Blaine County

Here are the latest high-level demographics for Blaine County, Idaho (U.S. Census Bureau estimates; ACS 2019–2023 5-year unless noted). Figures rounded.

• Population: ~24.6k (2023 estimate)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~41–42
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~18%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~49%
  • Male: ~51%
• Race and ethnicity:
  • White alone: ~84–86%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~25–27%
  • Two or more races: ~7–9%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • Black or African American: ~0.5%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~9.5k–9.9k
  • Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
  • Family households: ~60–63% of households
  • Average family size: ~3.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2019–2023 5-year) and Population Estimates Program (2023). For decisions requiring exact figures, consult the specific ACS tables (DP05, S1101) for Blaine County, ID.

Blaine County, ID snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: 24,000 residents across ~2,600 sq mi (9 people/sq mi). Most residents cluster along the ID‑75 corridor (Hailey–Ketchum–Sun Valley); remote valleys are sparsely populated.

• Email users: 18,000–19,000 residents 13+ use email at least monthly (roughly 88–92% of 13+ population). Near-universal among working-age adults.

• Age distribution of email users (share of users):

  • 13–24: ~18–20%
  • 25–44: ~32–35%
  • 45–64: ~28–30%
  • 65+: ~15–18% Adoption rates: ~95% (13–44), ~90–92% (45–64), ~75–85% (65+).

• Gender split: Approximately even (≈50% female, 50% male), mirroring population.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Household internet subscription is high for Idaho, roughly 88–92% (affluent, resort-driven market).
  • Town centers (Hailey/Ketchum/Sun Valley) have strong wired broadband; outlying areas rely more on fixed wireless or satellite due to mountainous terrain.
  • Smartphone-only access likely 10–15% of households; mobile email is common.
  • Seasonal workers and remote professionals boost daytime connectivity demand; fiber and fixed-wireless upgrades continue along the main corridor.

Notes: Figures synthesized from recent ACS/NTIA/Pew patterns for similar rural–resort counties and Idaho statewide metrics; treat as directional estimates.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Blaine County, Idaho

Snapshot and scale

• Population baseline: about 24,000 residents. Adult share roughly 75–80%.
• Estimated smartphone users (residents): 20,000–21,500
  • Adults: ~17,000–18,000 users (about 92–95% adoption among adults; higher than state average).
  • Youth with phones: ~2,800–3,500.
• Estimated active cellular lines among residents (phones, tablets, wearables, hotspots): 25,000–30,000.
• Seasonal effect: peak-day device count commonly rises by +10,000–15,000 during ski season, major events, and holidays due to visitors and seasonal workers.

How Blaine County differs from Idaho overall

• Higher adoption and device density: Adult smartphone adoption and multi‑device ownership are both higher than Idaho’s average, driven by higher incomes, remote-work presence, and tourism.
• Fewer “mobile-only” households in town: In the Wood River Valley communities (Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, Bellevue), home broadband is widely used; smartphones complement home internet rather than replace it. Statewide, mobile-only internet reliance is more common in rural areas.
• More seasonal volatility: Network load swings sharply with tourism; state-level patterns are steadier.
• Faster 5G device uptake: Handset turnover and eSIM use are higher, but terrain limits realized 5G performance outside town centers.
• Heavier Wi‑Fi calling and app-based communications: Used to bridge canyon shadow zones; less common statewide.
• Greater share of roaming/short-term lines: International visitors and seasonal workers generate more roaming traffic and prepaid/eSIM activations than the statewide mix.

Demographic patterns (local tendencies)

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone ownership; high app and video usage.
  • 35–64: very high ownership; above-average multi-device rates for work.
  • 65+: ownership notably higher than the Idaho average; more telehealth and messaging; still below younger cohorts.
• Income/education
  • Higher-income households show more secondary lines (tablets/wearables) and hotspot use for travel and second homes.
• Hispanic/Latino community (significant share of workforce)
  • High smartphone dependence for internet access, messaging, and payments.
  • Greater use of prepaid and budget carriers; device sharing more common.
• Seasonal/temporary workers and visitors
  • Elevated churn of short-term plans/eSIMs; language support and coverage consistency matter for service choice.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Geography and coverage pattern
  • Strongest, most consistent service along the State Highway 75 corridor and within Hailey–Ketchum–Sun Valley town centers.
  • Shadow zones and dead spots in canyons and drainages (e.g., north of Ketchum toward Galena Summit, side canyons like East/West Fork, and over Trail Creek). Carey and outlying flats have corridor coverage but thin away from highways.
  • Backcountry coverage remains minimal; emergency and recreational users rely on satellite messengers in those areas.
• 5G deployment
  • Low-band 5G is broadly present in towns from national carriers; LTE remains the primary layer in many outlying areas.
  • Mid-band 5G appears on select sites along the Wood River Valley; performance falls back to LTE at the fringes. Ultra‑high‑band is limited to small footprints, if present.
• Capacity and backhaul
  • Fiber backhaul follows the valley corridor; some remote sites rely on microwave, which can constrain capacity during peak loads.
  • Seasonal congestion occurs around resorts, event venues, and lift bases; carriers occasionally add temporary cells (COWs/COLTs) for major events and wildfire incidents.
• Public safety and resiliency
  • FirstNet (Band 14) coverage in towns; mutual aid and wildfire operations may add temporary infrastructure in remote terrain.
  • Wildfire, avalanches, and winter storms pose risks to power and backhaul; redundancy is improving but remains thinner than in Idaho’s urban corridors.

