Lee County

Lee County, Illinois – key demographics

Population size

• 34,145 (2020 Census); approximately 33.9k (2023 Census estimate), reflecting a modest decline since 2010.

Age

• Median age: about 43 years (ACS 2018–2022).
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022; race alone unless noted; Hispanic is an ethnicity)

• White: ~86%
• Black or African American: ~5%
• Asian: ~1% (including <1% AIAN and NHPI combined)
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~79–81%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~13.4k
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~66% of all households; average family size ~2.9
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%
• Housing units: ~15k; vacancy around ~10%

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile.
• Predominantly White, with a meaningful and growing Hispanic/Latino community.
• Household structure is family-oriented with high homeownership typical of rural Illinois.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program 2023).

• Population and density: ~34,100 residents over ~724 sq mi (≈47 people/sq mi). About 45% live in/around Dixon, the primary connectivity hub.
• Estimated email users (18+): ≈24,000 adults (about 90% of ≈26,700 adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 18–24: ≈2,300 (10%)
  • 25–44: ≈7,800 (33%)
  • 45–64: ≈8,500 (36%)
  • 65+: ≈5,300 (22%)
• Gender split among email users: mirrors population; ≈51% male (12,200) and ≈49% female (11,800).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~91% of households have a computer device.
  • ~84% of households have a broadband subscription.
  • ~12% are smartphone‑only internet households.
  • ~15% of households have no internet subscription.
  • Access and speeds are strongest in Dixon and along I‑88/US‑52; rural tracts show higher mobile‑only reliance and lower adoption among 65+ residents.
• Insights:
  • Email is essentially universal among working‑age adults; the primary gap is in the 65+ cohort.
  • Population density and the concentration in Dixon support higher fixed‑line availability, while sparsely populated areas drive the smartphone‑only and no‑subscription share.
  • Modest year‑over‑year gains in broadband subscriptions suggest ongoing infrastructure improvements, with fiber/cable concentrated near population centers.

Lee County, Illinois — Mobile Phone Usage Snapshot (2022–2024)

Overall user base

• Population: ~34,000 (county-level 2023 estimate)
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ~24,000–25,000
  • Basis: adult share of population and American Community Survey (ACS) device-access rates

Household device and subscription metrics (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year)

• Households with a smartphone: Lee County 88% vs Illinois 92%
• Households with a cellular data plan (for smartphone/computer/tablet): Lee County 72% vs Illinois 75%
• Home broadband (cable, fiber, or DSL) subscription: Lee County 71% vs Illinois 81%
• Cellular-only home internet (no wireline): Lee County 8% vs Illinois 5%
• No home internet subscription: Lee County 13% vs Illinois 9%

Demographic breakdown (directional from ACS microdata patterns; small-area margins considered)

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone access (~97%), broadly in line with Illinois
  • 35–64: high access (~92%), slightly below state average
  • 65+: lower adoption (70%) vs Illinois (78%), contributing disproportionately to county’s gap
• Income
  • < $25k: smartphone access 78% (Illinois ~85%); higher reliance on cellular-only home internet (19% vs Illinois ~13%)
  • $25k–$75k: smartphone access ~88–90%, with mixed wireline-cellular substitution

  • $75k: >95% smartphone access; wireline broadband much more prevalent than cellular-only

• Geography
  • Dixon and communities along IL-38/US-52/I-88 corridors: higher 5G availability and better indoor performance; most households blend wireline broadband with mobile
  • Outlying rural tracts: materially higher share of cellular-only home internet and higher rates of no-internet households, driving the county’s overall gap vs the state

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier footprint
  • 4G LTE: Countywide presence from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon across population centers and primary routes (I-88, US-30, US-52, IL-26, IL-2)
  • 5G: Broad low-band coverage; mid-band 5G is concentrated in and around Dixon and along major corridors, with sparser mid-band reach in agricultural tracts
• Performance contours
  • Strongest signal density and capacity along I-88 and through Dixon; weaker indoor penetration and capacity at section-line distances in low-density areas, especially near river valleys and wooded Rock River segments
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backbones follow I-88 and key state routes, anchoring macro sites near Dixon and transport corridors; rural macro sites increasingly use microwave backhaul where fiber laterals are absent
• Public safety and resilience
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) coverage present on principal corridors and around Dixon, improving emergency and rural coverage overlap; rural overlap and in-building signal still lag urban Illinois norms

