Jersey County

Jersey County, Illinois — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 21,512 (2020 Census). Continued gradual decline since 2010.

Age

• Median age: ~43 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive; ACS 2019–2023)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94–95%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.8–1%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.2–0.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2.5–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.5%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~8,700
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~62%; average family size: ~3.0
• Married-couple families: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Nonfamily households: ~31%; living alone: ~26% (about 12% age 65+)
• Tenure: ~77% owner-occupied, ~23% renter-occupied

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. median, reflecting a sizable 65+ share.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with small minority and Hispanic populations.
• Household size slightly below the U.S. average; high owner-occupancy typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Jersey County, IL snapshot

• Population ~21,500 across ~377 sq mi (density ~56/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~16,700 (about 92% of residents age 13+; ~78% of total population).
• Gender split of users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors population).

Age distribution of email users (share of ~16.7k users)

• 13–17: ~1.2k (7%)
• 18–34: ~4.0k (24%)
• 35–54: ~5.4k (32%)
• 55–64: ~2.8k (17%)
• 65+: ~3.4k (20%)

Digital access and trends

• Home broadband subscription: ~83% of households; ~17% lack a home broadband plan.
• Device access: ~91% of households have a computer and/or tablet; smartphone-only internet households ~15%.
• Email use is highest among working-age adults (35–64) due to employment, school, and e-government needs; seniors show strong but lower adoption, with reliance on mobile email growing.
• Rural settlement pattern and low density mean mobile connectivity is critical for daily email access; commuting links to the St. Louis region support high weekday mobile email activity.

Overall: Email is near-universal among teens and adults in Jersey County, with usage concentrated in working-age groups and supported by broad—though not complete—home broadband and strong mobile access.

Mobile phone usage in Jersey County, Illinois — 2024 snapshot

Population base used

• Residents: ~21,500 (2020 Census)
• Adults (18+): ~16,800

User estimates

• Adults with any mobile phone: ~15,300–15,700 (91–94% of adults; slightly below Illinois’ rate)
• Adult smartphone users: ~13,700–14,200 (82–85% of adults)
• Household smartphone access: ~89–92% of households have at least one smartphone
• Smartphone-only internet households: ~18–22% of households (notably higher than the Illinois average, reflecting more limited wireline options outside town centers)

Demographic breakdown (modeled from Jersey County’s older age mix and national adoption by age)

• 18–34: ~4,100 adults; smartphone adoption ~94–96% → ~3,900–3,950 users
• 35–49: ~3,900 adults; adoption ~92–95% → ~3,600–3,700 users
• 50–64: ~4,700 adults; adoption ~80–85% → ~3,750–4,000 users
• 65+: ~4,300 adults; adoption ~60–66% → ~2,600–2,850 users Key contrast with state-level: a larger share of older adults depresses overall smartphone penetration versus Illinois, where the age mix is younger and adoption among seniors is higher in metro areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Mobile networks
  • Outdoor LTE coverage is effectively countywide from AT&T and Verizon; T-Mobile is strong along US-67, IL-16, and toward the St. Louis commuter corridors.
  • 5G availability: low-band 5G covers most populated corridors; mid-band 5G (capacity layers) is clustered around Jerseyville, Grafton, and primary highways; mmWave is not expected. Overall mid-band 5G availability is materially below state metro areas.
  • Performance: typical 25–120 Mbps on LTE/low-band 5G, 150–400 Mbps where mid-band 5G is present; signal shadowing and dead zones occur in river bluffs/bottomlands and heavily wooded areas.
• Home internet mix influencing mobile reliance
  • Broadband subscription: roughly 78–82% of households (several points below Illinois), with strong cable/fiber in town and gaps in rural townships.
  • Providers: a mix of local and regional options including local fiber/DSL in and near towns (e.g., Grafton-area incumbents), cable in select municipalities, legacy DSL in rural areas, fixed wireless ISPs in the countryside, and growing 5G Home Internet (T-Mobile, Verizon) coverage. Fiber-to-the-home is expanding but remains sparse outside town.
  • Result: higher-than-average reliance on smartphones, hotspots, and 5G Home Internet in outer townships compared with Illinois overall.

Trends that differ from Illinois

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: A meaningfully larger slice of households rely on cellular as their primary home internet, driven by patchy fiber/cable outside Jerseyville/Grafton.
• Coverage-driven carrier choice: Residents prioritize voice/text reliability and farm-to-market road coverage over peak speeds; carrier mix skews to networks with stronger rural LTE footprints, more so than in Illinois’ urbanized counties.
• Older age structure suppresses countywide smartphone penetration by a few points compared with the state, concentrating digital inclusion needs among 65+ residents.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and value plans are more prevalent, with slower device refresh cycles than state averages, reflecting lower-density markets and older demographics.
• Temporal demand: Commute and tourism create predictable mobile demand spikes (US-67 toward Alton/Godfrey; weekends in Grafton), a pattern less pronounced at the statewide level.

