Alexander County

Key demographics – Alexander County, Illinois

Population

• Total: 5,240 (2020 Census)
• Recent estimate: ~4,800 (2023 Census Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~44–45 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~19–20%
• 65 and over: ~22–23%

Gender

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race/ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~60–62%
• Black or African American: ~33–35%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~2,200–2,300
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~60–62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~38–42%
• Nonfamily households: ~38–40%
• Households with one person: ~32–35%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Alexander County, IL snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: ~5,200 residents (2020 Census) across ~236 sq mi; ~22 people per square mile (very low, rural).
• Estimated email users: 2,800–3,300 residents. Assumes most adults are online and email remains near-universal among internet users.
• Age profile of email users:
  • 18–34: 20–25% (high adoption, smaller cohort locally)
  • 35–54: 30–35% (near‑universal use)
  • 55–64: 20–25% (strong but slightly lower than younger adults)
  • 65+: 15–20% (usage gap persists among oldest residents)
• Gender split of email users: roughly 50/50, tracking the county’s near‑even population mix.
• Digital access trends:
  • Fixed‑broadband subscription lags Illinois by ~10–15 percentage points; about a quarter to a third of households likely lack a wireline subscription.
  • Higher reliance on smartphone‑only internet and public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) in and around Cairo; access thins in outlying areas.
  • Low density and dispersed housing raise last‑mile costs; many blocks have only 1–2 fixed providers, limiting competition and speeds.
  • The lapse of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely increased affordability barriers for low‑income households.

Notes: Figures are modeled from Census (population/density) and rural Illinois adoption patterns; treat as directional estimates.

Mobile phone usage in Alexander County, Illinois — summary

Big picture

• Mobile adoption is slightly lower than the Illinois average, but reliance on mobile as the primary way to get online is notably higher.
• Coverage is good along the I‑57/US‑51 corridor and in towns (Cairo, Mound City/Mounds), spottier in river bottoms and low-lying farmland near the Mississippi/Ohio confluence.
• 5G is present mainly as low-band; mid-band capacity sites are sparse compared with most Illinois counties.

Estimated users (order-of-magnitude, 2024–2025)

• Population context: ~5,000 residents; ~4,000 adults; ~2,000–2,200 households.
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~3,400–3,600 (about 85–90% of adults; below the IL average).
• Adult smartphone users: ~3,200–3,400 (about 80–85% of adults; IL is closer to ~90%).
• “Smartphone-only” internet users (no home wired broadband): ~700–1,000 adults (roughly 18–25% of adults; higher than typical IL rates).
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~1,300–1,650 (about 60–75% of households; mix of primary and supplemental connections). Notes: Ranges reflect rural/low‑income adjustments to national and Illinois patterns (Pew/ACS). Use ACS S2801 and the FCC Broadband Map to refine for a specific year.

Demographic patterns (how the county differs from Illinois overall)

• Age
  • 65+ share is higher than the state. Smartphone adoption among seniors trails the IL average more noticeably (bigger gap between younger and older users).
  • Younger adults (18–34) are near parity with the state in smartphone adoption, but more likely to be smartphone‑only due to cost and housing.
• Income
  • Lower median household income drives higher prepaid usage and hotspotting for home internet. Expect a larger share of plans on prepaid/MVNOs than the IL average and more data-conscious behavior.
• Race/ethnicity and place
  • In and around Cairo (higher Black population), smartphone adoption is similar to or above the county average, but smartphone‑only reliance is higher than the state norm.
  • Outlying rural tracts show lower overall adoption and more dead zones, widening the urban–rural gap compared with most Illinois counties.
• Disability and housing
  • Higher disability rates and more renter households than many rural IL counties correlate with greater reliance on mobile for benefits access, telehealth, and messaging, but with lower video quality use due to data/coverage constraints.

