Benton County

Table of goal data by year
Year	Rank	100/20 Mbps
2024	#16 of 87	97.95%
2023	#20 of 87	94.14%
2022	#25 of 87	89.94%
2021	#24 of 87	90.25%
2020	#21 of 87	89.36%
2019	#21 of 87	88.18%
2018	#75 of 87	25.83%
2017	#74 of 87	14.28%

Red dots represent unserved locations.

Table of wired and wireless coverage at different speeds (sorry, no alt text)

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

Benton County: So Close After Steady Progress for Years

Benton County’s rank bumps up to 16 from 20 for broadband after a nice climb from 25 last year. They hovered around 89 percent coverage to broadband of 100 Mbps down and 20 up since 2019 but this year they broke through to almost 98 percent!

Benton County gets a green ranking because they are so close to the goal and seem to have built momentum to getting it done.

Over the years, Benton County (or cities within) has invested $1,154,008 (total) for matches for 4 successful MN Broadband grants. This is an indicator of local government that is engaged and (literally) invested in better, local broadband.
Benton County will not benefit from a recent MN Broadband grant.
Benton County will not benefit from line extension awards.
Last years’ estimates indicated that it would cost $7 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, Benton ranked 30 using Microsoft’s Digital Equity Tool, which looks at various factors of a community.

Household Density

31.8

Number of Providers

As of 2023 · Source: MN DEED

Households with Device Access

A Device 89.3% 95.5%
statewide

Desktop or Laptop 76.8% 83.2%
statewide

Smartphone 74.8% 90.1%
statewide

Tablet 54.2% 65.8%
statewide

Other 3.6% 2.3%
statewide

Has Worked with Blandin Foundation

Yes

Has Received MN Grant(s)

Yes

2014 – CenturyLink Foley, Benton County–Balkan Township – Award: $382,883.

2017 – Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Rice Ramey – GRANT $765,015

2017 – Palmer Wireless – Duelm Hwy 95 – GRANT $162,814

2020 – Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase I – GRANT $936,759

Benton Cooperative Telephone Company – Ramey Phase 2 Project – GRANT $338,011

2023 – Cooperative Telephone – Benton County South of Trunk Highway 23 – GRANT $2,988,275

Government Districts

U.S. Congress: CD 6

MN Senate: 10, 13, 14

MN House: 10B, 13B, 14B

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