Iroquois County

Iroquois County, Illinois — key demographics

Population size

• 27,077 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 26,600 (approx.), 2023 Census Bureau population estimate (Vintage 2023)
• Change since 2010: down roughly 9% (from about 29.7k to 27.1k)

Age

• Median age: about 44 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Age distribution: under 18 ~22%; 18–64 ~57%; 65+ ~21% (ACS 2018–2022)

Gender

• Female ~50–51%; male ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~89–91%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0–0.5%
• Asian alone: ~0–0.5%
• Some other race and two or more races: ~6–9% combined
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8–10% (2020 Census and ACS 2018–2022; White alone, non-Hispanic is roughly mid‑80s percent)

Household and housing

• Households: about 11,000 (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~66% of households; nonfamily ~34%
• Married‑couple households: just over half of all households
• Households with children under 18: roughly one‑quarter to one‑third
• Owner‑occupied housing rate: ~75–80%; renter‑occupied ~20–25%
• Housing units: roughly 12,000–13,000; vacancy typical of rural Illinois counties (ACS 2018–2022)

Notable insights

• Population has declined since 2010 and skews older than the national median age.
• The county remains predominantly non‑Hispanic White, with a growing Hispanic/Latino share near 1 in 10 residents.
• High homeownership and a large share of family households reflect its rural profile.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year estimates; Vintage 2023 Population Estimates.

• Population and density: Iroquois County has 27,077 residents (2020 Census) across ~1,117 sq mi, ≈24 people per square mile.
• Estimated email users: ≈19,000 adults use email (≈90% of ~21,000 adults; ≈70% of total population). Method: county age mix applied to Pew email adoption by age.
• Age distribution of email users (est.):
  • 18–34: ≈4,600 (≈24% of users)
  • 35–64: ≈9,600 (≈51%)
  • 65+: ≈4,800 (≈25%)
• Gender split: Near 50/50 overall; email users mirror this (≈9.7k women, ≈9.3k men).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband: ~80–85% of households have a broadband subscription; roughly 15–20% lack wired broadband and rely on cellular, fixed‑wireless, or satellite.
  • Device access: ~9 in 10 households have a computer.
  • Connectivity is strongest along the I‑57 and US‑24 corridors and in towns (e.g., Watseka, Gilman, Onarga); dispersed farm areas see more DSL/fixed‑wireless and slower speeds.
  • Email reach is effectively universal among working‑age adults and high among seniors; a notable minority are smartphone‑only internet users, so mobile‑optimized email performs best.

These figures provide a practical planning baseline for email outreach in Iroquois County.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Iroquois County, Illinois

Executive snapshot

• Context: Iroquois County is small, rural, and older than Illinois overall. These factors translate into slightly lower smartphone adoption, more variability in coverage quality outside towns and along farm roads, and a higher share of basic or budget devices than the state average.

User estimates (best-available, methodologically grounded)

• Total population (2020 Census): 27,077.
• Adult population (approx.): 21,000–22,000.
• Adult mobile phone users (any cell phone): ≈ 20,000–21,000 users (roughly 93–97% of adults, consistent with national mobile ownership and slightly reduced for rural/older profiles).
• Adult smartphone users: ≈ 16,500–18,500 users (roughly 75–85% of adults; lower than Illinois statewide by several points due to age and rural composition).
• Mobile-only (no home broadband, relies on cellular for internet): materially higher than the Illinois average in rural tracts; expect mid-teens percentage of households versus lower double-digit statewide.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 65+ share is noticeably higher than the state average. Seniors are the largest non-user segment and the most likely to use basic/older Android models or share family plans.
  • Working-age adults (25–54) show near-statewide smartphone penetration, but with more cost-conscious device and plan choices (prepaid and MVNOs).
• Income and affordability
  • Lower median household income than Illinois overall correlates with:
    • Higher prepaid/MVNO usage (e.g., Straight Talk, Cricket, Visible, Metro).
    • Slower upgrade cycles (devices kept longer, more refurbished purchases).
    • Greater sensitivity to data caps and throttling.
• Geography
  • Town centers (e.g., Watseka, Gilman, Milford) exhibit higher 4G/5G usage and better indoor performance.
  • Farm and low-density areas see more band 12/13/71 (low-band) dependence, with modest speeds but broad reach; mid-band 5G is spottier off the I-57 corridor.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) serve the county; coverage is strongest along I-57 and in/around municipal centers.
  • 5G availability: predominantly low-band outside towns; mid-band 5G (C-band/n41) is present near highways and higher-traffic sites but is not countywide.
  • LTE remains the fallback in many rural pockets; indoor coverage in metal-sided buildings and barns is a common pain point.
• Backhaul and capacity
  • Fiber backhaul follows major transport routes (I-57, state highways). Sites off these routes more often rely on microwave backhaul, which can constrain peak speeds.
  • Capacity upgrades are concentrated where demand is densest (towns, highway interchanges, schools, healthcare facilities).
• Fixed internet interplay
  • Fixed-wireless access (FWA) from mobile carriers fills gaps where wired broadband is limited. This raises mobile data loads at night and on weekends, affecting sector congestion compared with urban Illinois markets.

