Rank: 27
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Kittson County: gaining traction

Kittson County ranks 27 for broadband access and 67 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have seen pretty steady increase since 2018 landing at 87;57 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in in 2022. They have 282 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $2.6 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kittson County will benefit from a border to border grant announced in December 2022:

• Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc, $665,699.00 (serving Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods and Marshall)

Kittson County has seen small increases in access over the last three years. But it seems like they really got traction in the last year and a recent grant announcement indicates they could sustain that. In fact, they saw the fourth greatest increase in county ranking this year! Up 15 places! They have really earned the yellow code they have.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Kittson County ranks 67 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Kittson County ranks 75 out of 87 for computer ownership. 87.9 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband – GRANT $1,307,785
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension – Award $425,000
• 2019 Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Kittson. (https://bit.ly/2kcNnpz)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 27 (up 16)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 2.1

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)