Bond County

Key demographics for Bond County, Illinois

Population

• Total (2020 Census): 16,725
• Estimate (July 1, 2023): ~16.2k

Age

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~47%
• Male: ~53%

Race/ethnicity (shares of total population)

• White alone: ~87%
• Black or African American alone: ~8–9%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~84–85%

Households

• Number of households (ACS 2018–2022): ~6.5k
• Persons per household: ~2.35–2.40

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; 2018–2022 American Community Survey).

Bond County, IL snapshot (estimates)

Population: 16.7k; predominantly rural with low density (40–50 people per sq. mile).

Estimated email users: 12.5k–14k (about 75–85% of residents using email at least monthly), derived from rural internet adoption (85–90%) and high email usage among internet users (90%+).

Age pattern (share using email):

• 13–17: ~70–80%
• 18–29: ~95%
• 30–49: ~95%
• 50–64: ~90%
• 65+: ~75–85%

Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50).

Digital access trends:

• Many residents are smartphone-first; home broadband is more common in town centers (e.g., Greenville) and less consistent in outlying rural areas.
• Fixed wireless and legacy DSL fill gaps; some households are mobile-only.
• Public Wi‑Fi via libraries/schools supports access; older adults show slower but rising adoption.

Local density/connectivity notes:

• Low population density increases last‑mile costs, creating pockets with limited high-speed choices and variable reliability.
• Cellular coverage is stronger near towns and major roads, with patchier service in sparsely populated or wooded areas.

Note: Figures are modeled from national/rural usage benchmarks; consult ACS/FCC/Illinois broadband maps for precise local metrics.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Bond County, Illinois (with estimates, demographics, and infrastructure), highlighting how it differs from statewide patterns

Context

• Bond County is small and largely rural (population roughly 16,000–17,000; county seat Greenville), with an older age profile and lower median income than the Illinois average. The I‑70 corridor bisects the county and anchors most commercial and infrastructure density.

Estimated number of mobile users

• Adult cellphone users: 11,700–13,000
  • Method: adults (about 12,500–13,600) x adult cellphone ownership in rural areas (roughly 93–96%).
• Adult smartphone users: 10,800–12,100
  • Method: age-weighted smartphone adoption (roughly 86–89% given a higher 65+ share).
• Youth phone users (under 18): 1,200–1,400
  • Method: most 12–17s have phones; far fewer 8–11s do.
• Total unique mobile users (all ages): approximately 12,900–14,400.
• Smartphone-only home internet households: about 1,200–1,600 households
  • Method: ~7,000 households in the county; smartphone-only internet dependence estimated at ~17–22% in Bond vs ~14–16% statewide, reflecting lower fixed-broadband availability and incomes.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+ share is higher than Illinois overall. Smartphone adoption in this group trails younger cohorts, so:
    • Basic/feature phone usage is more visible than statewide.
    • Text/voice remains more important for seniors; app-heavy use under-indexes relative to Illinois metros.
• Income and plan mix
  • Lower median household income than Illinois drives higher uptake of prepaid and MVNO plans, price-sensitive data tiers, and longer device replacement cycles.
  • Smartphone-only (no home broadband) reliance is meaningfully higher than the state average.
• Work/education
  • I‑70 commuting and logistics activity, farms, and small businesses rely on dependable LTE/low-band 5G for maps, messaging, payments, and telematics.
  • Greenville University creates a localized pocket of heavy data demand in town that is not representative of the rest of the county.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White with small minority populations; no large, distinct language clusters that would materially alter device or plan choices compared with the rest of downstate Illinois.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 4G LTE is effectively countywide along primary roads and around towns. Away from I‑70 and Greenville, service often relies on low-band spectrum for reach.
  • 5G availability: present in Greenville and along I‑70 from the national carriers, but mid-band 5G (faster) is spottier outside the corridor, so coverage transitions to LTE or low-band 5G in rural townships more often than in metro Illinois.
• Speeds and reliability (indicative)
  • Typical rural speeds: 20–80 Mbps down and 5–25 Mbps up, with peaks 150–300 Mbps near Greenville and along the interstate where mid-band 5G is lit. Latency commonly 30–70 ms.
  • In-building performance can drop notably in metal-roof agricultural structures and older homes; external antennas/boosters are more commonly needed than in metro areas.
• Towers and backhaul
  • Macro towers line I‑70 and cluster near Greenville; spacing grows wider in the countryside. Small-cell density is low outside town.
  • Fiber backhaul is strongest along the interstate and in Greenville; backhaul limits away from those paths can cap 5G speeds even where radios support them.
• Carrier landscape and public safety
  • AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate; AT&T’s FirstNet public-safety build enhances band-14 coverage near key corridors and population centers.
  • MVNO service is widely available but, as elsewhere, may be deprioritized under congestion, which is more noticeable during events in Greenville and along I‑70.

