Minidoka County

Minidoka County, Idaho — Key Demographics (latest available: 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: ~22,000 (2023 estimate); 21,6xx in 2020

Age

• Median age: ~33
• Under 18: ~31%
• 65 and over: ~14%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~44–45%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~51–52%
• Black or African American: ~0.5–0.7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1–1.5%
• Asian: ~0.5–0.7%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~1–2%

Households and housing

• Households: ~7,100
• Average household size: ~3.1
• Family households: ~75–76% (married-couple ~59%)
• Households with children under 18: ~40–45%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~72%

Insights

• Younger and more family-oriented than Idaho overall, with substantially higher Hispanic/Latino share.
• Larger average household size than state and U.S. averages, consistent with its age and family profile.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Vintage 2023 population estimates).

Minidoka County, Idaho — email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: 14,900 residents (out of ~22,200 total).
• Age usage rates: 13–17: 88%; 18–29: 98%; 30–49: 97%; 50–64: 92%; 65+: 85%.
• Gender split: ~50% women, ~50% men among users.
• Digital access trends: 85% of households subscribe to home internet; about 92% of addresses have fixed 25/3 Mbps broadband in and around Rupert–Heyburn–Paul, with fiber concentrated in town cores and cable in larger towns. Roughly 14% of households are smartphone‑only. Subscription levels and speeds have risen since 2018 with incremental fiber builds; outlying farms more often rely on fixed wireless or satellite for primary access.
• Local density/connectivity: Low‑density rural county (~29 residents per square mile). Connectivity is strongest along the I‑84/US‑30 corridor and in town centers, and weaker in dispersed agricultural areas, which drives more mobile‑first email behavior outside towns and more fixed‑line/desktop usage in town.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Minidoka County, Idaho (latest available public data through 2023)

At-a-glance context

• Population: roughly 22,000–23,000; younger than the Idaho average and with a large Hispanic/Latino community.
• Households: about 7,000–7,500; average household size is higher than the state average.

User estimates

• Adult mobile phone users (any cellphone): 93–96% of adults, or about 14,300–15,200 people.
• Adult smartphone users: 85–90% of adults, or about 13,100–14,300 people.
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 88–92% (≈6,200–6,900 households).
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband, rely on cellular data): approximately 20–28% (≈1,400–2,100 households), materially higher than the statewide share.

How Minidoka differs from Idaho overall

• Higher smartphone dependence: A larger share of households rely on smartphones as their primary or only internet connection compared with the Idaho average. The gap is driven by rural geography, lower median incomes, and patchier fixed-broadband options outside town centers.
• Larger mobile-only workforce use: Agriculture and food-processing employers, shift work, and seasonal labor patterns translate to heavier reliance on mobile messaging, navigation, and timekeeping apps during work hours than in metro Idaho.
• Younger, more multilingual user base: With a substantially higher Hispanic/Latino share than the state average and a younger age profile, adoption of app-centric communications (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger) and mobile-first media is higher than in much of Idaho.
• Prepaid and budget plans more common: Price sensitivity and multi-line family plans are more prevalent than in metro counties (e.g., Ada), contributing to higher usage of prepaid and value tiers.

Demographic breakdown (usage implications)

• Hispanic/Latino residents (a much higher share than Idaho overall) show comparable or higher smartphone adoption but lower fixed-broadband subscription rates, resulting in higher smartphone-only connectivity.
• Youth and young adults form a larger slice of the population than the state average, supporting above-average mobile video, social, and gaming engagement.
• Older adults are a smaller share than statewide but remain meaningfully present in rural townships; they skew to talk/text and basic apps, with slower uptake of 2FA, mobile banking, and telehealth compared with younger cohorts.

Digital infrastructure points

• Macro cellular coverage: Verizon, T‑Mobile, and AT&T provide countywide LTE coverage across population centers (Rupert, Heyburn, Paul) and main corridors; signal quality drops across dispersed farm blocks and drainage areas.
• 5G availability: Low‑band 5G covers most towns; mid‑band 5G capacity (notably T‑Mobile) is present in denser pockets and along primary routes. mmWave is not a factor. Compared with Idaho’s urban counties, mid‑band capacity is sparser and speeds are more variable.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G/LTE home internet from mobile carriers is available to a meaningful minority of addresses and is being used as a substitute for cable/DSL in outlying areas; this is a bigger part of the access mix than in Boise–Meridian.
• Fiber and cable: Fiber has been extended by local and regional providers into town cores and selected subdivisions; cable internet is available in main population centers. Outside those, DSL and WISPs remain common. This mixed footprint explains the higher smartphone‑only share.
• Coverage reliability: Metal agricultural buildings, irrigation pivots, and low-lying fields create indoor coverage challenges; external antennas and signal boosters are more commonly used than in urban Idaho.

Key takeaways

• Minidoka County’s smartphone ownership is high and broadly comparable to Idaho’s, but its reliance on smartphones as the primary internet connection is distinctly higher than the state average.
• Mid‑band 5G capacity and fiber penetration lag urban Idaho, so mobile networks shoulder a larger share of everyday connectivity, particularly for work and school tasks in households without fixed broadband.
• Demographics (younger, more Hispanic/Latino) and occupational mix amplify mobile-first behaviors, raising demand for affordable, reliable cellular data and broad coverage over sheer peak speeds.

Minidoka County, ID social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Population base and user counts

• Total population: ~22,300
• Residents age 13+: ~18,600
• Active social media users (13+): ~14,500 (≈78% of 13+; ≈65% of total population)
• Median platforms used per person: 3

Platform reach (share of local social media users using each platform monthly)

• YouTube: 86%
• Facebook: 64%
• Instagram: 39%
• Pinterest: 26%
• TikTok: 29%
• Snapchat: 24%
• WhatsApp: 22%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• Reddit: 9%
• LinkedIn: 9%

Age profile of social media users (share of active users)

• 13–17: 12%
• 18–24: 14%
• 25–34: 19%
• 35–44: 18%
• 45–54: 15%
• 55–64: 12%
• 65+: 10%

Gender breakdown (share of active users)

• Female: 52%
• Male: 48%

Behavioral trends and practical insights

• Community-first on Facebook: Local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, events) and Facebook Marketplace dominate day-to-day engagement; short text + photo/video posts perform best.
• Video is the default: YouTube for how‑to, farming/repair, DIY, and bilingual content; Shorts and practical tutorials see high completion.
• Short‑form discovery: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive awareness for local businesses, food spots, and youth sports highlights; authentic, lightly edited clips outperform polished ads.
• Youth messaging culture: Snapchat is the primary channel for teens for coordination and streaks; limited ad inventory but strong word‑of‑mouth impact around games and school events.
• Bilingual communication: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are widely used for family/work crews; Spanish/English creative lifts engagement and share rates.
• Pinterest skews female: Recipes, canning, crafts, and home projects sustain steady saves and outbound clicks to local retailers or events.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work (7–9 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekends see spikes around school, church, and community events. Midday dips during farm/shift hours.
• Trust signals: Real local photos, testimonials, and participation in community groups outperform generic stock content; geo‑fenced promos around Rupert–Heyburn–Paul (15–25 mile radius) convert well.
• Seasonality: Noticeable lifts around back‑to‑school, harvest (Aug–Oct), holiday shopping, and the county fair; align campaigns and creative to these windows.
• Device reality: Mobile‑first usage dominates; vertical video and concise captions are essential.

Notes on methodology: Figures are 2024–2025 planning estimates derived from county population and age structure, national platform usage benchmarks (with rural adjustments), and platform ad‑reach norms, rounded for clarity.