Bonner County

Key demographics for Bonner County, Idaho (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data)

• Population

  • ~52,000 (2023 population estimate)
  • 2020 Census: 47,110

• Age

  • Median age: ~47
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 65 and over: ~25–26%

• Sex

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race and Hispanic origin (percent of total population)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~88–90%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4–5%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1–2%
  • Asian: ~0.5–1%
  • Black or African American: ~0.3–0.6%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

• Households

  • ~20,000–21,000 households
  • Average household size: ~2.4
  • Family households: ~65%
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–27%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74–77%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year) and 2023 Population Estimates Program. Estimates subject to margins of error.

Bonner County, ID — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Users: ~35–38k residents use email regularly (about 85–90% of ~40–41k adults, plus some teens).
• Age mix of adult users: 18–34 ≈23%; 35–54 ≈32%; 55–64 ≈18%; 65+ ≈28% (adoption rates roughly 90%, 92%, 88%, 78% respectively).
• Gender split: approximately even (about 50% women, 50% men).

Digital access and trends:

• Household broadband subscription roughly 75–82%; a notable rural share relies on smartphones, fixed wireless, or satellite (Starlink adoption rising in remote areas).
• Fiber/cable is concentrated along the US‑95 corridor and in towns (Sandpoint–Ponderay–Kootenai, Priest River); many outlying areas depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Mobile coverage is strongest near highways and around Lake Pend Oreille communities; mountainous/forested terrain creates coverage gaps.
• Available speeds range from gigabit fiber in town centers to sub‑100 Mbps in remote tracts; reliability and latency vary widely outside town.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• ~1,900 sq mi land area with ~25 people per sq mi; roughly four in five residents live outside dense urban blocks, contributing to uneven wired coverage and higher reliance on wireless solutions.

Below is a concise, field-informed snapshot of mobile phone usage in Bonner County, Idaho, with modeled estimates and the local infrastructure context. Figures are estimates based on ACS demographics, national/rural adoption patterns, carrier coverage maps, and North Idaho market norms; use them as planning ranges, not official counts.

Quick user estimates (2025 planning ranges)

• Population base: roughly 50,000–55,000 residents year-round; sizeable seasonal influx (tourism/second homes) June–September.
• Adult smartphone adoption: approximately 84–88% of adults (a few points lower than Boise/Treasure Valley and slightly below statewide averages).
• Active mobile lines/devices in-county: roughly 60,000–75,000 SIMs in typical months; higher in peak summer from visitors and hotspots.
• Mobile-only home internet reliance: about 14–18% of households primarily use mobile or fixed wireless (vs roughly 10–12% statewide).
• Carrier tendencies (not market-share claims):
  • Verizon: primary for coverage across terrain; strongest rural uptake.
  • AT&T: solid along US‑95/US‑2 and in/around Sandpoint–Ponderay; serves FirstNet users.
  • T‑Mobile: improving in and near towns; mid-band 5G mostly in the Sandpoint/Ponderay core; weaker in remote valleys.
  • UScellular: legacy presence in the Panhandle; some users remain due to rural coverage. Corporate changes pending could shift roaming/coverage in 2025–2026.

Demographic usage patterns versus Idaho overall

• Older age profile: Bonner’s median age is higher than the state’s. That yields:
  • Slightly lower 5G device penetration and slower upgrade cycles than Boise-area norms.
  • Higher voice/SMS dependence among seniors; more basic Android adoption relative to iPhone share than in urban Idaho.
• In-migration/remote workers: New residents from the West Coast boost demand for high-performance data, tethering, and 5G home internet—more pronounced here than in many rural Idaho counties.
• Seasonal residents and tourism (Schweitzer Mountain, Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake):
  • Noticeable summer and ski-season spikes in network load, especially weekends and event periods—larger seasonal swing than the state overall.
• Household economics: Income dispersion and rural housing stock mean more prepaid/MVNO use and hotspot reliance than state averages, especially outside Sandpoint/Ponderay.
• Workforce mix: Trades, forestry, recreation, and service sectors drive rugged-device usage, offline maps, and PTT/FirstNet features at a higher rate than urban Idaho.

Digital infrastructure highlights Coverage and capacity

• Terrain-driven variability: Mountains, timber, and lake basins create shadow zones and handoff challenges—gaps are more persistent than in southern Idaho’s flatter geographies.
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band 5G from national carriers covers main corridors (US‑95, US‑2) and town centers.
  • Mid-band 5G (higher capacity) is concentrated around Sandpoint/Ponderay; limited reach into valleys like Priest River/Clark Fork.
  • Small-cell density is low; capacity depends mainly on macro sites.
• Peak-load pressure: Holiday weekends and events can saturate sectors near Schweitzer, downtown Sandpoint, lake marinas, and trailheads.

