Martin County

Table of goal data by year

Year	Rank	100/20 Mbps
2024	#70 of 87	74.65%
2023	#69 of 87	72.6%
2022	#71 of 87	67.03%
2021	#68 of 87	66.71%
2020	#62 of 87	68.24%
2019	#64 of 87	55.22%
2018	#48 of 87	54.8%
2017	#39 of 87	54.06%

Red dots represent unserved locations.

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

Martin County: Hoping New Engagement Spurs Investment

Martin County ranks 70 (down one place) for broadband access out of 87 counties.

They have 72.6 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up. They have 2398 households without access to broadband at that speed. Estimates indicate that it will cost $22.3 million to get to ubiquitous broadband in the county.

Martin County hovered around 67 percent coverage to broadband, last year they had a big jump and this year, an incremental increase. They have an $8 million grant next year, which should help them get even closer to goal.

One side fact: They may be concerned about being in a potentially precarious position because looking at access in the County using the FCC National Map there is a big discrepancy between wireline access and wireline with fixed wireless. Minnesota doesn’t currently take fixed wireless into consideration when defining areas eligible for grants; the federal government does include access to fixed wireless. That could make a big difference to who is eligible for BEAD funding.

• Over the years, Martin County (or cities within) has invested $805,842 (total) for matches for 1 successful MN Broadband grants This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
• Martin County will benefit from a 2024 $8 million MN Broadband grant (Round 10) award that will serve 457 locations.
• Martin County will benefit from 4 line extension awards (Rounds 1 and 2), which extend broadband to individual locations.
• Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $22.3 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, Martin ranked 61using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.