In the Washington metro area there are 3 residential Cable providers covering 97.48% of the city. The average home can get speeds up to 994 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 Washington
To avoid wasting your time, providers with less than 1% coverage in the Washington metro area are not shown.
Washington 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 Washington metro area is cable internet available?
Cable Internet Availability Key
Cable is available in 97.48% of the Washington 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 Washington metro area above to see who has service at your home.
How fast is cable internet in the Washington metro area?
The map below shows maximum cable internet speeds by area in the Washington metro area.
Cable Internet Speed Key
The average Washington home can get up to 994 Mbps on their cable internet plan. The fastest cable download speed in the city is 1,000 Mbps, which 96.67% 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 300 Mbps. See the internet provider details below for info about their speed and coverage in the Washington metro area.
Cable internet speeds tend to be faster in the south parts of the Washington metro area, and slower in the southwest areas of the city.
Is cable the fastest internet I can get in the Washington metro area?
The fastest internet for you may vary based on where in the Washington metro area you live. In general, fiber competes most often with cable in the city.
- Fiber is the fastest internet type for 2.48% of Washington homes.
- Cable is fastest for 95.99% of the city.
- DSL is fastest for less than 1%.
- Fixed wireless is fastest for less than 1%.
- Satellite internet may be the only option for less than 1% of Washington homes.
Cable Providers in Depth
Below you'll find which TV and internet providers offer service in the Washington metro area, along with details on where in the Washington metro area and at what speeds.
XFINITY from Comcast Cable in Washington, DC
XFINITY cable coverage
About 77.83%, or 4,083,013 people, have XFINITY cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the entire Washington area. XFINITY is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in much of the Washington metro area.
XFINITY from Comcast cable download speeds
XFINITY is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Washington metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, XFINITY cable is above average. There are 2 different maximum speeds throughout the Washington metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Washington metro area can order from XFINITY goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 300 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Washington customers is up to 993 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 99.0% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 1.0% up to 300.0 Mbps
XFINITY from Comcast cable upload speeds
In the Washington 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 above average compared to other Washington cable providers. XFINITY 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 Washington 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
- 99.0% up to 35.0 Mbps
- 1.0% up to 10.0 Mbps
Cox Communications Cable in Washington, DC
Cox cable coverage
About 21.09%, or 1,106,127 people, have Cox cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the central, west, south, northwest, southwest, north, and east Washington area. Cox is one of the largest internet service providers internet service providers in the US, with internet service available in a small portion of the Washington metro area.
Cox Communications cable download speeds
Cox is above average when comparing download speeds to all other internet providers in the Washington metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, Cox cable is above average. There are 2 different maximum speeds throughout the Washington metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Washington metro area can order from Cox goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 300 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Washington customers is up to 997 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 99.6% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 0.4% up to 300.0 Mbps
Cox Communications cable upload speeds
In the Washington metro area download speeds tend to be than upload speeds for Cox cable. Compared to other ISPs, Cox is below average where upload speeds are concerned, and above average compared to other Washington cable providers. Cox 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 Washington metro area is up to 35 Mbps. Some customers have slower plan choices, which only go up to 30 Mbps. On average, Cox customers can get speeds up to 35 Mbps.
Show all upload speeds
- 99.6% up to 35.0 Mbps
- 0.4% up to 30.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN Cable in Washington, DC
Astound Broadband cable coverage
About 11.65%, or 611,145 people, have Astound Broadband cable internet available to them in the city. The company covers the north, east, central, northeast, southwest, and west Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington metro area. Versus other cable providers in the area, Astound Broadband cable is below average. There are 2 different maximum speeds throughout the Washington metro area. The fastest plan anyone in the Washington metro area can order from Astound Broadband goes up to 1,000 Mbps, the slowest package only goes up to 330 Mbps, and the city-wide average maximum speed for Washington customers is up to 786 Mbps.
Show all download speeds
- 68.1% up to 1,000.0 Mbps
- 31.9% up to 330.0 Mbps
Astound Broadband powered by RCN cable upload speeds
In the Washington 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 Washington cable providers. Astound Broadband offers no different upload speeds across the city. The fastest upload speed available to anyone from this ISP in the Washington metro area is up to 20 Mbps, which is available to everyone covered.
Show all upload speeds
- 100.0% up to 20.0 Mbps
Washington Cable by Area
This information is most helpful to those looking for homes or considering moving to the Washington metro area or any of the areas nearby.
How does cable internet in the Washington metro area compare to the rest of District of Columbia?
Cable internet speeds in the Washington metro area are comparable versus the average speeds in District of Columbia: 1,000 Mbps in District of Columbia versus 994 Mbps in the city. The state has similar cable availability compared to the city. Average cable coverage in District of Columbia is 99.40% versus 97.48% in the Washington metro area.
What zip codes have cable internet?
Cable internet coverage varies by zip code and neighborhood. Some examples in or around the Washington 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
- Washington, DC: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Fort Myer, VA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Arlington, VA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Mount Rainier, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Friendship Heights Village, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Brentwood, MD: less cable coverage, faster speeds
- Chevy Chase Village, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Cottage City, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Colmar Manor, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- North Brentwood, MD: more cable coverage, faster speeds
Cities with Similar Populations
- Atlanta Metro, GA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- San Francisco Metro, CA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Miami Metro, FL: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Philadelphia Metro, PA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Boston Metro, MA: more cable coverage, faster speeds
- Phoenix Metro, AZ: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Houston Metro, TX: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Riverside Metro, CA: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Dallas Metro, TX: less cable coverage, slower speeds
- Detroit Metro, MI: more cable coverage, slower speeds