Usage behaviors and applications

• Remote/hybrid work drives heavy weekday data loads, hotspot use, and reliance on collaboration apps; higher than state average.
• Tourism drives evening and weekend spikes in streaming, mapping/ride, and payments apps.
• Wi‑Fi offload is common in resorts and downtowns; helps mask cellular capacity limits during peaks.

Implications and opportunities

• Targeted infill: Small cells and additional sectors on existing sites in town centers and event zones.
• Corridor expansion: New or upgraded sites north of Ketchum and on secondary roads to reduce canyon shadowing.
• Backhaul resilience: Additional fiber routes or microwave diversity to mitigate seasonal and incident-driven congestion.
• Equity focus: Affordable device/plan programs and Spanish-language support to reduce gaps for lower‑income and seasonal workers.
• Traveler experience: eSIM onboarding, multilingual support, and clear Wi‑Fi calling guidance improve service for visitors.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates triangulate recent ACS demographics, national smartphone adoption trends (Pew and similar), FCC coverage patterns, and local geography/tourism dynamics as of 2023–2024. Exact figures vary by carrier and season; ranges above aim to reflect realistic bounds for Blaine County.

Below is a concise, data‑informed snapshot of social media usage in Blaine County, Idaho. Figures are best‑estimate ranges derived from national platform usage (Pew and major platform audience tools as of 2024), blended with Blaine County’s size and demographics. Treat as directional.

Overall user stats (Blaine County ≈24k residents)

• Social media users (13+): ~17,000–19,000
• Daily active users: ~12,000–14,000
• Average platforms used per person: 3–4
• Typical daily time on social: ~1.5–2.5 hours
• Smartphone penetration (adults): ~85–90%

Age mix of social media users (share of local users)

• 13–17: 8–10% (near‑universal use; heavy Snapchat/TikTok)
• 18–24: 10–12%
• 25–34: 18–20%
• 35–44: 20–22%
• 45–54: 17–19%
• 55–64: 13–15%
• 65+: 10–12% (primarily Facebook, YouTube)

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ~49% female, ~51% male (±2 pp)
• Platform skews (approx. among each platform’s local users):
  • Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat: 55–60% female
  • Facebook: ~52–55% female
  • YouTube: ~52–55% male
  • LinkedIn: ~55% male
  • Reddit: ~70–75% male

Most‑used platforms (share of local social media users; monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 60–65%
• Instagram: 50–55%
• Facebook Messenger: 55–60%
• TikTok: 35–40% (higher among under‑35)
• Snapchat: 30–35% (dominant for teens/young adults)
• WhatsApp: 25–30% (notably among Spanish‑speaking households and second‑home/international ties)
• LinkedIn: 30–35% (professional/remote workers)
• Pinterest: 25–30% (women 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• Reddit: 15–20%
• Nextdoor: 10–15% (Hailey/Ketchum neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community info hubs: Facebook Groups and local pages (e.g., city/county, schools, Idaho Mountain Express) drive news, road/wildfire updates, lost‑and‑found, and events.
• Strong event/seasonality effects: Spikes around ski season, summer tourism, Wagon Days, Sun Valley Film Festival; visitor UGC surges on Instagram/TikTok; shoulder seasons skew to resident chatter.
• Visual‑first habits: Instagram Reels/Stories and short‑form TikTok for scenery, outdoor sports, dining; YouTube for gear reviews, how‑to, trail info.
• Messaging ecosystems: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp common for Spanish‑language family/work groups and service crews.
• Youth patterns: Teens favor Snapchat (chat/stories) and TikTok; minimal Facebook posting; heavy use of DMs and group chats over public feeds.
• Commerce and discovery: Instagram and Facebook posts/stories drive foot traffic for dining, retail, and service promos; location tags and Google/Maps reviews matter; limited but growing TikTok‑to‑store conversions.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 7–9 a.m. and 7–10 p.m. local time; weekend mid‑afternoons rise in ski/summer seasons.
• Language: Bilingual (EN/ES) posts expand reach, especially in Hailey/Bellevue; Spanish‑first content performs well in community groups.

Notes on method and confidence

• County‑level platform stats are not fully published; figures reflect 2024 national usage adapted to Blaine County’s size, education/income mix, tourism/second‑home profile, and observed platform skews. Ranges indicate uncertainty.