Why In Store Holiday Shopping Might Be Your Best Bet In Montana

The way that we shop for the Holidays has changed over the last decade or two.

What used to be an event that was stratagized, laid out, planned out, and then executed with military precision (Black Friday) has become a mix of in-store and online shopping. In fact, for many, they will sit on the couch in their jammies, get on their device, and do some shopping, scoring big savings

READ MORE: Which stores have the best Black Friday deals?

Except that some states might not be as fast or reliable as others.

According to Tomorrow Lab, which looked at each state and then ranked them according to their internet dependability and speed, here in Big Sky Country, we rank near the top for the worst internet service out there.

How bad is the internet service in Montana?

The data suggests that Montana is ranked 2nd in the nation for the worst internet service out there. The only state that is ranked higher than we are? Alaska. Ok, I get it. We're a big state with not a lot of people, but how do states like the Dakotas and Wyoming beat us? Seriously?

When determining the factors for speed and reliability, the following were used:

• Access to service
• Median download speed
• Median upload speed

The higher the score, the worse the service. Alaska received a total score of 98.95, while Montana received a total score of 80.06. So while we're ranked 2nd, it seems that we're still in pretty good shape compared to America's biggest state.

Oh, and in case you were curious, the other states that stink when it comes to internet are West Virginia in 3rd, Kansas in 4th, and rounding out the Top 5 is Louisiana.

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What does all this mean? Well, it means that if you plan on doing your Holiday shopping online and you live in Montana, it might be a bit slower than the surrounding area. You might also miss out on a deal or two.

My suggestion? Shop local.