Rank: 36
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Stearns bump up from yellow to green

Stearns County ranks 33 for broadband access and 31 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered from 81-84 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. They have 10056 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $93.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Stearns County will benefit from two border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Albany Mutual Telephone, $746,964.00
• Melrose Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $4,974,570.00 (Learn more)

Stearns County will benefit from ReConnect funding through Upsala Cooperative Telephone Association in Morrison, Stearns and Todd counties.

The influx of funding to the county helped push Stearns from yellow to green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Stearns County ranks 31 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Stearns County ranks 13 out of 87 for computer ownership. 95.1 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Albany Mutual Telephone Association – Two Rivers Area – GRANT $616,743
• 2016 – ALBANY MUTUAL TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION BIG WATAB LAKE – GRANT: $726,185
• Arvig (Melrose Telephone Company) – Eden Valley & Melrose Area Project – GRANT $393,890

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Sytek Communications – Morrison/Todd/Stearns County FTTP Project – GRANT $1,048,668 This last mile project will bring service to 130 locations in Southwest Morrison, Southeastern Todd and Northeastern Stearns counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Stearns County (http://tinyurl.com/z463nan)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 33 (up 3)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 47.3

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)

Rank: 74
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Sibley County: stuck at 65 percent coverage

Sibley County ranks 74 for broadband access and 52 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered from 62-65 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. They have 2218 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $20.6 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Sibley County has been working on better broadband for more than 10 years. They have been a Blandin Broadband Community. But their connectivity has been stagnant since 2018. There hasn’t been a demonstration of recent engagement with broadband, which is why their code has gone from yellow to red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Sibley County ranks 53 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Sibley County ranks 60 out of 87 for computer ownership. 89.2 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants

• 2017 – Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. – Cornish Township FTTP Project – GRANT $365,895
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2014 – R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project – Award: $1 million.

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Winthrop Telephone Company, Inc. – Bismarck & Transit Township FTTP Project – GRANT $716,000 This last mile project will serve 148 unserved and six underserved locations, including homes, businesses and farms, in Bismarck, Transit and Round Grove townships in Sibley and McLeod counties

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Sibley County (https://blandinonbroadband.org/?s=sibley&submit=Search)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 74 (down 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 10.7

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)

Rank: 23
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Sherburne County: Great improvement

Sherburne County ranks 40 for broadband access and 8 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have gone from almost 90 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 82 percent coverage in 2022. There is a slight dip in access this year but it is within a margin of error and may simply reflect a more granular look at access. They have 6169 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $57.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

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

• Tekstar Communications, Inc. dba Arvig, $1,075,943.50 (Learn more)

Sherburne County will be spending $1.5 million on a grant program in the county. They have already invested $600,000 on three projects.

Sherburne County has worked with the Blandin Foundation. They have renewed their interest in broadband since COVID. They saw the one of greatest drops in broadband ranking – down 17 spots. They are focusing investment on broadband and that helps them keep their green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Sherburne County ranks 8 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Sherburne County ranks 14 out of 87 for computer ownership. 94.7 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants

• 2017 – Palmer Wireless – Sherburne County Road 3 – GRANT $110,661
• 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS BIG LAKE INDUSTRIAL PARK – GRANT: $ 90,988
• 2016 – PALMER WIRELESS DEL TONE ROAD AND ST. CLOUD AIRPORT – GRANT: $ 179,400
• 2014 – Palmer Wireless, Becker Industrial Park – Award: $151,934.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Sibley County(http://tinyurl.com/ztm6c9n)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 40 (down 17)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 79.6

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)

Rank: 21
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Scott County: recent grant should help edge them clsoer

Scott County ranks 21 for broadband access and 3 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered from 88-92 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since we started tracking. They have 4351 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $40.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Scott County will benefit from border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Nuvera Communications, Inc., $2,436,427.00

As part of the 7-county metro area, Scott County is a fairly metro county, so they have the advantage of proximity to the Twin Cities and some higher population density areas. Their digital equity ranking is high so residents are likely to demand better access when they need it. The are close to goal; improvement has been slow but steady. The newest grant will help get them closer and that’s why they retain their green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Scott County ranks 3 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Scott County ranks 2 out of 87 for computer ownership. 98.3 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Jaguar Communications – Sand Creek Township Area Broadband Project – GRANT $192,405
• 2019: BEVCOMM (Eckles Telephone Company) – Le Sueur County Project – GRANT $1,857,376

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Webster Rural FTTP – GRANT $431,260 This last mile project will serve 103 unserved and 178 underserved locations in Wheatland and Webster townships in Rice County, Euraka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Scott County (http://tinyurl.com/gt4afcy)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 21 (up 1)
• Has worked with Blandin
• Has received a MN Broadband grant
• Household density: 148.3

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)

Rank: 57
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

St Louis County: Gearing up for a big push?

