355,000 in mostly state and federal
funds. Maryland was the second state after Ohio to begin a statewide
assessment of its technology adoption.
Tedco officials are hosting about 20 town-hall meetings across Maryland
where they expect to record feedback from about 1,000 citizens. Tedco
officials will present the full study to the Maryland legislature and
Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend in mid-November.
