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Mahnomen County

Table of goal data by year
Year 100/20 Mbps 1 Gbps
2025 #70 – 79.83% #70 – 29.6%
2024 #64 – 78.69%
2023 #47 – 82.54%
2022 #66 – 70.81%
2021 #62 – 71.73%
2020 #71 – 57.82%
2019 #86 – 17.31%
2018 #84 – 13.53%
2017 #75 – 13.03%
Coverage map graphic

Red dots represent unserved locations.

Mahnomen: Back to red status

Mahnomen County broadband coverage has dipped this year after staying stagnant for a while. Some of that may be to map corrections but still not a good sign. They were awarded two grants in 2024, but the impact is not yet showing on the maps. Subsequently, their status has dipped from Yellow to Red.

At the time of writing, the MN BEAD final proposal has not been approved, but the current proposal would mean coverage for 110 locations in Mahnomen County. The majority of locations will get fiber but some will get satellite, which does not qualify as served in the MN statute.

There is still Line Extension funding yet to be distributed, which helps connect handfuls of  houses just beyond existing infrastructure. (Mahnomen has benefitted from earlier Line Extension awards. So that seems hopeful for them as well.)

Statewide, there have been changes with local and national broadband providers, which also leads to uncertainty.

Household Density

3.0

Number of Providers

6

As of 2025 · Source: MN DEED

Households with Device Access

A Device 88.2% 95.5%
statewide
Desktop or Laptop 79.9% 83.2%
statewide
Smartphone 71.2% 90.1%
statewide
Tablet 56.1% 65.8%
statewide
Other 3.8% 2.3%
statewide

Has Worked with Blandin Foundation

Yes

Has Received MN Grant(s)

Yes

2017 – Garden Valley Telephone Company – Bejou – GRANT $1,304,421

2024:

  • County: Clearwater, Mahnomen
    Garden Valley Telephone Company 2024 Rural Mahnomen County
    Grant: $4,626,012
    Local Match: $1,542,008
    Total Budget: $6,168,020
    This Low Density Garden Valley Telephone Company in Mahnomen County project is a combination middle mile and last mile Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) which will serve locations within the borders of the White Earth Reservation in Mahnomen County. This project recognizes broadband has become essential to economic prosperity in the rural communities and would allow employees to work from home, provide children with access to homework and essential internet related research and improve access to telemedicine at 287 locations, of which 181 are unserved and 106 underserved. Partner funding total of $250, from local community members.
  • County: Mahnomen
    Arvig
    Arvig – Naytahwaush Area
    Grant: $326,111
    Local Match: $326,111
    Total Budget: $652,222
    This Border-to-Border project will bring fiber to the home near Naytahwaush in Mahnomen County. Arvig will bring broadband to 137 passings via an all fiber-to-the-home construction project. All locations would be able to receive up to 10 Gbps download speeds and 1 Gbps upload. This area consists of mostly residential customers (some of whom work from home) with a few businesses. The White Earth Tribe is in support of the project.

Government Districts

U.S. Congress: CD 8

MN Senate: 02

MN House: 02B

Find Your Representatives

Overlapping MN Reservations

White Earth Reservation

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