St Louis County ranks 57 for broadband access and 47 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered from 75-79 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. There is a slight dip in access this year but it is within a margin of error and may simply reflect a more granular look at access. They have 26034 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $242 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

St Louis County will benefit from three border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Mediacom Minnesota LLC, $7,363,624.53
• Savage Communications Inc., $562,098.00
• Consolidated Telephone Company, $4,857,030.00 (serving St Louis and Cass)

St Louis benefitted from completion of a Paul Bunyan border to border project in November, which might not have been included in the most recent map updated. They will also benefit from a public-private partnership with Mediacom Communications that will result in the construction of a 60-mile fiber-optic network offering ultra-high-speed fiber broadband services to homes and businesses throughout Lakewood Township. And they will benefit from investment in better broadband in Rice Lake with Consolidated Telephone.

St Louis County has been hovering for a while. They saw the one of greatest drops in broadband ranking – down 13 spots but it seems like they are starting to get traction again and that’s why they retain their yellow code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

St Louis County ranks 47 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

St Louis County ranks 15 out of 87 for computer ownership. 94.4 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – CenturyLink – Fredenberg Township FTTH Project – GRANT $1,809,312
  2017 – Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Fiber – GRANT $802,620
• 2017 – MEDIACOM FAYAL TOWNSHIP – GRANT: $263,345
• 2014 – Mediacom, Pintar Road – Award: $137,848. Total project cost: $275,697.
• 2014 – Northeast Service Cooperative – Frontier Communications Corp., Border to Border Phase I – Award: $1.96 million.
• 2019: Paul Bunyan Communications – North Central Minnesota Fiber Project– GRANT $2,562,916

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Charter Communications (Spectrum) – Getchell Road – GRANT $11,400 This middle and last mile project will provide broadband service to eight unserved households in northern Duluth in St. Louis County.

• Mediacom Minnesota LLC – Field of Dreams Hermantown Project – GRANT $624,751 This last mile project will serve approximately 267 underserved households, six underserved businesses, and one underserved community anchor institution in Hermantown in St. Louis County.
• Paul Bunyan Communications – City of Cook GigaZone Fiber – GRANT $311,254 This last mile project will improve high-speed broadband for 57 unserved and 254 underserved locations in the community of Cook in St. Louis County.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in St Louis County (http://tinyurl.com/jnm9jah)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 57 (down 13)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 15.1

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)

Rank: 34
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Roseau County: Incremental but consistent improvements

Roseau County ranks 23 for broadband access and 74 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had steady improvements since 2018 landing at 90 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 663 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $6.2 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Roseau County saw an amazing leap in broadband in 2018 – from 0 to 67 percent. They have seen incremental growth since then. Meeker County has been engaged in broadband expansion for years. In  2017, Meeker County released a broadband feasibility study, with Blandin Foundation’s support. They released an update in 2018.

Roseau County has the opportunity to invest in broadband with federal funding. That would help them reach ubiquitous broadband. They are code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Roseau County ranks 74 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Roseau County ranks 31 out of 87 for computer ownership. 92.2 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 – SJOBERG’S INC. ROSEAU AND LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTIES — GRANT: $354,740
• 2016 – CENTURYLINK THIEF RIVER MIDDLE MILE – GRANT: $1,324,400
• 2016 – WIKSTROM TELEPHONE COMPANY WIKTEL NW MN – GRANT: $950,823
• 2014 – Sjoberg Cable, Broadband Grant Proposal – Award $261,575
• 2014 – Wikstrom Telephone, Kittson, Marshall, Roseau Broadband Extension Amount $425,000
• 2019: Wikstrom Telephone – Wiktel NW MN Broadband Project – GRANT $1,151,526

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Roseau County (http://tinyurl.com/gsq45ua)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 23 (up 11)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 4.2

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)

Rank: 3
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Rock County: Nearly perfect

Rock County ranks 3 for broadband access and 84 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered at 99 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since their major upgrade in 2018. They have 4 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $39,000 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Rock County has been knocked out of first place but that’s only because two other counties have done even better. But I feel like Rock County is going to find a way to get the estimated $39,000 to connect the last four homes in their community and that’s why they get the code green.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Rock County ranks 21 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Rock County ranks 30 out of 87 for computer ownership. 92.2 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

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

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Rock County (http://tinyurl.com/jjeesst)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 3 (down 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 8.7

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)

Rank: 32
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Rice County: Ongoing conversation may open doors 

Rice County ranks 32 for broadband access and 12 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have bee hovering between 82-83 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019. They have 3695 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $34.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Rice County had a great leap of broadband in 2019; they have been stagnant since. However, they were awarded two grants in 2021 and we haven’t seen the impact of those deployments yet, so there’s hope but not enough to pump them from yellow to green code.

