Rank: 66
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Cottonwood County: Served in the town, stagnant outside

Windom, the county seat of Cottonwood County, has had an enviable municipal broadband network since 2004. Folks in Windom are well served. But outside of Windom, connections are mixed.

Unfortunately, the county has been stuck since 2018 with minor updates. Although according to a report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, has been using CARES funding to get more people online. And projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Cottonwood is $2,171,395; broadband is one possible use.

Maybe recent influx of funds or increased need due to COVID will spur more attention on broadband in Cottonwood, although most of the activity still seems to hover around Windom and that is why they get a red code.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 2016 – WOODSTOCK TELEPHONE WESTBROOK – GRANT: $412,391
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2010 – ARRA funding for City of Windom – SWMBG will build FTTP (Fiber to the Premise) infrastructure to eight rural communities in Southwestern Minnesota.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Cottonwood County. (http://tinyurl.com/gnqcknv)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 66 (down 4 places)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 6.86

Details:

• Districts: CD 1 / 22
• Find your reps

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)