Rank: 83
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Jackson County stuck near the bottom of the ranking

Jackson County ranks 83 (down 5 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Their rank and percentage have gone down this year. That is probably because the maps saw greater scrutiny this year but it’s a second setback since we have been track progress.

Jackson County is in a precarious position when it comes to federal (BEAD) funding because looking at access in Chippewa County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access (60.86) percent coverage) and wireline with fixed wireless (97.86 percent). Minnesota doesn’t currently take fixed wireless into consideration when defining areas eligible for grants; the federal government does include access to fixed wireless. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.

• Over the years, Jackson County (or cities within) has not invested in match for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Jackson County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Jackson County will benefit from 27 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $15.9 million to get ubiquitous broadband in the county. (I haven’t updated the number because recent report offers scenarios of costs based on BEAD funding rules that make current estimates less predictable than in the past. Yet, I think the number is still helpful.)
• In 2022, Jackson ranked 84^th using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
• . In 2023, Federated Rural Electric got a $7 million Border to Border grant to serve 480 households, businesses, and farms in Jackson County.

Broadband Access:

Past Grants:

• 2023: Federated Rural Electric Assoc. – Jackson County Fiber-To-The-Premises – GRANT $7,068,222
• In 2010, Southwest Minnesota Broadband Services (SMBS) received ARRA funds to deploy fiber to the home in Jackson and other counties. Through SMBS, Jackson County was also part of the Blandin Broadband Communities initiative in 2015-2016
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Find more articles on broadband in Jackson County. (http://tinyurl.com/h3vyqx9)

The maps below on the left comes from the Office of Broadband Development interactive map, reflecting data updated on December 16, 2024. Red dots represent locations unserved locations. Above I have tracked wireline access because that is the Minnesota definition of broadband. The info below includes wired and wireless. BEAD includes fixed wireless connections as served locations. (I wrote more on the distinction between the two last year, which may be if interest in the numbers range greatly for your county.)

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)