Carroll County

Here are key demographics for Carroll County, Illinois. Unless noted, figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019–2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates; values are rounded.

Population

• Total population: ~15,100

Age

• Median age: ~48 years
• Under 18: ~19%
• 18 to 64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~24–25%

Sex

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48% (Note: The presence of USP Thomson can skew the male share upward.)

Race and ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~88–90%
• Black or African American: ~3–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5–6%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Asian: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%

Households

• Number of households: ~6,500
• Average household size: ~2.2 persons
• Family households: ~59–60% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49–50%
• Households with children under 18: ~23–25%
• Individuals living alone: ~35% (about 15% age 65+ living alone)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5-year (tables DP05, S0101, S1101). Decennial Census 2020 provides a baseline population count of 15,702.

Carroll County, IL snapshot (estimates based on national/state rural usage applied to local demographics)

• Population/density: ~15,000 residents; ~30–35 people per sq. mile (largely rural; towns include Mount Carroll, Savanna, Lanark).
• Email users: ~10,500–12,500 residents ages 13+ use email at least monthly (roughly 80–90% of adults). Overall penetration is a bit lower than urban Illinois due to an older age mix.
• Age pattern of email use:
  • 13–17: ~90–95%
  • 18–29: ~97–99%
  • 30–49: ~94–97%
  • 50–64: ~88–92%
  • 65+: ~75–85%
• Gender split: Roughly even (about 48–52% either direction). Frequency of use is similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband: ~75–85% of households; ~10–15% are mobile-only internet users.
  • Connectivity: Fiber builds expanding in town centers and along main corridors; outlying areas often rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. Library/school Wi‑Fi and computer access supplement gaps.
  • Rural terrain and low density contribute to variable speeds and occasional dead zones; connectivity is strongest in and around towns and along state highways.

These are directional estimates to guide planning; local provider and census updates can refine figures.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Carroll County, Illinois (with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns)

Headline estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 14.5–15.5k residents; about 11.5–12.5k adults.
• Adults with a mobile phone (any type): approximately 10.7–11.8k (92–95% of adults), slightly below Illinois’ adult mobile-phone penetration.
• Adult smartphone users: about 9.3–10.6k (80–86% of adults), a few points lower than Illinois overall (typically high 80s to ~90%).
• Cellular-only home internet households: estimated 20–25% of households in the county vs roughly mid-teens statewide. This reflects greater rural reliance on mobile hotspots/phone tethering where wired options are limited.

Demographic breakdown (drivers of difference)

• Age structure: Carroll County skews older (share of residents 65+ is several points higher than Illinois). Smartphone adoption among seniors is notably lower, pulling down the countywide adoption rate versus the state.
• Income and education: Median income and bachelor’s attainment are lower than the Illinois average. These correlate with:
  • Higher likelihood of basic/feature phone retention and prepaid plans.
  • Greater propensity to be mobile-dependent for home internet to avoid the cost of wired broadband.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is predominantly White non-Hispanic with small but growing Hispanic/Latino populations. Nationally, Hispanic users tend to have high smartphone adoption and mobile-only home internet rates; in a small county, this can concentrate mobile dependence in specific neighborhoods or workforces but doesn’t offset the age effect on overall adoption.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (what’s distinctive locally)

• Carrier footprint:
  • All three nationals (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) provide service. 5G is present but is more often low-band coverage outside towns; mid-band 5G (T-Mobile 2.5 GHz, Verizon/AT&T C-band) is patchier than in Illinois’ metro areas.
  • Expect good service in and near towns (Mount Carroll, Savanna, Lanark, Thomson) and along major corridors; performance drops off on rural roads and in valleys.
• Terrain-driven gaps: The Mississippi River bluffs and wooded valleys create dead zones and weaker indoor penetration—an issue far less common in flat urban/suburban parts of Illinois.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • River/rail utility corridors carry fiber, but last-mile options remain uneven outside town centers.
  • A local electric co-op fiber build (e.g., Sand Prairie/Jo-Carroll Energy) and other rural fiber projects are expanding, yet coverage is incomplete; where fiber isn’t available, residents lean on mobile or fixed wireless.
• Fixed-wireless ISPs: More prevalent than in urban Illinois, providing LTE/CBRS or unlicensed-band broadband that supplements or substitutes for wireline—and indirectly increases mobile-only or mobile-primary behavior.
• Public safety and resilience: AT&T FirstNet low-band upgrades have improved wide-area coverage, but the county has fewer macro sites per square mile and virtually no small-cell density compared to cities, so 5G capacity gains lag the state average.
• Cross-river effects: Along the Mississippi, signal from Iowa-side towers can improve coverage on west-facing slopes but may cause handoff quirks; this is a local nuance not seen in inland Illinois counties.

