Kanabec County

Table of goal data by year

Year	Rank	100/20 Mbps
2024	#87 of 87	36.59%
2023	#87 of 87	20.45%
2022	#87 of 87	23.46%
2021	#87 of 87	26.24%
2020	#87 of 87	26.41%
2019	#84 of 87	26.93%
2018	#67 of 87	38.54%
2017	#68 of 87	26.07%

Red dots represent unserved locations.

Wired (wireline) and wireless (fixed, non-mobile) served location percentage at various speeds.

Kanabec County: Ranking Last Again but Making Strides

Kanabec County continues to hole rank 87 for broadband access out of 87 counties. However, broadband coverage went from 20 percent to 36 percent. That’s a real step forward for a county that hasn’t seen growth in years.

In December 2022, East Central Energy was awarded three Border to Border grants that have helped close the broadband gap in Kanabec. Hopefully, this is the start of an ongoing relationship with East Central Energy. But they remain with a red ranking.

• Over the years, Kanabec County (or cities within) has invested $147,800 (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.
• Kanabec County will not benefit from a 2024 MN Broadband grant (Round 10).
• Kanabec County will not benefit from any line extension awards.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $54.4 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, Kanabec ranked 87 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.