Bear Lake County

Do you want the latest ACS 2019–2023 (5-year) estimates or the 2020 Decennial Census counts for Bear Lake County, ID? The figures differ slightly, and I’ll keep it concise either way.

Bear Lake County, ID snapshot:

• Population ~6.4k (2020); very rural density ~6–7 people/sq mi.
• Connectivity: household broadband subscription roughly 75–80% (typical for rural Idaho). Fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps; fiber available in town centers; mobile service strongest along US‑89/30, spottier in canyons and remote valleys.

Estimated email users

• About 4.6–5.0k residents use email at least monthly (adults + most teens, using Pew/NTIA/FCC rural adoption benchmarks).

Age distribution of email users (share of users)

• 13–17: 6–8%
• 18–34: 22–25%
• 35–64: 45–50%
• 65+: 20–25% Use intensity skews younger, but 65+ adoption continues to rise.

Gender split

• Roughly even (within a few percentage points of 50/50).

Digital access trends

• 10–15% of households are smartphone‑only for internet; many check email primarily on phones.
• Home speeds improving where fiber/modern fixed wireless roll out; outlying areas still rely on legacy DSL or satellite.
• Seasonal/second homes around Bear Lake can depress year‑round subscription rates.

Method: Estimates combine 2020 Census population with ACS/NTIA broadband adoption for rural Idaho, FCC availability, and Pew email adoption by age.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Bear Lake County, Idaho

Quick profile

• Population baseline: about 6.4k (2020 Census) with modest growth since; think roughly 6.5–6.8k residents today. Older age structure than Idaho overall and a strong summer tourism surge around Bear Lake.

Resident mobile user estimates

• Residents with a mobile phone (any type): roughly 5,500–6,100 people. Rationale: high overall mobile ownership in the U.S. tempered by the county’s older age mix.
• Resident smartphone users: roughly 4,200–4,800. Rationale: smartphone adoption is high but somewhat lower than state averages because of a larger 65+ share.
• Lines per capita: around 0.8–0.95 resident mobile lines per person (lower than big metro Idaho due to fewer tablets/IoT lines and a higher share of basic/older devices).
• Mobile-only internet: a noticeably higher share of households rely on phone hotspots or cellular home internet than in Idaho’s metro areas, especially outside Montpelier and in seasonal/second-home areas.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Age: The county’s median age is several years higher than Idaho’s; the 65+ share is materially larger. Effects: slightly lower smartphone penetration; more voice/SMS and basic data usage among older residents; higher use of Wi‑Fi calling at home.
• Income/education: Below-state medians and fewer bachelor’s degrees than the Idaho average. Effects: more price-sensitive plans, family/shared lines, and budget/MVNO carriers; somewhat older handset mix and longer replacement cycles.
• Seasonality: Summer tourism around Bear Lake drives sharp, time-bound spikes in device counts and data demand, particularly weekends and holidays. This seasonal volatility is much greater than the Idaho statewide pattern.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Coverage pattern: Macro LTE is the workhorse across the county. Coverage is strongest along US‑30/US‑89 (Montpelier–Paris–St. Charles–Fish Haven) and town centers; canyons, benches, and forested backcountry have gaps or fringe signals.
• 5G: Present in and near Montpelier and along main corridors, mostly low-band 5G (DSS/600–700 MHz). Mid-band 5G is limited; outside corridors, LTE remains primary.
• Carriers:
  • Verizon: Generally the most reliable footprint countywide, including many rural stretches.
  • AT&T: Solid along corridors and towns; participates in FirstNet for public safety; rural gaps persist off‑corridor.
  • T‑Mobile: Improvements on low‑band spectrum along highways; more variability away from the lake and canyons.
  • Roaming/edge cases: Near the Utah line and on/around the lake, devices may hand off to Utah-side networks; visitors from the Wasatch Front add significant transient load.
• Capacity and backhaul: Fiber backhaul reaches Montpelier and the main highway corridor; microwave backhaul is still common on outlying sites. Summer peaks can congest lake-adjacent sectors. Small-cell deployment is minimal; most capacity upgrades come from sector adds and low-band 5G overlays.
• Dead zones and weak-signal areas: Canyon mouths (e.g., Paris/Emigration/St. Charles), east-side lake slopes shadowed by ridges, and backcountry in the Caribou–Targhee NF.
• Public safety: 4G/VoLTE is the voice baseline after 3G sunsets; FirstNet coverage exists along primary routes, with typical rural limitations off-corridor. Many residents lean on Wi‑Fi calling indoors.