Rice County will benefit from a few

Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Rice is $12,988,807; broadband is one possible use.

Rice County has the opportunity to invest in broadband with federal funding. That would help them reach ubiquitous broadband. They have engaged providers who might be happy to make good use of the funds. They are code yellow.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Rice County ranks 12 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Rice County ranks 5 out of 87 for computer ownership. 97.3 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Webster Rural FTTP – GRANT $431,260 This last mile project will serve 103 unserved and 178 underserved locations in Wheatland and Webster townships in Rice County, Euraka and Greenvale townships in Dakota County, and New Market and Cedar Lake townships in Scott County.

• BEVCOMM (Cannon Valley Telecom, Inc.) – Rural Morristown Fiber Expansion Project – GRANT $210,692 This last mile project will serve approximately 14 unserved and 94 underserved locations in portions of Rice, Waseca, and Steele counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Rice County (http://tinyurl.com/jg6q8gs)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 32 (up 1)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 48.4

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)

Rank: 67
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Renville County: Feels like being stuck

Renville County ranks 67 for broadband access and 66 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have stayed stagnant at 70 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2021. They have 2019 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $18.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Renville will benefit from TDS deploying fiber to 3,700 properties in Kandiyohi, Stearns, Renville and Swift Counties.

Renville County has been working on better broadband for more than 10 years, but they seem to be stuck, which is why their code has gone from yellow to red.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Renville County ranks 66 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Renville County ranks 74 out of 87 for computer ownership. 88 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2016 – RENVILLE COUNTY HBC & RS FIBER – GRANT: $807,966
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2014 – R-S Fiber Cooperative, FTTH Project – Award: $1 million.
• 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282
• 2019: Midco (Midcontinent Communications) – Renville Project – GRANT $230,835

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Minnesota Valley Telephone Company (MVTC) – Rural Franklin Fiber Project – GRANT $226,800 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 45 unserved locations in the City of Franklin and the townships of Sherman, Eden, Camp and Birch Cooley in Redwood, Renville and Brown counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Renville County (http://tinyurl.com/hfazdvf)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 67 (down 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 7

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)

Rank: 84
Code: Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Redwood County: Hovering near the bottom of the ranking list

Redwood County ranks 84 for broadband access and 70 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have gone from almost 40 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 80 percent coverage in 2022. They have 3660 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $34 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Redwood County will benefit from two border to border grants announced in December 2022:

• Hanson Communications, Inc., $923,918.00
• Redwood County Telephone Co. dba Arvig, $1,336,037.04 (Learn more)

Redwood County has been working on better broadband with the help of a Lead Fellow; they have been asking residents to take a broadband survey. They are building upon the success of the prior year. Unfortunately, their ranking doesn’t represent their huge leap in the access in the last year. They have doubled access and recently awarded grants will help that momentum and pushes their code from red to yellow

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Redwood County ranks 70 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Redwood County ranks 64 out of 87 for computer ownership. 88.8 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Milroy Broadband Project – GRANT $742,365
• 2016 – ARVIG – REDWOOD COUNTY TELEPHONE MIDDLE MILE FIBER EXTENSION – GRANT: $27,998
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080
• 2019: MVTC (Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, Inc.) – Rural Lucan Fiber Project – GRANT $635,400

• MN State Grant awarded in 2021: Minnesota Valley Telephone Company (MVTC) – Rural Franklin Fiber Project – GRANT $226,800 This middle and last mile project will serve approximately 45 unserved locations in the City of Franklin and the townships of Sherman, Eden, Camp and Birch Cooley in Redwood, Renville and Brown counties.

Checklist:

• Redwood County has worked with the Blandin Foundation
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 84 (up 1)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 8

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)

Rank: 1
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Red Lake County: Well served and in a position to pull for more

Red Lake County ranks 1 for broadband access and 38 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have 100 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 0 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost 0 to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Red Lake County has met the goal! In fact, they saw the third greatest increase in county ranking this year! Up 17 places! They are in an enviable position with their providers. They are code green. If they are able to invest in technology, they should consider digital equity such as device ownership and/or training.

