Rank: 10
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Rock County: Nearly Perfect

Rock County ranks 10 (down 9 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. They had 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up but now the maps show 99.34 percent. It is a map correction, but they are still very close.

They still have a green ranking.

• Over the years, Rock County (or cities within) has not invested in match for any successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Rock County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Rock County will not benefit from any line extension awards
• In 2022, Rock ranked 21 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

Grants:

• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2014 – Rock County Broadband Alliance (RCBA), FTTP Project – Award: $5 million.

Find more articles on broadband in Rock County (http://tinyurl.com/jjeesst)

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)