Patch has published articles around the Twin Cities highlighting broadband access by zip codes. It’s an interesting look at how very local the digital divide is. (I just wrote about access in Mendota Heights and should have realized more articles would follow but some days I don’t read all of the instructions before I take the test.)

Here’s the high level info from Patch:

Microsoft estimates that about 157.3 million people in the United States cannot or do not connect to the internet at broadband speeds, which is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as download speeds of 25 megabits per second and three megabits per second upload speeds.

The company gathered data by ZIP code on the connection speed of devices when they used a Microsoft service in October 2020.

And specific details by area…

In the Mendota Heights area:

• ZIP code 55118: 94.9 percent
• ZIP code 55120: 60.2 percent

In the Southwest Minneapolis area:

• ZIP code 55408: 62.8 percent
• ZIP code 55409: 40.0 percent
• ZIP code 55410: 62.8 percent
• ZIP code 55416: 61.3 percent
• ZIP code 55419: 57.7 percent

In the Edina area:

• ZIP code 55410: 62.8 percent
• ZIP code 55416: 61.3 percent
• ZIP code 55423: 66.2 percent
• ZIP code 55424: 87.6 percent
• ZIP code 55435: 70.9 percent
• ZIP code 55436: 79.8 percent
• ZIP code 55439: 76.6 percent

In the Lakeville area:

• ZIP code 55044: 100.0 percent

In the Burnsville area:

• ZIP code 55306: 30.6 percent
• ZIP code 55337: 89.1 percent

In the Shakopee area:

• ZIP code 55379: 76.1 percent

In the Apple Valley Rosemount area:

• ZIP code 55068: 86.8 percent
• ZIP code 55124: 72.2 percent