Mahnomen County
Year | Rank | 100/20 Mbps |
---|---|---|
2024 | #64 of 87 | 78.69% |
2023 | #47 of 87 | 82.54% |
2022 | #66 of 87 | 70.81% |
2021 | #62 of 87 | 71.73% |
2020 | #71 of 87 | 57.82% |
2019 | #86 of 87 | 17.31% |
2018 | #84 of 87 | 13.53% |
2017 | #75 of 87 | 13.03% |

Red dots represent unserved locations.

Wired (wireline) and wireless (fixed, non-mobile) served location percentage at various speeds.
Mahnomen: From Red to Yellow Ranking With Latest Momentum
Mahnomen County ranks 47 (down 6 places) for broadband access out of 87 counties. Mahnomen saw a dip in broadband coverage but that may be due to mapping differences. Mahnomen went from almost 19 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up in 2019 to 71 percent coverage in 2021. Growth has been incremental and slow since.
Mahnomen will benefit from two 2024 MN State grants in the near future; hopefully that will get them a yellow ranking next year.
- Over the years, Mahnomen County (or cities within) has not invested in matches for any successful MN Broadband grants.
- Mahnomen County will benefit from two MN Broadband grants:
$4,626,012 award that will serve 287 locations and
$4,626,012 award that will serve 137 locations. - Mahnomen County will benefit from 29 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
- Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $2.8 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, Mahnomen ranked 85 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.
Household Density
3.0
Number of Providers
9
As of 2023 · Source: MN DEED
Households with Device Access
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
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.