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Kanabec County

Table of goal data by year
Year Rank 100/20 Mbps
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%

Kanabec County: Ranking Last Due to Barriers

Kanabec County continues to hold rank 87 for broadband access out of 87 counties. Kanabec has 20.45 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 5853 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $54.4 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Kanabec remains at the bottom of the ranking with less than 25 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. Their access has decreased last year, which probably reflected an increased granularity of reporting within a margin of error.  It decreased again this year likely due to map challenges or corrections.

In December 2022, East Central Energy was awarded three Border to Border grants that could help close the broadband gap in Kanabec:

  • 2022: East Central Energy – Isanti North – GRANT $5,000,000 to reach 1,988 unserved and underserved households and 142 unserved and underserved businesses, 353 Unserved and underserved farms, and 3 unserved and underserved community anchor institutions in Kanabec and Isanti Counties
  • 2022: East Central Energy – Kanabec Central – GRANT $4,403,000 to serve approximately 2,145 households and 136 businesses, 280 farms, and 2 community anchor institutions, currently unserved and underserved in Kanabec and Pine Counties
  • 2022: East Central Energy – Pine South – GRANT $4,750,000 to serve approximately 2,082 households, 122 businesses, 329 farms and 2 community anchor institutions currently unserved and underserved in Pine and Kanabec Counties

East Central Energy is giving Kanabec a lot of hope and the relationship will serve the community well when looking at applying for federal (BEAD) funding through the Office of Development but with less than 25 percent coverage, they retain their red ranking.

Household Density

13.8

Number of Providers

14

As of 2023 · Source: MN DEED

Households with Device Access

A Device 84.4% 95.5%
statewide
Desktop or Laptop 71.2% 83.2%
statewide
Smartphone 67.7% 90.1%
statewide
Tablet 50.6% 65.8%
statewide
Other 1.8% 2.3%
statewide

Has Worked with Blandin Foundation

Yes

Has Received MN Grant(s)

Yes

2016 – BENTON COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE COMPANY BOCK – GRANT: $510,000

Government Districts

U.S. Congress: CD 8

MN Senate: 10, 11

MN House: 10A, 10B, 11B

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