Backhaul and fiber

• Fiber presence in/near Sandpoint–Ponderay via regional and incumbent providers supports macro sites and anchors:
  • Ziply Fiber (ex-Frontier) has upgraded pockets to fiber.
  • Ting has built fiber in parts of Sandpoint.
  • Education/enterprise backbones (e.g., regional providers serving schools/municipal) bolster middle-mile.
• Outside towns, many sites still depend on long backhaul routes; microwave is used where fiber is sparse, constraining upgrade speeds compared with Idaho’s urban corridors.

Fixed wireless and home internet interplay

• LTE/5G fixed wireless (Verizon/T‑Mobile) fills broadband gaps; adoption is materially higher than statewide.
• WISPs (e.g., regional providers active in North Idaho) serve ridgelines and lake communities; performance varies with foliage and line-of-sight.

Public safety and resilience

• FirstNet (AT&T) coverage has improved along major routes and population clusters; volunteer fire and SAR activity increases demand for priority services.
• Power and wildfire events: Backup power at remote sites is inconsistent; extended outages can knock out coverage faster than in urban Idaho.

Where Bonner County trends diverge from Idaho statewide

• Greater seasonal demand swings from tourism and second homes, with sharper weekend peaks.
• Higher reliance on mobile/fixed wireless as the primary household broadband solution.
• Coverage leadership skews more strongly to Verizon/legacy rural carriers; T‑Mobile improvements are geographically narrower than in Boise/Nampa/Caldwell.
• Slower 5G mid-band buildout and fewer small cells relative to metro Idaho, so capacity per user lags in peak periods.
• Terrain-induced dead zones and backhaul constraints play a larger role than in most of southern Idaho.
• Device upgrade cadence is slower due to older demographics and price sensitivity; prepaid/MVNO share modestly higher than urban counties.

Planning implications

• Capacity relief should prioritize summer/weekend hotspots (Sandpoint waterfront, Schweitzer access, Priest Lake corridors) and festival/event calendars.
• Mid-band 5G expansion and additional backhaul into Ponderay–Kootenai–Sandpoint nodes will yield outsized benefits.
• Fixed wireless CPE and outdoor antenna programs can materially close gaps for remote households.
• Resiliency: More site batteries/generators in wooded basins and coordination on wildfire season hardening will improve uptime.

Social media in Bonner County, ID — short snapshot (modeled 2025 estimate)

User stats

• Population context: ~50k residents; ~87% are age 13+.
• Social media users (13+): ~34k–37k people (≈78–85% of 13+; ≈65–75% of total residents).
• Internet/smartphone context: Broadband subscription is lower than urban Idaho, but mobile-first use is high; most social use occurs on phones.

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

• 13–17: 9%
• 18–29: 19%
• 30–44: 29%
• 45–64: 29%
• 65+: 14% (adoption lower than younger groups; concentrated on Facebook/YouTube)

Gender breakdown (share of local users)

• Women: ~53%
• Men: ~47%
• Skews: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube and Reddit.

Most-used platforms among local social media users (monthly reach; people use multiple platforms)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75% (dominant for 30+ and community info)
• Instagram: 32–40% (strong with 18–44; tourism/business visuals)
• TikTok: 28–35% (teens/20s; growing among 30–39)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (heavy among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 25–30% overall; 40–45% of women
• X (Twitter): 10–15% (news/politics niche)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (smaller professional segment)
• Reddit: 10–15% (tech/outdoors/hobby niches)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (mostly Sandpoint-area neighborhoods)
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (family/intl ties; smaller than Messenger/SMS)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups are central for local news, wildfire/road updates, lost-and-found pets, school and youth sports, and Buy/Sell/Trade. Sheriff, fire districts, schools, city/county pages earn high trust and fast amplification.
• Marketplace and services: Strong reliance on Facebook Marketplace and local groups for vehicles, outdoor gear, home services, rentals.
• Outdoors/DIY content: YouTube and Facebook for how-tos (homesteading, boating, hunting/fishing, property maintenance). Instagram/TikTok for scenic/seasonal content around Lake Pend Oreille and area trails.
• Seasonal spikes: Summer tourism/events (e.g., Sandpoint festivals) boost IG/TikTok; winter storms and wildfire season drive Facebook/Nextdoor information spikes.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger dominates for adults; Snapchat for teens/college-age. WhatsApp is niche.
• Posting patterns: Local small businesses, realtors, and nonprofits are active on Facebook/Instagram; short vertical video is gaining share but still trails static photo posts among 30+.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm) and around lunchtime; weekend surges tied to events and outdoor conditions.
• Advertising implications: For broad local reach, prioritize Facebook/Instagram (30–64) and YouTube pre-roll; add TikTok/Snapchat for under-30 reach; use Facebook Groups/Marketplace for conversion-oriented local offers.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled from Idaho/rural U.S. usage patterns (Pew and similar studies), ACS demographics, and typical platform skews; Bonner County lacks publicly released platform-level microdata. Treat numbers as directional ranges rather than exact counts.