Elmore County

Elmore County, Idaho — key demographics (most recent ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates; rounded)

Population

• Total population: about 29,000 (2020 Census count: 28,666)

Age

• Under 18: ~25%
• 18 to 64: ~62%
• 65 and over: ~13%
• Median age: ~32

Sex

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race and ethnicity

• Non-Hispanic White: ~69%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~21%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• Asian: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1%
• Two or more races/Other: ~5%

Households

• Total households: ~10,500
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~35%
• Occupied units that are owner-occupied: ~65–67%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (primarily tables DP05, S1101, and S2501). Figures are rounded for readability.

Elmore County, Idaho — email usage snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: ~29–30k residents; ~9 people per square mile. Population concentrated in Mountain Home and Mountain Home AFB along I‑84; large rural areas elsewhere.
• Estimated email users: 21–24k residents use email at least occasionally (applying U.S. adult email adoption of ~90–95% and local age mix).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–34: ~30–33% of users (near‑universal adoption in this group; base presence skews younger).
  • 35–64: ~45–50% of users (highest share by population size and adoption).
  • 65+: ~15–18% of users (adoption lower than younger adults but rising).
• Gender split of users: roughly 52% male, 48% female (county skews slightly male due to military).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~80–88% (ACS-style measure; higher in Mountain Home, lower in outlying rural tracts).
  • Mobile coverage strong along I‑84; patchier in remote areas. Fixed wireless and satellite fill gaps outside town centers.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~10–15%.
  • Ongoing fiber buildouts in and around Mountain Home; rural areas see incremental gains via fixed wireless and state/federal broadband programs.

Notes: Figures synthesized from ACS/Census demographics, Idaho broadband patterns, and Pew Research on email adoption.

Here’s a concise, county-specific picture based on recent public datasets (ACS/Census, FCC coverage maps), Idaho market norms, and the known local footprint (Mountain Home, Mountain Home AFB, Glenns Ferry/King Hill, Boise National Forest).

Quick context

• Population and households: Elmore County ~29k people, ~10–11k households. Most residents live in Mountain Home and on/around Mountain Home AFB; the rest are in small towns and large rural tracts north (Pine/Featherville/Atlanta) and east/west along I‑84 (Glenns Ferry/King Hill).
• What makes Elmore different from Idaho overall: a sizable active-duty population, a strong I‑84 corridor, and big backcountry tracts with sparse infrastructure.

User estimates

• Unique mobile users: 22k–25k people carry an active mobile phone (driven by near-universal adoption among adults plus strong teen uptake).
• Smartphone adoption: roughly 90–94% among phone users countywide. The AFB skews the average upward (younger users), while rural seniors pull it down outside Mountain Home.
• Wireless-only households: approximately 70–78% are mobile-only (no landline). That’s a few points higher than the Idaho average, reflecting more renters/transient military and cost-conscious rural households.
• 5G device penetration: high within Mountain Home/AFB (mid- and low-band 5G present), lower in outlying communities where LTE remains dominant.

Demographic patterns that diverge from state-level

• Age/military presence:
  • Larger 18–34 share than Idaho overall due to Mountain Home AFB; near-universal smartphone usage, heavy unlimited plans, hotspot tethering, and multi-line family plans.
  • Higher churn and more number porting around PCS cycles; higher propensity to use eSIM and MVNOs for short terms.
• Hispanic community:
  • Hispanic/Latino share is a bit higher than the Idaho average. This correlates with stronger prepaid/MVNO adoption, bilingual support demand, and family-plan consolidation across carriers.
• Income and device mix:
  • Median household income is slightly below the state average, yielding longer device replacement cycles, more refurbished devices, and MVNO uptake (e.g., Visible, Cricket, Metro).
• Rural/backcountry users:
  • North of Anderson Ranch Reservoir and into the Boise National Forest, users rely more on LTE boosters, offline maps, and satellite messengers; this pattern is more pronounced than in Idaho’s urban counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carrier footprint:
  • All three nationals (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) cover the I‑84 spine; low-band 5G is common along the corridor; mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in Mountain Home and likely on/near the AFB. Outside the corridor, much of the county is LTE-only with significant dead zones in canyons and forest roads.
• Capacity hotspots and congestion:
  • Peaks at the base, schools, retail clusters in Mountain Home, and I‑84 interchanges (including Glenns Ferry). Event-driven surges (air shows, wildfire incidents) can temporarily strain sectors—more frequent than state average for a county this size.
• Backhaul:
  • Primary fiber follows I‑84 (Lumen/CenturyLink, Zayo/Syringa presence), with microwave spurs feeding remote sites. Remote backhaul is more weather- and fire-vulnerable than in Idaho’s urban counties.
• Home broadband interplay:
  • Cable (Sparklight) and telco DSL/fiber mainly serve Mountain Home; coverage thins quickly outside town. This drives above-average adoption of fixed wireless access (FWA) from T‑Mobile and Verizon in and around Mountain Home and some uptake in Glenns Ferry/King Hill.
  • Several local WISPs use LTE/CBRS for rural home internet; performance varies with terrain and line-of-sight.
• Public safety and resiliency:
  • Wildland fire seasons and winter storms pose elevated outage risks on remote microwave-fed sites compared with statewide norms; first responders and recreators more often carry backup comms (satellite texts/PLBs).

