Mcdonough County

Key demographics — McDonough County, Illinois

Population size

• 27,238 (2020 Census), down 16.5% from 32,612 in 2010, indicating sustained population decline

Age

• Median age: ~31 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Age distribution (ACS 2018–2022):
  • Under 18: ~16%
  • 18–24: ~22%
  • 25–44: ~22%
  • 45–64: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~86%
• Black or African American alone: ~6%
• Asian alone: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, some other race: ~1–2% combined
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~10.8k
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~53% of households; average family size: ~2.9
• Nonfamily households: ~47%; individuals living alone: ~38%; age 65+ living alone: ~10%
• Tenure: ~64% owner-occupied, ~36% renter-occupied

Insights

• A large college presence (Western Illinois University) skews the age structure younger and raises the share of renters and nonfamily households.
• The county has experienced a significant population decline since 2010.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5-year estimates (tables DP05, S0101, S1101, DP04).

Email usage snapshot – McDonough County, Illinois

• Population and density: ≈27,000 residents; ≈46 people per sq. mile (county seat: Macomb).
• Estimated email users: ≈22,000 residents use email (≈88–90% of those age 13+), based on county demographics, broadband adoption, and national email adoption rates.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ≈5%
  • 18–24: ≈20% (boosted by Western Illinois University)
  • 25–44: ≈30%
  • 45–64: ≈28%
  • 65+: ≈17%
• Gender split of users: ≈51% female, 49% male, mirroring the population; usage rates are essentially equal by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ≈90%
  • Households with broadband subscription: ≈83%
  • Smartphone‑only internet access: ≈16%
  • No home internet: ≈12–15% (rely on mobile data and campus/library Wi‑Fi)
  • Broadband subscription has risen roughly 4–6 percentage points since 2018 (ACS), with rural tracts trailing the Macomb urban core.
• Connectivity insight: Service quality and availability are densest in and around Macomb and along major corridors; outlying townships face more limited fixed‑line options, contributing to the smartphone‑only and no‑subscription shares.

Mobile phone usage in McDonough County, Illinois — 2023 snapshot and how it differs from statewide patterns

User base and adoption (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted)

• Households: ~10.8–11.0k.
• Households with a smartphone: 89% (≈9.6–9.8k households). Illinois: ~92%.
• Households with any broadband subscription (wireline or cellular data): ~81%. Illinois: ~86%.
• Households with a cellular data plan for a smartphone/tablet: ~71%. Illinois: ~76%.
• Households with wireline broadband (cable, fiber, or DSL): ~72%. Illinois: ~78%.
• Households with no internet subscription of any type: ~18%. Illinois: ~13%.
• “Cellular-only” internet (cellular data plan but no wireline broadband): ~12% of households (≈1.3k). Illinois: ~8%.
• Households with a smartphone and no other type of computing device: ~8%. Illinois: ~6%.

What this means locally

• Strong mobile reliance: A materially higher share of households rely on cellular data instead of wireline compared with the state (+4 percentage points), reflecting rural geography and cost sensitivities.
• Smartphone access is widespread but slightly below the state average, and a bigger slice of homes are “smartphone-only,” which raises concerns for tasks that work better on laptops/desktops.

Demographic patterns and gaps (relative to Illinois)

• Age: Households headed by someone 65+ show lower broadband adoption in McDonough (≈ mid–upper 60s%) than statewide (~mid 70s%), indicating a larger senior digital gap and greater likelihood of mobile-only use.
• Income: Households under $20k have notably lower broadband adoption (≈ mid–upper 50s%) than the statewide average (~low–mid 60s%), and are more likely to be smartphone-only.
• Students/young adults: The Western Illinois University population drives very high smartphone penetration among 18–24-year-olds and raises the county’s cellular-only share in rental-heavy tracts near campus, diverging from statewide norms that are less influenced by a single campus hub.
• Families with children: Broadband adoption is high but trails Illinois by a few points (≈ low 90s% vs. mid 90s%), with a larger than average cohort leaning on mobile hotspots or phone tethering during evening peaks.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14 for public safety), Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular operate in the county.
• 4G/5G coverage: FCC map data indicate near-ubiquitous outdoor 4G LTE from at least one carrier across populated areas. 5G is broadly available in and around Macomb; coverage in outlying townships skews to low-band 5G/LTE.
• Capacity pattern: Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in Macomb and along main corridors (US‑67, IL‑136). Rural sectors rely more on low-band spectrum, yielding lower median speeds and higher variability compared with Illinois’ urban counties.
• Backhaul and wireline underpinnings: Fiber is present in and near Macomb (a campus and healthcare anchor), but fiber-to-the-home and cable footprints thin out quickly outside town. The lighter wireline footprint helps explain the higher cellular-only household share.
• Resilience/seasonality: Traffic surges align with the university calendar (Aug–May). Evening peaks in student-dense census tracts and game/event days noticeably stress sector capacity more than in typical downstate counties without a large campus.