How Carroll County differs from Illinois overall (key trends)

• Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption and slightly higher basic-phone retention, driven by older age structure and income mix.
• Meaningfully higher share of cellular-only home internet households, reflecting sparser wired broadband and cost considerations.
• 5G availability is more coverage-oriented (low-band) than capacity-oriented (mid-band) compared with metro Illinois, yielding lower median speeds and more variability by location.
• Greater reliance on fixed wireless and mobile hotspots as primary connectivity, with stronger seasonality and terrain-related performance swings.
• Fewer towers and minimal small-cell deployment per capita, so capacity upgrades arrive later than the statewide average.

Notes on data and confidence

• Figures are reasoned estimates based on recent ACS 5-year “Computer and Internet Use” patterns for rural Illinois counties, Pew smartphone adoption by age, and 2021–2024 carrier rollout norms. For planning or program eligibility, validate with:
  • ACS table S2801/S2802 at the county level (smartphone, cellular-data-at-home).
  • FCC mobile coverage maps (LTE/5G, mid-band overlays) and NTIA Indicators of Broadband Need.
  • Local providers (e.g., Sand Prairie/Jo-Carroll Energy, cable in river towns) for current fiber passings and build timelines.

Below is a concise, county-specific estimate based on Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform use combined with Carroll County’s older, rural age mix (ACS/Census). Treat figures as directional, not exact.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~15K. Residents 13+ using at least one social platform: roughly 10.5K–11.5K (about 70–76% of 13+).
• Typical daily users: ~60–65% of social users check at least once per day.

Age mix of local social users (approx. share of all social users)

• 13–17: 20%
• 18–29: 15%
• 30–49: 27%
• 50–64: 21%
• 65+: 17%

Gender breakdown (of social users)

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%
• Notes: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men slightly higher on YouTube, Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms in Carroll County (share of local social users)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 72–78%
• Instagram: 28–35%
• TikTok: 20–28%
• Pinterest: 25–32% (primarily women 25–64)
• Snapchat: 12–18% (concentrated 13–24)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (skews 25–54, college-educated)
• X/Twitter: 10–14% Notes: Facebook and YouTube are the clear reach leaders; Instagram/TikTok are sizable but younger-skewed. Nextdoor/Reddit present but niche.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first content: High engagement with local news, school sports, obituaries, weather/road alerts, county events, fairs, 4-H/FFA, church updates.
• Groups and Marketplace: Heavy use of Facebook Groups and Marketplace for buy/sell/trade, service referrals, and lost/found.
• Video habits: Short video (30–90s) performs best; many watch with sound off—captions matter. YouTube used for how‑to, repairs, recipes, and farming/DIY.
• Timing: Peaks around 6–8 a.m. and 7–9 p.m.; rainy/slow ag days lift daytime scrolling. Weeknight posts and weekend event recaps do well.
• Trust cues: Content from known local people, recognizable places, and user photos outperforms polished national creative. Comments/DMs are preferred contact paths.
• Younger users: Teens/20s lean Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; post less than they view. School activities and sports highlights drive spikes.
• Older users: 50+ rely on Facebook for news, events, health and municipal info; RSVP and share features see strong use.
• Ads that work: Local radius targeting (10–25 miles), clear calls to call/text/visit, event reminders, limited-time offers, and sponsor tie‑ins with schools/sports.

Method note

• Estimates modeled from Pew Research Center social platform adoption (2023–2024) adjusted to Carroll County’s age/gender profile (U.S. Census/ACS).