How Bond County differs from Illinois overall

• Higher share of older residents lowers overall smartphone penetration a few points versus the state and increases basic-phone usage.
• More smartphone-only households due to lower fixed-broadband availability and income; mobile data substitutes for home internet more often than statewide.
• Mid-band 5G is less continuous away from the interstate; residents more often experience low-band 5G/LTE coverage and lower median speeds than urban/suburban Illinois.
• Prepaid/MVNO penetration and price sensitivity are higher; device upgrade cycles are longer.
• Coverage is reliable on highways and in town but more variable on secondary roads and inside farm outbuildings—gaps that are less common in metro Illinois.

Notes on method and sources

• Population and household counts are based on recent Census/ACS estimates; device ownership, smartphone-only reliance, and age effects draw on Pew Research and national/rural telecom studies, adjusted for Bond County’s older age structure and rural broadband availability. Carrier coverage and speed characterizations reflect FCC/National Broadband Map trends, public carrier maps, and rural Illinois performance patterns. Because carrier deployments evolve quickly and county-level ownership data aren’t directly published, figures are expressed as ranges/estimates.

Below is a concise, evidence‑informed snapshot. Exact, platform-reported counts at the county level aren’t public, so figures are estimates based on Pew Research 2023–2024 U.S. usage, rural adjustments, and Bond County’s size (~16.7k residents; adult population ~13k).

Estimated user stats

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~75–85% → ~9.7k–11.0k adults
• Teens (13–17) also show very high adoption (>85% nationally), but total teen count in-county is small relative to adults

Most-used platforms (adult reach, estimated)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–72%
• Instagram: ~35–50%
• TikTok: ~25–40% (skews <35)
• Snapchat: ~20–35% (primarily teens/20s)
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (skews female)
• X (Twitter): ~15–25% (news/sports followers)
• LinkedIn: ~15–20% (smaller white‑collar segment)
• Nextdoor: <10% (patchy rural footprint)

Age groups (usage patterns)

• 13–17: Very high daily use; heavy Snapchat/TikTok; Instagram for identity/teams; Facebook mainly via parents/school notices
• 18–29: Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat dominant; YouTube universal; Facebook used for events/groups/Marketplace
• 30–49: Facebook + YouTube lead; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing for tips/recipes/local happenings
• 50–64: Facebook primary community hub; YouTube for how‑to, church, local sports; Pinterest common
• 65+: Facebook for family/church/civic info; YouTube for services/health/how‑to; lower on Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: Higher Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong activity in community groups, school/church pages, Marketplace; local shopping and recommendations
• Men: Higher YouTube, X, Reddit; sports, farming/DIY/mechanics; Facebook for local news, buy‑sell‑trade

Behavioral trends in Bond County–type communities

• Facebook is the civic square: school, church, county/city, and local media pages; groups (buy/sell/trade, lost & found, sports, events)
• Marketplace is a major utility for practical, price‑sensitive buying/selling
• Event‑driven spikes: county fair, homecoming, weather alerts, high‑school sports, municipal notices
• Short‑form video gains: Facebook/Instagram Reels and TikTok outperform static posts; local faces and “how‑to” content drive shares
• Best posting windows: lunch (11:30a–1p) and evening (7–9p CT); weekends for events/recaps
• Messaging for customer service: DMs on Facebook/Instagram widely used by small businesses
• Cross‑posting to relevant local groups can 2–5x organic reach

Notes and how to validate locally

• Treat figures as estimates. For tighter local numbers, use platform ad tools (Meta Ads audience estimates by county/ZIP), YouTube reach estimates, and school/organization page insights.