- Navigator
- Northeast
- Economic and Fiscal Impact Analysis
- County
In June 2025, Westchester County, NY, in partnership with The STEM Alliance and the Westchester County Association, hired Camoin Associates to complete a formal benefit-cost analysis of the county’s digital equity program, Connect Westchester.
Connect Westchester deploys a Digital Navigator Corps trained by The STEM Alliance to assess qualifying residents’ digital resource needs, and then provides them with equipment, assistance in enrolling in free/affordable internet, and 15 hours of basic tech education.
The County believes that digital access is essential infrastructure that has historically been under-measured. With today’s economy running on digital rails, meaning opportunity, economic mobility, healthcare, education, and civic participation increasingly depend on digital access, traditional metrics such as jobs and wages do not fully capture the impact of digital inclusion, particularly for residents entering or re-entering the workforce. The benefit-cost analysis allowed them to quantify return on investment and position digital equity as a core economic strategy grounded in data.
The analysis looked beyond jobs and earnings to reflect how people experience economic mobility. For many residents, the immediate benefits of digital access include:
- Lower household costs
- Greater income stability
- Improved access to healthcare through telehealth
These tangible economic gains strengthen households and the broader economy, reinforcing the idea that economic resilience begins at the household level.
One of the most notable findings was the scale of return on investment: By its third year of operations (2025), Connect Westchester had delivered a $4.96 return on every dollar invested.
The analysis showed that modest public investment can generate outsized economic benefits. We also saw Connect Westchester’s broad impact across workforce participation, healthcare access, financial stability, and quality of life—demonstrating that digital equity is a multiplier across multiple systems.
“Digital access is no longer optional—it is essential infrastructure for economic mobility, workforce participation, healthcare access, and long-term household stability. This analysis reinforces that investments in digital inclusion are investments in people, communities, and Westchester County’s economic future.”
KEN JENKINS, Westchester County Executive
The analysis strengthened the case for continued County investment in the Westchester Connect program, which is funded through the Westchester County Board of Legislators’ annual budget. The findings support state and federal grant funding applications and provide a clear return on investment for private and philanthropic partners, positioning Westchester County as a leader in data-driven, inclusive economic development.
As a nationally recognized Digital Inclusion Trailblazer (National Digital Inclusion Award, 2024 and 2025), Westchester County will use the findings of this analysis to inform policy, investment, and partnerships.
On a larger scale, this analysis also helps redefine how economic development success should be measured. In addition to job creation, it highlighted the importance of:
- Access to opportunity
- Household stability
- Reduced barriers to participation
It supported a shift toward more inclusive, mobility-driven metrics, grounded in the understanding that inclusive growth is sustainable growth. Further potential lies in replicability: embedding digital navigator programs across government agencies would allow each to assess the specific digital barriers faced by its clients and develop aligned equity strategies.
With a demonstrated return on investment, the approach could extend beyond a pilot, evolving into durable public infrastructure and a scalable model for communities nationwide.
Read the Connect Westchester benefit-cost analysis (PDF)
Learn about our economic and fiscal impact analysis services
About the Author
Bridget Byrnes is an Economic Data and Research Analyst at Camoin Associates. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Writing from Emerson College and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in economic development from Murray State University. As an analyst, Bridget leads data-driven research and strategic planning initiatives across housing, industry, and economic and fiscal impact projects. She has guided efforts ranging from housing and market analyses in communities across the Northeast to cluster and workforce analyses that help regions position themselves for long-term competitiveness. Bridget works closely with local leaders to translate complex economic and demographic data into actionable strategies that support inclusive growth and sustainable development.