How Bear Lake County differs from Idaho statewide trends

• More seasonal volatility: The lake tourism economy produces outsized traffic spikes versus the relatively steady statewide pattern.
• Slower 5G depth: 5G exists but is more often low-band coverage 5G; Idaho’s metros see more mid-band 5G capacity.
• Greater LTE reliance: Day-to-day service remains LTE-first; VoLTE carries most voice. State metros show more 5G-as-primary experiences.
• Older user base: Slightly lower smartphone adoption and newer-device penetration than the Idaho average, with more budget/MVNO usage.
• More roaming/edge effects: Cross-border dynamics with Utah networks near the lake are far more common than elsewhere in Idaho.
• Higher dependence on cellular for home internet in pockets lacking robust wired broadband, especially among seasonal and exurban homes.

Notes and assumptions

• County-level mobile adoption is not directly published; figures above are reasoned estimates from census baselines, rural adoption patterns, and known network footprints. For planning-grade accuracy, pair this with: FCC Broadband Data Collection maps for coverage/backhaul, American Community Survey for demographics, and crowdsourced performance data (e.g., Ookla/OpenSignal) during peak summer vs shoulder seasons.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Bear Lake County, Idaho. Exact county-level platform stats aren’t publicly reported, so figures are estimates based on the county’s size/demographics and state/rural/national usage patterns (Pew Research, ACS). Ranges reflect uncertainty.

Headline user stats

• Population context: ~6.5k residents; ~4.8–5.0k are 18+.
• Social media adoption (18+): estimated 65–72% of adults use at least one platform ⇒ ~3.2k–3.6k adult users.
• Including teens (13–17): total residents using at least one platform ≈ 3.5k–4.1k.

Age groups (estimated penetration of “any social media,” local adults)

• 18–29: 85–95%
• 30–49: 80–90%
• 50–64: 65–75%
• 65+: 40–55%
• Teens (13–17): 90%+ use at least one platform

Gender breakdown

• County population is roughly balanced by sex; social media users likely ~50/50 overall.
• Platform skews (typical pattern locally):
  • More female: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Pinterest (strong)
  • More male: YouTube (slight), Reddit (moderate), X/Twitter (slight)

Most-used platforms (estimated share of local adults using monthly)

• YouTube: 60–65%
• Facebook: 55–60%
• Instagram: 25–30%
• Pinterest: 20–25% (notably among women, homemaking/outdoors/crafts)
• Snapchat: 18–22% (teens/younger adults)
• TikTok: 18–22% (younger adults; short-form video)
• X/Twitter: 10–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (smaller professional base)
• Reddit: 8–10%
• Nextdoor: <5% (rural footprint limited)

Behavioral trends to expect locally

• Facebook as the community hub: local groups, schools/booster clubs, churches, county/city notices, high-school sports updates; heavy use of Marketplace for buy/sell.
• Video-first but practical: YouTube for DIY, farm/ranch, hunting/fishing, vehicle/ATV repair; growth in Reels/Shorts/TikTok for quick tips and local scenery.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, and Instagram DMs for coordination (childcare swaps, carpools, yardwork, rentals).
• Seasonal spikes: Summer tourism around Bear Lake and fair/rodeo/high-school sports seasons drive bursts of Facebook/Instagram/TikTok activity; ice-fishing and hunting seasons boost YouTube/TikTok views.
• Content style: Family-friendly, faith- and school-centered, outdoors and local business promos; “recommendations” posts perform well.
• Timing: Engagement tends to peak evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; weather and school calendars noticeably influence activity.
• Access patterns: Predominantly mobile; outside town centers, patchier broadband nudges more lightweight, short video and image content.

Notes on method

• Estimates apply rural/regional adoption rates to Bear Lake’s size and older-than-average age mix; platform shares are scaled from Pew’s 2023–2024 U.S. adult usage with rural/age adjustments. For campaign planning, validate with page insights, group membership counts, and platform ad-reach tools targeted to ZIPs in Bear Lake County.