How Elmore’s trends differ from Idaho overall

• Higher share of mobile-only and prepaid/MVNO users (military and lower-density rural mix).
• Higher 5G device and plan adoption in the Mountain Home/AFB area, but sharper urban–backcountry performance gaps.
• Greater reliance on tethering/hotspots and FWA as substitutes for limited wireline options outside Mountain Home.
• More event-driven congestion and seasonal coverage challenges (fires, recreation) than typical Idaho counties of similar size.

Data confidence and next steps

• Validate population/household and wireless-only rates with the latest ACS 1‑year county tables; check FCC Broadband Data Collection maps for 4G/5G and FWA serviceable areas; use Ookla/Opensignal for observed speeds around Mountain Home, AFB, Glenns Ferry, Pine/Featherville.

Below is a concise, county-tailored estimate. Direct, platform-by-platform statistics are not published at the county level; figures are derived by applying recent Pew Research national usage rates (2023–2024) to Elmore County’s age mix (ACS, 2022–2023) and adjusting slightly for its rural profile and the presence of Mountain Home AFB. Treat as planning estimates, not absolutes.

Headline user stats (residents 13+)

• Population base (13+): ~24–26k
• Social media users: ~17–20k (≈70–78% of 13+)
• Daily active users (any platform): ~12–15k (≈50–60% of 13+)

Age mix of users (share of all social users)

• 13–17: 8–10% (near‑universal use; Snapchat/TikTok dominant)
• 18–29: 28–32% (boosted by AFB; heavy Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube)
• 30–49: 30–34% (Facebook + Instagram strongest; YouTube ubiquitous)
• 50–64: 16–20% (Facebook, YouTube core; growing Instagram)
• 65+: 10–14% (Facebook + YouTube; lighter elsewhere)

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: ≈49% female, 51% male (AFB nudges male share slightly up)
• Typical platform skews likely local too:
  • More female: Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram
  • More male: Reddit, X (Twitter), Discord
  • Near-even: Facebook, YouTube

Most-used platforms in Elmore County (est. reach of residents 13+; daily use in parentheses)

• YouTube: 80–85% (55–65% daily)
• Facebook: 62–70% (45–55% daily) — most important for local info/groups
• Instagram: 40–50% (30–35% daily)
• TikTok: 32–40% (25–30% daily)
• Snapchat: 30–38% (25–35% daily; very strong under 30)
• Facebook Messenger: 55–65% (40–50% daily)
• WhatsApp: 12–20% (8–12% daily; higher with Hispanic/Latino families and military families for out‑of‑area comms)
• Reddit: 15–22% (8–12% daily; younger/male skew)
• X (Twitter): 12–18% (8–12% daily)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (2–4% daily; limited footprint outside denser neighborhoods)

Notable behavioral trends

• Facebook Groups are the local backbone: school updates, wildfire/road conditions (I‑84), yard sales, hunting/fishing regs, events, lost & found, and AFB-related info. Marketplace is heavily used.
• Short‑form video performs: Instagram Reels/TikTok for events, food spots, outdoor content; YouTube for tutorials, gear, and how‑tos.
• Messaging-first coordination: Messenger and Snapchat for day-to-day; WhatsApp for bilingual/military family networks.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work/school (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.), and evenings (8–10 p.m.); weekend spikes around local sports and community events.
• Creative that works: locally shot photos/video, plain-language service info, community endorsements, wildfire/road alerts, and seasonal content (fairs, hunting seasons, camping/boating).
• Ad targeting tips: prioritize Facebook/Instagram for broad reach; add Snapchat/TikTok for 18–34; YouTube for county‑wide reach; include Spanish‑language variants where relevant; geo-focus around Mountain Home, AFB housing, and Glenns Ferry.

Method notes

• Based on Pew Research Center social platform adoption (2023–2024), adjusted for rural adoption patterns, plus Elmore County’s demographic profile (ACS 2022–2023) and the presence of Mountain Home AFB (younger, slightly more male). For precise planning, validate with platform ad tools (reach estimates by ZIP/geo) and local page/group analytics.