Implications and near-term outlook

• Filling mid-band 5G gaps (C-band/3.45 GHz) along secondary roads and in river valleys would materially raise real-world speeds and in-home cellular broadband viability, narrowing the county’s gap with state urban areas.
• Continued incremental town-centered fiber builds will help, but fixed wireless and 5G Home Internet will remain central for rural households, sustaining the county’s above-average smartphone-only profile through 2025.
• Targeted digital-skills programs for seniors, plus affordability supports for low-income households, would yield outsized gains locally versus statewide averages.

Notes on methodology

• Counts are derived by applying current national smartphone adoption rates by age to Jersey County’s age structure and by aligning with ACS-style household broadband/device metrics and FCC mobile coverage patterns for rural Illinois. Figures are presented as best-available 2023–2024 estimates and emphasize differences versus Illinois’ largely urban/suburban averages.

Jersey County, IL — Social media snapshot (2025)

Population and access

• Population: ~21.3k residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 estimate)
• Households with broadband: ~82% (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)
• Adult smartphone ownership: ~88% (Pew, U.S. rural benchmark)

How many people use social media

• Residents 13+ on social media: ~15.7k (about 74% of total population; ~85% of those 13+)
• Adult (18+) social media users: 14.5k (84% of adults)

Age mix of local social users (share of users, 13+)

• 13–17: 7%
• 18–24: 9%
• 25–34: 14%
• 35–44: 16%
• 45–54: 14%
• 55–64: 15%
• 65+: 25%

Gender split of local social users

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of adults 18+ who use each platform; counts rounded)

• YouTube: 79% (13.6k adults)
• Facebook: 72% (12.4k)
• Facebook Messenger: 60% (10.4k)
• Instagram: 41% (7.1k)
• Pinterest: 36% (6.2k; significantly higher among women)
• Snapchat: 29% (5.0k; concentrated under 35)
• TikTok: 28% (4.8k; under 35 skew, growing 35–44)
• LinkedIn: 20% (3.5k; strongest among commuters/professionals)
• X (Twitter): 18% (3.1k)
• WhatsApp: 17% (2.9k)
• Reddit: 15% (2.6k)
• Nextdoor: 11% (1.9k; active in select neighborhoods)

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Platform roles
  • Facebook is the community backbone: school and sports updates, weather/emergency info, church and civic announcements, and Marketplace/yard sales drive daily check-ins.
  • YouTube is the how‑to and hobbies channel: home repair, outdoor/fishing, farming/rural equipment, local travel (Grafton/Pere Marquette) content.
  • Instagram and TikTok growth is led by 13–34s; short vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is the fastest‑rising format.
  • Pinterest engagement is strong for home, crafts, weddings, seasonal decor; disproportionately female 25–54.
• Usage cadence
  • Peak times: early morning (6–9 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend spikes around events, sports, and local dining/outings.
  • Facebook Groups and Messenger dominate daily micro‑interactions; teens favor Snapchat for messaging.
• Local commerce
  • Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for person‑to‑person sales and local services; trust is built through mutual connections and local group admins.
  • Video listings and before/after photos outperform text‑only posts for home services and autos/ATVs.
• Content that resonates
  • Faces and familiar places: posts featuring recognizable people, schools, teams, and landmarks earn higher engagement than generic stock visuals.
  • Short, practical clips (15–45 seconds) outperform long reads; how‑to, behind‑the‑scenes, and timely updates are shared most.
• Seasonality
  • Spring/summer: outdoor recreation, river conditions, fairs/festivals; tourism to Grafton/Pere Marquette drives spikes in local search and geo‑tagged posts.
  • Fall: school sports and hunting seasons dominate feeds; fundraising/charity posts see higher conversion.
• Trust and moderation
  • High reliance on hyper‑local admins and word‑of‑mouth; comments and recommendations drive decisions more than polished ad creative.
  • Political/issue posts see engagement but mixed sentiment; brand‑safe targeting favors community announcements and sponsorships.

Notes on method and sources

• Figures are 2025 estimates for Jersey County derived by weighting the county’s latest age/sex structure (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates; ACS 2019–2023) by U.S. platform adoption rates (Pew Research Center: “The State of Social Media in 2024” and “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023/24”). Platform percentages represent share of adults using each platform; users multi‑home, so totals exceed 100%.