Jasper County

Jasper County, Illinois – key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: 9,850 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Voting-age (18+): 7,553 (2020)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~41–42 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census/ACS 2019–2023; share of total)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~96–97%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~1–2%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): <1%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~3,900–4,000
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~70% of households
• Married-couple households: ~55–60% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• One-person households: ~25–30%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–80%

Notes

• Figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for small-area reliability; values rounded for clarity.

• Estimated email users: ~7,200–7,800 residents in Jasper County use email regularly. This derives from rural internet/email adoption benchmarks applied to the county’s small, predominantly rural population.
• Age distribution of email use:
  • 18–29: ≈95–99% use email
  • 30–49: ≈94–97%
  • 50–64: ≈85–90%
  • 65+: ≈70–78%
• Gender split: Roughly even (≈50/50); national data show minimal gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access and devices:
  • Broadband subscription: ~75–82% of households subscribe to a home broadband service; computer/smartphone access in ~88–92% of households (consistent with ACS patterns for rural Illinois counties).
  • Smartphone-only internet users are a growing minority, particularly among lower‑income and older households, which can shift email access to mobile apps.
• Trends and implications:
  • High email penetration among working‑age adults supports digital government, school, and healthcare communications.
  • Lower adoption among seniors and no‑internet households creates a persistent outreach gap; mobile‑friendly email and offline options remain important.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Jasper County is sparsely populated (about 20 people per square mile) with dispersed settlements, a profile correlated with fewer fixed‑fiber options and greater reliance on DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite; best wireline speeds concentrate in and near Newton and along major corridors.

Mobile phone usage in Jasper County, Illinois — summary (2024)

Headline estimates

• Population base: ~9.6k residents (2023 Census vintage estimate).
• People age 13+: ~8.3k.
• Estimated smartphone users (13+): ~7.1k, or ~86% penetration among people 13+ (slightly below Illinois overall, which is closer to 90%).
• Active mobile lines: ~10.2k total subscriptions (≈1.06 lines per resident, aligned with the U.S./Illinois average).

Demographic breakdown of smartphone users (modeled from age mix and national/rural adoption rates)

• 13–17: ~0.55k users (≈95% of teens).
• 18–34: ~1.76k users (≈96%).
• 35–49: ~1.65k users (≈95%).
• 50–64: ~2.00k users (≈90%).
• 65+: ~1.18k users (≈61%). Key contrast vs Illinois: Jasper’s older age profile drags down overall penetration; the 65+ gap is the largest contributor to the county’s lower total adoption versus the state.

Household internet/phone dynamics

• Smartphone-only households (no fixed home internet): estimated 12–16% in Jasper County vs roughly low‑teens statewide. This indicates heavier reliance on mobile data for home connectivity than the Illinois average.
• Device mix and plans: higher prepaid/MVNO share than the state average, reflecting cost sensitivity and rural plan availability; postpaid share correspondingly lower.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage: 4G LTE reaches nearly all populated areas. 5G service is present in and around Newton and along main corridors but is patchier across low‑density townships; land‑area 5G coverage is materially lower than the Illinois average.
• Capacity and speeds: median downlink speeds are typically higher in town than in the countryside. Expect roughly:
  • In/near Newton: ~50–150 Mbps on 5G where mid‑band is available; 20–60 Mbps on LTE.
  • Outlying areas: ~5–25 Mbps on LTE, with occasional dead zones in wooded or low‑lying areas.
• Fixed alternatives shaping mobile use:
  • Fiber is available in limited pockets (primarily in/near municipal centers); DSL and cable coverage are uneven in outlying areas.
  • 4G/5G fixed‑wireless home internet (FWA) from national carriers is available to a meaningful share of addresses and substitutes for wireline where fiber/cable are absent, increasing mobile network load during evening hours.
• Tower footprint: macro sites concentrate along state routes and around Newton; fewer sites per square mile than the Illinois average limits 5G mid‑band reach and indoor coverage in fringe areas.

Usage patterns and trends that differ from state‑level

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by a larger 65+ population share.
• Higher smartphone‑only household reliance due to patchier wireline broadband, leading to:
  • Greater dependence on mobile data for homework, telehealth, and streaming in rural townships.
  • More evening peak congestion than in comparable urban Illinois locales.
• Plan mix skews toward prepaid/MVNO and budget Android devices more than the state average.
• 5G availability is improving but remains behind the Illinois average in both coverage breadth and capacity, keeping many users on LTE outside the county seat and main corridors.

Implications

• Public safety and emergency messaging should assume LTE coverage is reliable in populated zones but plan for LTE/voice gaps in fringe areas; promote Wi‑Fi calling where feasible.
• Healthcare, education, and government services should optimize for mobile‑first access and low‑bandwidth modes, given the above‑average share of smartphone‑only households.
• Economic development efforts that expand fiber backhaul and add mid‑band 5G sites (or high‑capacity FWA) will disproportionately improve digital equity in Jasper County compared with already‑well‑served Illinois metros.

Notes on methods

• User counts are modeled from the county’s population structure and current national/rural smartphone adoption by age, combined with Illinois market norms for lines per capita and household connectivity patterns. Numbers are rounded for clarity.

Jasper County, IL social media snapshot (2024, modeled local estimates)

Overall usage

• Any social media (residents 13+ using at least monthly): 78–81%
• Daily users (any platform): ~66–70%
• Primary access: mobile-first; home broadband is mixed, so short-form video and images dominate

Age groups (share using any social at least monthly)

• 13–17: ~94%
• 18–29: ~96–98%
• 30–49: ~86–90%
• 50–64: ~72–76%
• 65+: ~48–54%

Gender breakdown among social users

• Women: ~52%
• Men: ~48%
• Notable platform skews: Facebook and Pinterest lean female; YouTube, X (Twitter), and Reddit lean male

Most-used platforms (share of residents 13+ using at least monthly)

• Facebook: 72–75%
• YouTube: 68–72%
• Instagram: 36–40%
• TikTok: 32–36%
• Snapchat: 26–30%
• Pinterest: 27–31%
• Facebook Messenger: 62–66%
• X (Twitter): 16–20%
• LinkedIn: 12–16%
• Reddit: 10–14%
• WhatsApp: 12–17%

Behavioral trends

• Community-centric: Facebook Groups, local news pages, school sports, churches, and buy/sell/Marketplace drive the highest participation and sharing
• Peak times: Evenings 7–10 pm are strongest; secondary bump around lunch (11:30 am–1 pm)
• Content format: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is rising under 35; photos with concise copy perform best for 35+
• Shopping and classifieds: Heavy use of Facebook Marketplace for farm equipment, vehicles, furniture, and local services; word-of-mouth referrals happen in Groups
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for local businesses and events; WhatsApp is present but niche
• Trust dynamics: Posts from known local organizations or recognizable residents outperform brand-forward ads; transparent pricing and clear calls-to-action increase response
• Employment and networking: LinkedIn usage is modest; job discovery skews to Facebook Groups and local pages
• Youth split: Teens favor Snapchat and TikTok for peers; Instagram for trends and school life; many still maintain a Facebook account for family/community updates

Method note: Figures are best-available modeled estimates for Jasper County based on the county’s rural profile and age mix, applying recent Pew Research Center adoption rates by platform and age, combined with U.S. Census Bureau age/sex distributions for the county and rural broadband usage patterns in the Midwest.