How Iroquois County differs from statewide Illinois trends

• Adoption and device mix
  • Smartphone adoption is lower than the state average, especially among seniors; overall mobile (any phone) ownership is high but tilts more toward basic or older devices than urban Illinois.
  • Higher prevalence of prepaid and MVNO plans than the Illinois average, reflecting price sensitivity and credit constraints.
• Network experience
  • Greater reliance on low-band spectrum for coverage; mid-band 5G is less pervasive. Expect more variability in speeds and higher cell-edge time than in metro Illinois.
  • Higher incidence of indoor coverage challenges in agricultural and metal-structure settings.
• Usage patterns
  • Higher share of mobile-only households, with cellular substituting for fixed broadband in rural tracts; this increases off-peak cellular traffic more than in urban Illinois.
  • Emergency and agricultural use cases (telematics, precision agriculture, weather) make reliability as important as peak speed, shaping carrier choice and plan selection differently from city users.

Practical implications

• Carriers: capacity upgrades that extend mid-band 5G beyond the I-57/town-center footprint will materially improve user experience; in-building solutions matter for farms and light industry.
• Public sector: targeted device literacy and affordability programs for older adults will raise smartphone adoption measurably faster than statewide averages.
• Businesses: assume more customers on prepaid plans and with data constraints; design mobile services accordingly (lighter apps, offline modes, SMS fallbacks).

Iroquois County, IL — Social Media Snapshot (2025)

Topline user stats

• Population: ~27,000 (U.S. Census 2020). Adults (18+): ~21,000.
• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈70% (≈14,500–15,000 people). Benchmark from Pew Research Center, with rural adjustment.
• Device mix: Mobile-dominant; older cohorts more likely to also use desktop.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated percent of adults who use the platform)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~38%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• TikTok: ~28%
• LinkedIn: ~24%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• X (Twitter): ~20%
• WhatsApp: ~18%
• Reddit: ~15%
• Nextdoor: ~12% Notes: These reflect Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adoption levels, adjusted slightly for a rural, older age mix typical of Iroquois County. Significant overlap across platforms.

Age profile

• Any social media use by age
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~83%
  • 50–64: ~73%
  • 65+: ~50%
• Platform tilt by age
  • 18–29: High on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube near-universal; Facebook secondary.
  • 30–49: Facebook + YouTube core; Instagram strong; rising TikTok.
  • 50–64: Facebook dominant; YouTube strong; Pinterest moderate; Instagram modest.
  • 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube growing; other platforms limited.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media use: Women ~71%, Men ~69% (small gap).
• Platform lean by gender (adults)
  • Facebook: Women higher usage than men.
  • Instagram: Women slightly higher than men.
  • Pinterest: Women far higher than men.
  • Reddit: Men far higher than women.
  • LinkedIn: Slight male tilt.
  • TikTok/Snapchat: Small female tilt.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Midwest counties and expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub
  • Heavy use of local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, farm/FFA, yard sales).
  • Marketplace drives buy/sell activity for vehicles, farm implements, tools, and household goods.
  • Local news, weather, road closures, and event info get high engagement; posts with photos/video of recognizable places or people perform best.
• Video-first consumption
  • YouTube for how‑to, home/auto repair, ag equipment, outdoor, sermons, and school activities; longer watch times on connected TVs in evenings.
  • TikTok/Instagram Reels short-form video growth across 18–49; cross-posting by local businesses and creators is common.
• Messaging and micro-communities
  • Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; group chats organize volunteer efforts, sports schedules, and events. WhatsApp presence smaller but present for family and work coordination.
• Timing patterns
  • Engagement peaks: 7–9 pm on weekdays; weekend mornings for yard sales/events; lunchtime scrolls on workdays.
  • Seasonal spikes: Back‑to‑school, harvest, county fairs, holiday events.
• Commerce and calls-to-action
  • “Message to buy/pickup” and in-person transactions outperform web checkouts for many local sellers.
  • Events (fish fries, fundraisers, craft fairs) perform best with multi-post reminders and last‑24‑hour boosts.

Methodology and sources

• Baseline adoption rates from Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use (2024) and prior trend series.
• County adult population from U.S. Census Bureau (2020). Local percentages are modeled by applying Pew’s platform/age/gender rates with downward adjustments typical of rural counties and an older age mix.