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

Wilkin County: increases rank up 27 places in rank

Wilkin County ranks 49 (up 22 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Wilkin has seen some strong expansion of broadband, especially in the last year. They aren’t in line to benefit from any 2024 MN State Grants or Line Extension grants but it seems that there is an interested provider in the area that will help when the BEAD funding becomes available.

Wilkin County retains yellow ranking.

• Over the years, Wilkin County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
• Wilkin County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant.
• Wilkin County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $4.3 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, Wilkin ranked 42 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Grant:

• 2023: Red River Rural Telephone Association – Rural Campbell – GRANT $2,035,500
• 2023 Red River Rural Telephone Association – North Wilkin County – GRANT $2,227,363
• 2022 Red River Rural Telephone Association, $2,157,663

• 2017 – Advantenon – Rural Grant, Stevens and Wilkin Counties – Grant $316,554

Find more articles on broadband in Wilkin County (http://tinyurl.com/zh64v29)

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)