New Broadband Access Rates by Minnesota County: Big Changes in County Ranking

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As I mentioned yesterday, the newest Minnesota broadband maps are out. There are some big changes – many of the changes can be attributed to the change in definitions. Minnesota defined broadband as 10M down and 5 M up. The federal government used a 10M/6M ranking until earlier this year when they went with 25M/3M.

The last ranking chart we had for Minnesota looked at 10M/6M. This new map looks at 10M/5M. That makes a difference – as you can see. But there are also some standout improvements that are clearly based on more than a change in definitions.

I will try to dig deeper into each county – but wanted to post the high level info so others could use it too. (Here’s a Word version since tables and WordPress don’t always mix.) I will highlight any big leaps in access and try to indicate whether a county has risen or fallen in the ranking.

Quickly – three cheers counties that are now in the top five ranking – some a pretty rural:

  1. Red Lake
  2. Ramsey
  3. Clearwater
  4. Lac qui Parle
  5. Stevens
2014 Ranking County 2014 HH Served 2015 HH Served 2015 Ranking
1 Hennepin 100.00 98.89 6
2 Ramsey 100.00 99.75 2
3 Anoka 99.99 97.2 8
4 Red Lake 99.99 99.99 1
5 Steele 99.93 87.94 18
6 Dakota 99.90 97.17 9
7 Scott 99.81 90.1 15
8 Washington 99.65 95.28 10
9 Clearwater 99.64 99.5 3
10 Carver 99.50 91.07 14
11 Dodge 99.40 75.12 38
12 Lac qui Parle 99.36 99.36 4
13 Stevens 99.26 99.23 5
14 Waseca 98.80 70.55 45
15 McLeod 98.66 70.29 46
16 Polk 98.52 85.93 21
17 Le Sueur 98.47 75.39 37
18 Beltrami 98.46 98.07 7
19 Meeker 98.31 59.48 66
20 Rice 98.20 88.37 16
21 Olmsted 98.10 94.72 11
22 Freeborn 95.79 82.08 29
23 Goodhue 93.54 69.48 49
24 Wright 93.32 78.84 32
25 Benton 92.79 79.93 31
26 Sherburne 91.86 74.1 40
27 Stearns 91.68 84.35 24
28 Pennington 91.64 91.6 13
29 Isanti 91.54 50.36 74
30 Nicollet 91.36 84.04 25
31 Mower 90.87 82.44 27
32 Blue Earth 90.48 78.26 36
33 Winona 90.23 83.86 26
34 Sibley 89.93 50.46 73
35 Chisago 86.64 61.02 64
36 Grant 85.85 88 17
37 Brown 85.39 86.11 20
38 Clay 82.50 82.16 28
39 St. Louis 80.18 78.37 35
40 Lake 77.32 85.46 22
41 Hubbard 76.45 82.04 30
42 Wabasha 76.29 62.12 60
43 Koochiching 74.00 63.45 59
44 Big Stone 72.37 69.6 48
45 Fillmore 69.75 46.22 76
46 Houston 68.88 72.18 43
47 Jackson 68.78 68.9 50
48 Wilkin 67.05 71.39 44
49 Itasca 66.72 69.82 47
50 Rock 66.29 66.29 51
51 Traverse 65.51 65.56 53
52 Watonwan 64.58 64.58 56
53 Otter Tail 64.33 66.13 52
54 Carlton 62.81 58.88 67
55 Redwood 62.61 63.62 58
56 Norman 61.92 61.92 63
57 Marshall 61.4 30.85 82
58 Cottonwood 60.52 61.98 61
59 Wadena 60.48 86.51 19
60 Crow Wing 59.76 85.21 23
61 Becker 59.68 60.92 65
62 Martin 59.17 55.09 70
63 Nobles 59.15 65.21 54
64 Renville 58.39 52.56 71
65 Pipestone 57.57 57.01 69
66 Kandiyohi 57.47 74.4 39
67 Mille Lacs 55.99 33.28 81
68 Mahnomen 55.40 63.84 57
69 Lake of the Woods 47.08 47.08 75
70 Roseau 45.67 45.67 77
71 Murray 43.53 45.2 79
72 Kittson 43.08 3.46 87
73 Lincoln 40.90 40.89 80
74 Morrison 38.44 61.94 62
75 Faribault 38.06 92.47 12
76 Cass 37.70 57.39 68
77 Pope 31.40 64.76 55
78 Swift 30.68 78.64 33
79 Kanabec 28.54 28.05 83
80 Yellow Medicine 25.85 26.99 84
81 Todd 25.69 50.74 72
82 Chippewa 24.63 72.28 42
83 Pine 24.63 23.63 85
84 Cook 20.70 45.57 78
85 Douglas 16.21 78.57 34
86 Lyon 4.14 72.64 41
87 Aitkin 0.06 15.88 86
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About Ann Treacy

Librarian who follows rural broadband in MN and good uses of new technology (blandinonbroadband.org), hosts a radio show on MN music (mostlyminnesota.com), supports people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota (elimstrongtowershelters.org) and helps with social justice issues through Women’s March MN.

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