Rank:26
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Washington County: nearly there with a grant in process

Washington County ranks 26 (down 10 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Washington County is part of the 7-metro county region. It has some suburban areas and some rural areas. Some areas attract providers while other areas need incentive.

In 2023, Scandia started working on a 5-year broadband plan. While the county has stalled for many years now but they will benefit from a 2024 grant happening in Scandia. That may lead to more activity especially once BEAD funding becomes available.

Washington retinas green ranking.

• Over the years, Washington County (or cities within) has invested $375,085 (total) for matches for 3 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Washington County will benefit from a 2024 $689,700 MN Broadband grant award that will serve 161 locations in Washington and Chisago Counties.
• Washington County will benefit from 86 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $22.4 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, Washington ranked 4 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Broadband Access:

2024 Grants

• County: Washington, Chisago
  Midco Midco Scandia
  Grant: $689,700
  Local Match: $689,700
  Total Budget: $1,379,400
  The Midco Scandia project will build fiber to the premises (FTTP) in portions of Washington and Chisago County in the communities of Scandia and Franconia Township. This project will extend reliable broadband service ranging up to 5 Gbps symmetrical or under 100/20 Mbps offering to 161 locations, including 145 unserved and 16 underserved locations.

Past Grants

• 2023: Midco – Midco May Township – GRANT $1,580,300
• 2022: Midcontinent Communications, $975,131

• 2019: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Scandia Project – GRANT $510,358

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Scandia – GRANT $78,824 This last mile project will serve 78 underserved households and one underserved business in remote neighborhoods of Scandia in Washington County.

Find more articles on broadband in Washington County (http://tinyurl.com/z4dwzyy)

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)