Ohio’s broadband availability gap is shrinking, but many state residents are still on the wrong side of the so-called “digital divide,” according to new research from a Columbus nonprofit group working to bring affordable high-speed Internet service to every household in the state.

Nearly 98 percent of Ohio households can access broadband at standard download speeds of 3 megabits-per-second, virtually the same percentage as April, according to Connect Ohio.

However, the number of households with no access to any fixed broadband service dropped to 64,800, from 73,856 in April.

“Having broadband availability in your home or business increases quality of life,” said Amanda Murphy, a spokeswoman for Connect Ohio. High-speed Internet availability helps fuel economic development, employment and educational opportunities, health care awareness and public safety, she said.

Dayton-area counties “are pretty well served,” with most above 99 percent availability, Murphy said. Montgomery County has the region’s highest availability at 99.93 percent; Darke County is the lowest at 95.64 percent.

Southeast Ohio is home to many counties with low availability rates, including Monroe County at 21.26 percent. However, Holmes County, midway between Columbus and Cleveland, is among the lowest in the state at 55.92 percent.

“It is not just a rural issue; it is still an issue all throughout Ohio,” Murphy said.