Usage patterns vs. state-level

• More mobile‑only households using hotspots in place of fixed broadband.
• Higher share of prepaid/MVNO lines and budget Android devices; iOS share below the statewide mix.
• Heavier reliance on voice/SMS and Facebook/YouTube over bandwidth‑heavy streaming or smart‑home devices.
• Network experience is more variable: acceptable performance near highways/towns, but frequent drops or 4G fallback in bottoms/forested edges.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Coverage
  • All three national operators are present. AT&T and Verizon tend to be strongest along I‑57/US‑51 and towns; T‑Mobile improves along primary roads but is patchier off‑corridor.
  • 5G: low‑band is common along the highway corridor; mid‑band/C‑band sites are sparse, so capacity is lower than metro Illinois. mmWave is effectively absent.
  • Expect cross‑border signal behavior near the rivers (KY/MO networks appearing) and shadowing in levee/lowland areas.
• Capacity/backhaul
  • Fewer macro sites per square mile than state average; limited fiber backhaul outside town centers reduces peak speeds and resiliency.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Cable/FTTH options are limited to a few population centers; elsewhere, DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite predominate. This scarcity raises smartphone‑only rates and hotspot usage.
• Public assets
  • Schools, libraries, and government buildings often anchor the best backhaul; public Wi‑Fi is a notable supplement in town centers.

What’s most different from Illinois overall

• Lower overall smartphone adoption, driven mainly by seniors and the most remote tracts.
• Significantly higher smartphone‑only and hotspot reliance because fixed broadband choices are limited/expensive.
• Greater prepaid/MVNO penetration and price‑sensitive plans.
• 5G is more “coverage‑oriented” than “capacity‑oriented” (few mid‑band sites), so real‑world speeds lag the state average and vary sharply by location.

Data/validation tips

• For precise local rates, check: ACS Table S2801 (Internet Subscriptions) for cellular-plan and smartphone‑only indicators; FCC National Broadband Map for fixed availability; carrier coverage maps or FirstNet buildouts for site patterns; crowdsourced performance (e.g., Ookla, CellMapper) for street‑level variability.

Alexander County, IL — social media snapshot (2025, estimated)

Population context

• Residents: about 5,000–5,300
• Adults (18+): roughly 3,900–4,200

User stats

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~2,700–3,100 (≈68–74% of adults)
• Teens (13–17) on at least one platform: ~250–320 (most teens are active)
• Daily active users (all ages): ~2,100–2,500

Age mix of users (share of total users, approx.)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 16–20%
• 30–49: 30–35%
• 50–64: 24–28%
• 65+: 14–18%

Gender breakdown (approx.)

• Women: 54–56% of users
• Men: 44–46% of users
• Notes: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube and Reddit skew male; TikTok skews female/younger.

Most-used platforms (adult reach; share of adult residents using each at least occasionally)

• YouTube: 60–70%
• Facebook: 55–65%
• Instagram: 25–35%
• TikTok: 20–30% (mainly under 35)
• Pinterest: 20–28% (skews female, home/lifestyle)
• Snapchat: 15–22% (teens/young adults)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (family/chat pockets)
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (news/sports followers)
• Reddit: 10–14% (younger/male/tech)
• LinkedIn: 8–12% (commuters/professionals)
• Nextdoor: 3–6% (limited in low-density areas)
• Facebook Messenger: 45–55% (primary DM channel)

Behavioral trends to know

• Local-first on Facebook: Heavy use of Groups/Pages for school sports, weather/road updates, church events, fundraisers, lost & found, and buy/sell/trade. Marketplace is very active.
• Trust and tone: Content from known local people/orgs outperforms brandy creative. Plainspoken, practical posts work best.
• Video habits: Short vertical clips (10–45s) perform; live/recaps of games, festivals, church services see high engagement. Keep files light due to patchy broadband.
• Messaging over forms: Residents commonly DM via Messenger to ask prices, hours, or availability; “Call” and “Message” CTAs outperform long web forms.
• Younger audiences: Teens/20s split time between TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat; they discover via TikTok/IG Reels and convert via DMs.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–10 pm CT) and weekend mornings; weather/news posts spike during storms and school announcements.
• Geo reality: For promotions, a 15–30 mile radius around Cairo/Tamms/Olive Branch typically captures real reach; regional events can extend to Cape Girardeau/Paducah media spheres.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled from Pew national/rural usage patterns, platform-reported trends, and the county’s older age profile. Use for planning and sanity checks, not compliance reporting. For validation, run a quick poll in key Facebook Groups, check Page Insights/Ad reach by ZIP, and compare to school/event follower counts.