In the Chicago metro area there are 4 residential Cable providers covering 98.32% of the city. The average home can get speeds up to 990 Mbps. Note that we may have a financial relationship with some of the providers below. This does not influence rankings, and helps us provide high-quality detailed information for free.
Cable Internet Service Providers in Chicago
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in the Chicago metro area are not shown.
Chicago Satellite TV & Internet Providers
DISH Satellite TV
DIRECTV Satellite TV
Not sure whether to choose Dish or DIRECTV? For most people most of the time we recommend DISH. But click here to learn more.
HughesNet Satellite Internet
Where in the Chicago metro area is cable internet available?
Cable Internet Availability Key
Cable is available in 98.32% of the Chicago metro area. Areas in green have cable internet service, where areas in yellow or red may not. The most widely available provider is XFINITY. Call one of the companies with service in the Chicago metro area above to see who has service at your home.
How fast is cable internet in the Chicago metro area?
The map below shows maximum cable internet speeds by area in the Chicago metro area.
Cable Internet Speed Key
The average Chicago home can get up to 990 Mbps on their cable internet plan. The fastest cable download speed in the city is 1,000 Mbps, which 95.21% of residents can get. Some homes and apartments do not have access to these speeds. On the slower end, for example, less than 1% of homes can only purchase plans up to 100 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in the Chicago metro area.
Cable internet speeds tend to be faster in the central parts of the Chicago metro area, and slower in the southeast areas of the city.
Is cable the fastest internet I can get in the Chicago metro area?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in the Chicago metro area you live. In general, fiber competes most often with cable in the city.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 22.28% of Chicago homes.
- Cable is fastest for 75.96% of the city.
- DSL is fastest for less than 1%.
- Fixed wireless is fastest for 1.08%.
- Satellite internet may be the only option for less than 1% of Chicago homes.
Cable Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in the Chicago metro area, along with details on where in the Chicago metro area and at what speeds.
XFINITY from Comcast Cable in Chicago, IL
XFINITY cable coverage
About 94.95%, or 8,935,742 people, have XFINITY cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the entire Chicago area. XFINITY is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in most of the Chicago metro area.
XFINITY from Comcast cable download speeds
XFINITY is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, XFINITY cable is above average. There are 2 different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from XFINITY goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 200 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Chicago customers is up to 993 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 99.1% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 0.9% up to 200.0 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast cable upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for XFINITY cable. Compared to other ISPs, XFINITY is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and below average compared to other Chicago cable providers. XFINITY offers 3 different upload speeds across the city, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 35 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 10 Mbps. On average, XFINITY customers can get speeds up to 35 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 99.1% up to 35.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 20.0 Mbps
- 0.9% up to 10.0 Mbps
WOW! Cable in Chicago, IL
WOW! cable coverage
About 14.13%, or 1,329,512 people, have WOW! cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the southeast, northwest, north, east, west, central, southwest, and south Chicago area. WOW! is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a very small piece of the Chicago metro area.
WOW! cable download speeds
WOW! is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, WOW! cable is one of the fastest. There are no different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from WOW! goes up to 1,000 Mbps, and all Chicago customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
WOW! cable upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for WOW! cable. Compared to other ISPs, WOW! is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and above average compared to other Chicago cable providers. WOW! offers no different upload speeds across the city. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 50 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 50.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN Cable in Chicago, IL
Astound Broadband cable coverage
About 7.65%, or 719,758 people, have Astound Broadband cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the northeast, east, north, and central Chicago area. Astound Broadband is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a very small piece of the Chicago metro area.
Astound Broadband powered by RCN cable download speeds
Astound Broadband is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, Astound Broadband cable is above average. There are 3 different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from Astound Broadband goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 100 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Chicago customers is up to 863 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 72.6% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 27.4% up to 500.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 100.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN cable upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Astound Broadband cable. Compared to other ISPs, Astound Broadband is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and below average compared to other Chicago cable providers. Astound Broadband offers 2 different upload speeds across the city, so your internet plan's upload speed may vary by neighborhood. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 20 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 10 Mbps. On average, Astound Broadband customers can get speeds up to 20 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 20.0 Mbps
- 0.0% up to 10.0 Mbps
Spectrum Cable in Chicago, IL
Spectrum cable coverage
About 2.08%, or 195,735 people, have Spectrum cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the north and northwest Chicago area. Spectrum is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a very small piece of the Chicago metro area.
Spectrum cable download speeds
Spectrum is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Chicago metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, Spectrum cable is above average. There are no different maximum speeds throughout the Chicago metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Chicago metro area can order from Spectrum goes up to 940 Mbps, and all Chicago customers can get this speed.
Show all download speeds
- 100.0% up to 940.0 Mbps
Spectrum cable upload speeds
In the Chicago metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Spectrum cable. Compared to other ISPs, Spectrum is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and below average compared to other Chicago cable providers. Spectrum offers no different upload speeds across the city. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Chicago metro area is up to 35 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 35.0 Mbps
Chicago Cable by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to the Chicago metro area or any of the areas nearby.
How does cable internet in the Chicago metro area compare to the rest of Illinois?
Cable internet speeds in the Chicago metro area are comparable versus the average speeds in Illinois: 987 Mbps in Illinois versus 990 Mbps in the city. The state has similar cable availability compared to the city. Average cable coverage in Illinois is 92.70% versus 98.32% in the Chicago metro area.
What zip codes have cable internet?
Cable internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around the Chicago metro area are shown below. You can enter any zip code here to see TV and internet providers by zip code.
What does cable internet look like in other cities?
Below are cities nearby and with similar populations. This comparison can be useful if living somewhere with fast internet is important to you.
Nearby Cities
- Chicago, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Evergreen Park, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Cicero, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Oak Park, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Berwyn, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Stickney, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Forest Park, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- River Forest, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Elmwood Park, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Forest View, IL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
Cities with Similar Populations
- Dallas Metro, TX: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Houston Metro, TX: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Philadelphia Metro, PA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Miami Metro, FL: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- San Francisco Metro, CA: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Washington Metro, DC: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Los Angeles Metro, CA: more cable coverage, slower speeds
- Atlanta Metro, GA: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Boston Metro, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Phoenix Metro, AZ: less cable coverage, slower speeds