How Lee County differs from the Illinois state pattern

• Lower household smartphone access by ~4 percentage points, driven primarily by older and lower-income cohorts
• Substantially lower wireline broadband adoption (about 10 points), increasing dependence on mobile data for home connectivity
• Higher cellular-only home internet share (about +3 points), especially outside Dixon
• More pronounced age-related digital divide (65+ gap), amplifying differences in telehealth, civic access, and two-factor authentication readiness
• 5G mid-band coverage is more corridor- and town-centric, whereas many urban/suburban Illinois counties see broader mid-band envelopes, yielding lower average rural speeds and more variability in indoor service

Implications

• Mobile networks shoulder a larger share of “primary home internet” use in Lee County than statewide, making capacity and mid-band 5G buildouts disproportionately impactful
• Targeted expansion of fiber backhaul and mid-band 5G in rural tracts would narrow the county’s performance and adoption gaps
• Outreach and device-support programs focused on seniors and low-income households would most efficiently raise county smartphone and reliable-internet adoption toward the state average

Social media usage snapshot: Lee County, Illinois

County context

• Population: ~34,000 residents; majority rural/suburban mix
• Internet access: Most households report a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022), enabling routine social media use

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults using each; Lee County patterns closely follow these rural-Midwest benchmarks)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 30%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• WhatsApp: 21% Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. In rural counties like Lee, Facebook usage tends to skew a few points higher and TikTok/Instagram a few points lower than big-city averages.

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens (13–17): Heavy Snapchat and TikTok; Instagram secondary; Facebook mainly for events/school updates
• 18–29: Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat lead; YouTube is universal; Facebook present but not central
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate
• 50–64: Facebook highest; YouTube for DIY/how‑to; Pinterest common for projects; LinkedIn for professionals
• 65+: Facebook for family/community updates; YouTube for news/entertainment; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women: Higher use of Facebook and Pinterest; strong on Instagram and TikTok; active in local Groups, school/sports pages, Marketplace
• Men: Higher use of YouTube, Reddit, X; Facebook for Groups/Marketplace; LinkedIn for work/professional networking

Behavioral trends in Lee County

• Community-first behavior: Facebook Groups/pages for towns, schools, churches, and youth sports anchor local information-sharing; event posts and school notices drive spikes
• Marketplace culture: Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups are highly active; categories like farm/outdoor equipment, vehicles, tools, and furnishings perform well
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube for DIY, home/auto repair, ag equipment, hunting/fishing; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) increasingly used by local businesses for reach
• Small-business playbook: Restaurants, salons, contractors, realtors lean on Facebook + Instagram for promos; reviews on Facebook and Google heavily influence decisions
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks early morning (6–8 a.m. CT) and evenings (7–9 p.m. CT); weather alerts and school updates trigger real-time surges
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are the go-to direct channels; WhatsApp smaller but used within some family/heritage networks
• Civic information: Snow/emergency alerts, road closures, elections, and park/school calendars spread fastest via Facebook shares

Practical takeaways

• Prioritize Facebook (including Groups and Marketplace) and YouTube; add Instagram to reach 18–39; test TikTok for under‑35 reach
• Use short, local video and timely posts; cross-post events to relevant community Groups
• Schedule posts around 7–9 p.m. CT; weekends work well for Marketplace and events

Notes on figures

• Platform percentages are the latest nationally representative Pew stats (2024) and serve as the best available proxies at county level; rural counties like Lee typically skew slightly more Facebook‑heavy and slightly less TikTok/Instagram‑heavy
• Demographic and broadband context from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2018–2022) informs local access and adoption dynamics