They are one of five counties that has not yet received border to border funding but apparently they didn’t need it.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Red Lake County ranks 38 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Red Lake County ranks 34 out of 87 for computer ownership. 91.5 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grant:

none

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Red Lake County (http://tinyurl.com/gt8g24c)
• 100/20 ranking: 1 (up 17)
• 25/3 ranking: 1
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
• Household density: 4.3

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)

Rank: 5
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Ramsey County: nearly at 2026 goal already

Ramsey County ranks 5 for broadband access and 13 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had more than 99 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since we have been tracking. They have 846 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $7.9 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Ramsey County is a metro-based county where the market makes it feasible for broadband providers to serve broadband profitably. Ramsey County also focuses on digital equity and affordability as their digital equity ranking at 11. That extra effort gets them the green code.

They are one of five counties that has not yet received border to border funding.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Ramsey County ranks 13 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Ramsey County ranks 11 out of 87 for computer ownership. 95.6 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

none

Checklist:

• Find more articles on https://bit.ly/2kgeboX
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 5 (down 3)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: no
• Household density: 1343.8

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)

Rank: 46
Code:  Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pope County: latest grant project will make a difference

Pope County ranks 46 for broadband access and 46 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had incremental improvement to broadband now landing at 79.15 53 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 1328 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $12.3 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

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

• Hanson Communications, Inc., $4,248,796.00

In 2017, Pope County unveiled a feasibility study that found that installing fiber everywhere in the county would cost about $29.3 million.  Since that time their coverage has gone from 24 percent to almost 80 percent and the estimate to complete the coverage is estimated to be $12.5 million, which seems likely to be in line with their 2017 estimate.

The full budget for their recently awarded grant is $10.6 million, that will get them a lot closer to full coverage and is the reason they have moved from red to green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Pope County ranks 46 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Pope County ranks 55 out of 87 for computer ownership. 89.9 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grant:

• 2017 – Hanson Communications – Minnewaska Area FTTP – GRANT $4,996,791

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Pope County (http://tinyurl.com/hx7q9fd)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 46 (up 8)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 8.9

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)

Rank: 16
Code: Green
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Polk County: Still closing in on top 10

Polk County ranks 16 for broadband access and 44 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have had incremental improvement since we have been tracking, landing 95.24 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2021 to 60.36 percent coverage in 2022. They have 696 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $6.5 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Polk County has better than 95 percent broadband coverage. While we haven’t heard much from them in the last year, they have engaged providers who serve the county and have a history of incremental but continuous improvement. That is why they retain their green code.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Polk County ranks 44 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Polk County ranks 51 out of 87 for computer ownership. 90.4 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2016 – HALSTAD TELEPHONE COMPANY KERTSONVILLE AREA – GRANT: $296,665
• 2015 – Halstad Telephone Company – Gentilly Township – Grant award: $424,460
• 2014 – Halstad Telephone Co., Halstad Tract MN 11902500 FTTH Amount $1.65 million
• 2019: Halstad Telephone Company – Rural East Grand Forks Expansion Project – GRANT $440,000

• MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Garden Valley Technologies – Northwest Thief River Falls and Euclid – GRANT $1,640,722 This middle and last mile project will serve 104 unserved and 22 underserved locations in portions of Marshall and Polk counties.

• Halstad Telephone Company – North Fisher Expansion – GRANT $619,000 This last mile project will upgrade approximately 57 unserved and seven underserved locations in portions of Huntsville, Nesbit and Fanny townships in Polk County.
• Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc. – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2020 – GRANT $490,997 The last mile project will serve 153 unserved locations in sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall and Polk counties.

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Polk County (http://tinyurl.com/zk8apgm)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 16 (up 4)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 7.3

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)

https://blandinonbroadband.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/infrastructure-grant-pipestone_tcm1045-134164.pdf

Rank: 42
Code:  Yellow
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Pipestone County: stagnant at 80 percent

Pipestone County ranks 42 for broadband access and 84 for digital equity out of 87 counties. They have hovered at 80 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2018. They have 837 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $7.8 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Pipestone County is working with Hometown Fiber on better broadband plan. Sounds as if they will use that broadband plan to apply for federal and state funding; a smart move considering the amount of funding being invested in the upcoming years. They still have a yellow rating but it feels like that would change quickly.

Broadband Access:

Digital Equity:

Pipestone County ranks 55 out of 87 for digital equity. (See full Digital Equity Profile)

Pipestone County ranks 56 out of 87 for computer ownership. 89.7 percent of homes have a computer of device as compared to statewide ownership of 95.5 percent.

Past grants:

• 2017 – Woodstock Telephone Company – Pipestone County Wireless – GRANT $363,851
• 2015 – MVTV Wireless Middle Mile – Grant award: $808,080

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Pipestone County (http://tinyurl.com/zhjm4pe)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 42 (up 1)
• Has worked with Blandin: no
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 9.3

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)