Wondering how many of your workers will have broadband access at home in coming years? The experts at Gartner, Inc., say they know.

By the year 2012, 77% of all U.S. households will access the Web via broadband.

As of 2007, it was just 54%.

Right now, the U.S. has fallen behind on broadband penetration, but that will change in the next four years, say the Gartner experts.

Gartner’s analysts assembled a list of 17 countries that will have penetration levels above 60% in 2012. Last year, 11 countries on that list were ahead of the U.S., but in four years, they’re predicting that only South Korea, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Canada will lead the U.S. in household broadband penetration.

The U.S. will share fifth place with Japan, which is expected to see a similar broadband boom.

Why the growth? Gartner says it will be both lower prices and increased interest in the Web, along with a younger population — which has come to see the Internet as a work and social forum.

On a worldwide basis, household penetration will grow from 18% of households in 2007 to 25% of households in 2012.

Tags: access, broadband, Gartner, home, Internet, penetration