Rank: 10
Code: Ranking
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)
Pennington County: Still on top 10 list
Pennington County has done well with engaged providers and successful Border to Border grants.
Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Pennington is $2,738,293; broadband is one possible use.
Pennington County has the opportunity to invest in broadband with federal funding. That would help them reach ubiquitous broadband. They are so close; it might not take much. They are code green.
Broadband Access:
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
| 100/20 (2026 goal) | 98.19 | 96.95 | 96.18 | 90.75 | 9.63 |
| 25/3 (2022 goal) | 99.37 | 98.53 | 97.21 | 91.78 | 91.78 |
| County | Households with computer | …with desktop or laptop | …with ONLY smartphone | …with a tablet et al |
| State of MN | 93.6% | 80.6% | 7.7% | 63.8% |
| Pennington | 88.1 | 76.4 | 5.4 | 51.7 |
Past grants:
- 2017 – Sjoberg’s Inc. – NW MN Rural Broadband – GRANT $307,088
- 2016 – CENTURYLINK THIEF RIVER MIDDLE MILE – GRANT: $1,324,400
- 2016 – GARDEN VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY RURAL THIEF RIVER FALLS EAST – GRANT: $2,027,035
- 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526
Checklist:
- Find more articles on Pennington County https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=pennington&submit=Search
- 100/20 Mbps ranking: 10 (same)
- Has worked with Blandin: yes
- Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
- Household density: 8.88
Details:
- Districts: CD 7
Senate: 01
House: 01A, 01B - 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)