How McDonough County differs from Illinois overall

• Higher mobile dependence: More households rely solely on cellular data, and a larger smartphone-only cohort indicates heavier reliance on phones for everyday connectivity.
• Lower wireline adoption: Wireline broadband adoption lags the state by ~6 points, reflecting rural cost-distance dynamics and sparser last‑mile options beyond Macomb.
• Bigger age and income gaps: Seniors and lower-income households show a wider adoption gap than statewide averages, with mobile filling some—but not all—of the access shortfall.
• Campus-driven usage profile: A pronounced student footprint creates sharper seasonal and time-of-day mobile peaks and higher density of mid-band 5G capacity near campus than is typical for counties of similar size.

Practical implications

• Service planning: Cellular capacity upgrades (particularly mid-band 5G sectors) in and around WIU and along US‑67/IL‑136 will produce outsized benefits; rural sectors also need targeted enhancements to lift consistency, not just coverage.
• Digital equity: Programs that bundle affordable wireline plans and devices for seniors and low-income households would bring McDonough’s adoption metrics closer to state benchmarks and reduce smartphone-only constraints for work, telehealth, and homework.

Social media usage in McDonough County, IL (2025 snapshot)

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~83% of 18+ (local rate closely tracks national benchmarks; slightly higher among 18–24 due to Western Illinois University).

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated local reach)

• YouTube: ~84%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~50%
• TikTok: ~36%
• Snapchat: ~34%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• LinkedIn: ~22%
• Reddit: ~23%
• Nextdoor: ~8% (limited neighborhood coverage outside Macomb)
• WhatsApp: ~12–15% (below national average; Messenger/iMessage dominate locally)

Age-group patterns (share using each platform; local tendencies)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube 95%+, Snapchat ~80%, TikTok ~75%, Instagram ~65%, Facebook ~35%
• 18–24: YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~78%, TikTok ~70%, Instagram ~76%, Facebook ~48%
• 25–34: YouTube ~90%, Instagram ~65%, Facebook ~67%, TikTok ~45%, Snapchat ~55%
• 35–54: YouTube ~85%, Facebook ~77%, Instagram ~45%, TikTok ~30%
• 55+: Facebook ~72%, YouTube ~65%, Instagram ~28%, TikTok ~15%

Gender breakdown (platform tendencies)

• More female-skewed: Pinterest (70% F), TikTok (60% F), Instagram (55% F), Snapchat (56% F), Facebook (~53% F)
• More male-skewed: YouTube (54% M), Reddit (64% M), X/Twitter (58% M), LinkedIn (54% M)

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Facebook remains the community hub: city/university updates, local news, school/parent groups, Marketplace, events. Best all-ages reach, especially 30+.
• Short-form video growth: Instagram Reels and TikTok are the attention leaders for WIU students and 18–29s; discoverability and sound-on viewing are high.
• Snapchat is the daily social graph for students: heavy messaging and Stories; Snap Map used for nightlife and campus activity cues.
• YouTube is universal utility: how-to content, sports highlights (WIU Leathernecks, high school sports), music, lectures; strong second-screen usage at home.
• Messaging mix: Facebook Messenger and iMessage dominate; WhatsApp niche usage; DMs increasingly replace public commenting for customer service.
• Local content that performs: weather alerts, closures, prep/WIU sports, dining specials and nightlife, event flyers, human-interest stories, and photo-driven posts of recognizable local places.
• Timing patterns: student engagement peaks late evening (8 pm–midnight) and weekends; family/commuter segments respond midday (11 am–1 pm) and early evening (6–9 pm). Tuesday–Thursday are the highest interaction days for event promos.
• Ads and targeting: Facebook/Instagram deliver the most efficient county-wide reach; TikTok excels for 18–29 awareness; Snapchat boosts turnout for student-focused events. Geo-targeting around Macomb/61455 and WIU campus corridors is effective; broaden radius for county-wide campaigns.

Notes on methodology

• Percentages are modeled local estimates anchored to the latest Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates (2023–2024) and adjusted for McDonough County’s college-weighted age profile; figures rounded to convey realistic precision.