Polk County
| Year | 100/20 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14 – 98.7% | #46 – 58.52% |
| 2024 | #17 – 97.6% | |
| 2023 | #14 – 97.79% | |
| 2022 | #16 – 95.24% | |
| 2021 | #20 – 91.72% | |
| 2020 | #17 – 91.76% | |
| 2019 | #20 – 88.35% | |
| 2018 | #16 – 85.39% | |
| 2017 | #19 – 80.89% |
Red dots represent unserved locations.
Polk County: Very close
Polk County’s broadband coverage remains steady at almost 99 percent. It’s that proximity that helps them retain their Green status.
At the time of writing, the MN BEAD final proposal has not been approved, but the current proposal would mean coverage for 37 locations in Polk County. However, all the locations will get a 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. (Polk has not benefitted from earlier Line Extension awards. So that strategy may be worth considering.) There have been changes with local and national broadband providers, which also leads to uncertainty.
Household Density
6.3
Number of Providers
11
As of 2025 · Source: MN DEED
Households with Device Access
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
statewide
Has Worked with Blandin Foundation
No
Has Received MN Grant(s)
Yes
2024:
- County: Polk
Garden Valley Telephone Co
Garden Valley Tel – Rural E Grand Forks
Grant: $1,050,465
Local Match: $350,15
Total Budget: $1,400,620
The Garden Valley Technologies Rural East Grand Forks Low Density project proposed by Garden Valley Technologies (GVT) is a last mile Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) project which will serve 80 total locations. Of the 80 locations, 49 are residential households, 2 businesses, 3 community institutions and 26 farms located in northwest Minnesota. The geography of the project is mostly farm land and encompasses an area in northwest Minnesota that include portions of Northland, Sullivan, and Tabor townships in Polk County. GVT has been providing telecommunications services in northwestern Minnesota since 1906 and has been awarded five previous state grants. Individual residents contributed a $650 match toward the project.
2023 – Garden Valley Technologies – 2023 Rural Warren SW – GRANT $1,488,322
2022 – Garden Valley Technologies – Rural Warren East & Rural Oslo – GRANT $1,462,569
MN State Grants awarded in 2021: Garden Valley Technologies – Northwest Thief River Falls and Euclid – GRANT $1,640,722 This middle and last mile project will serve 104 unserved and 22 underserved locations in portions of Marshall and Polk counties.
Halstad Telephone Company – North Fisher Expansion – GRANT $619,000 This last mile project will upgrade approximately 57 unserved and seven underserved locations in portions of Huntsville, Nesbit and Fanny townships in Polk County.
Wikstrom Telephone Co. Inc. – Wiktel NW MN Broadband 2020 – GRANT $490,997 The last mile project will serve 153 unserved locations in sparsely populated areas in Kittson, Marshall and Polk counties.
2019 – Halstad Telephone Company – Rural East Grand Forks Expansion Project – GRANT $440,000
2016 – HALSTAD TELEPHONE COMPANY KERTSONVILLE AREA – GRANT: $296,665
2015 – Halstad Telephone Company – Gentilly Township – Grant award: $424,460
2014 – Halstad Telephone Co., Halstad Tract MN 11902500 FTTH Amount $1.65 million