Morgan County

Morgan County, Illinois — key demographics (most recent U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS)

Population

• Total population: 32,915 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~32.2K (continued gradual decline)

Age

• Median age: ~41.5 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~49%
• Male: ~51%

Race and ethnicity (alone unless noted; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White: ~86–87%
• Black or African American: ~8–9%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• White, non-Hispanic: ~84–85%

Households and housing

• Households: ~13,000
• Average household size: ~2.29
• Family households: ~60–62% of households
• Married-couple households: ~45% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27–29%
• Living alone: ~33% of households (about 12–13% are 65+ living alone)
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~68%
• Average family size: ~2.9

Insights

• Older-than-state age profile with nearly one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a meaningful Black population and small but present Hispanic community.
• Small household sizes and a majority owner-occupied housing market indicative of a stable, aging residential base.

Morgan County, IL snapshot

• Population: ~31,700; density ~56 people per sq. mile.
• Estimated email users (age 13+): ~24,900.

Email users by age

• 13–17: 7.6%
• 18–34: 24.9%
• 35–54: 29.3%
• 55–64: 15.2%
• 65+: 22.9%

Gender split among email users

• ~51% female, 49% male.

Digital access and connectivity

• ~85% of households subscribe to internet; ~80% have fixed broadband at home; ~13% are smartphone‑only.
• ~88% of households have a computer, with lower device access among seniors and lower‑income households.
• FCC maps indicate ~93% of locations can get ≥100/20 Mbps fixed service, strongest in Jacksonville; rural fringes rely more on fixed‑wireless or satellite.
• Countywide 4G coverage; 5G concentrated in and around Jacksonville and along US‑67/IL‑104 corridors.

Insights

• Email is effectively universal among working‑age adults; adoption among 65+ is lower but sizable and growing.
• The urban core (Jacksonville) anchors high‑speed availability, while lower‑density areas face last‑mile gaps that correlate with slightly lower email intensity and more mobile‑only usage.

Mobile phone usage in Morgan County, Illinois (2024 snapshot)

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population and households: ~32,500 residents; ~13,000 households
• Mobile phone users (any mobile device): 27,000–29,000 residents (roughly 83–89% of the population)
• Smartphone users: 23,500–25,500 residents (about 72–78% of the population; roughly 85–90% of adults)
• Households with a smartphone: 84–88% (Illinois: ~90–92%)
• Households with a cellular data plan for internet: 70–76% (Illinois: ~76–80%)
• Cellular-only home internet (no wired broadband): 15–18% of households (Illinois: ~9–11%)
• Households with no internet subscription: 15–17% (Illinois: ~10–11%)

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age
  • 18–44: High smartphone adoption (~92–96%); heavy app and social use; most use phones as primary device outside the home
  • 45–64: Solid smartphone adoption (~80–88%); growing use of mobile banking and telehealth; notable share keeps LTE-only devices
  • 65+: Lower smartphone adoption (~60–70%, below statewide seniors at ~75–80%); more basic-phone retention and voice/SMS reliance; higher share of households without home broadband, increasing dependence on mobile data when connected
• Income
  • Under $35k household income: Elevated smartphone-only internet reliance (~25–30% vs Illinois ~18–22%); prepaid plans and budget MVNOs are common
  • $35k–$75k: Mixed reliance; many use mobile as a backup to cable/DSL; adoption of 5G home internet is rising where available
• Geography
  • Jacksonville (city): Nearly universal 4G LTE and at least one 5G option; higher smartphone and app usage, more bundled postpaid family plans
  • Rural townships: More cellular-only internet households; older devices and weaker in-building signal are more common

Digital infrastructure and market context

• Carrier coverage
  • 4G LTE: Broad countywide coverage from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile across nearly all populated areas
  • 5G: Low-band 5G from multiple carriers covers Jacksonville and major corridors; mid-band 5G capacity is strongest in and around Jacksonville, with rural areas often falling back to LTE or low-band 5G
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14): Deployed on key sites, improving public-safety and rural reliability
• Capacity and performance
  • Typical rural speeds are lower than Illinois metro averages; mid-band 5G capacity is spatially limited outside Jacksonville, so peak speeds and consistency trail the state average by a noticeable margin
  • Signal challenges appear at farm edges, tree lines, and some low-lying areas; external antennas and newer 5G devices materially improve performance in these spots
• Home internet interplay
  • Jacksonville: Mediacom cable is the dominant wired option; fiber availability is limited and patchy; legacy copper (Frontier and other telcos) remains in smaller towns
  • Rural areas: Greater reliance on fixed wireless (local WISPs such as Rise Broadband/Wisper), mobile hotspots, and satellite; T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is available to many city addresses and some near-in rural edges; Verizon 5G Home is more limited
  • Public Wi‑Fi and anchor institutions (libraries, schools, health providers) fill important access gaps for data-heavy tasks

How Morgan County differs from Illinois overall

• More cellular-reliant households: The share of homes using cellular as their primary or only internet connection is significantly higher (15–18% vs ~9–11% statewide)
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: Household smartphone ownership and adult smartphone adoption trail the statewide rate by several points, driven by an older population mix and fewer high-capacity 5G zones outside the city
• Slower median mobile speeds: Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated in Jacksonville, so average speeds and consistency lag metro Illinois; rural users report more variability and in-building coverage issues
• Higher prepaid and MVNO usage: Budget plans are more common than in metro counties, reflecting income mix and lighter device-upgrade cycles
• Greater digital-divide indicators: Higher “no internet at home” rate and more smartphone-only households than the state average, with the gap widest among lower-income and senior households

Methodological notes

• Figures are derived from recent ACS device and subscription indicators (county-level 5-year estimates), FCC mobile and fixed broadband availability reporting, state-level adoption benchmarks, and national usage research localized to Morgan County’s population, income, and urban–rural mix. Ranges reflect margins of error and year-to-year changes.

Morgan County, IL social media snapshot (2025)

Baseline and user totals (modeled)

• Population: ~31,700; adults (18+): ~24,800.
• Active social media users (18+): ~19,800 (≈80% of adults).
• Teens (13–17): ~1,900 active users (≈95% of ~2,000 teens).
• Total active users 13+: ~21,700.

Most-used platforms among adults (share of all adults; modeled from Pew 2024, age-weighted to Morgan County)

• YouTube: 79% (≈19,600 adults)
• Facebook: 66% (≈16,400)
• Instagram: 42% (≈10,400)
• TikTok: 28% (≈6,900)
• Snapchat: 27% (≈6,700)
• Pinterest: 28% (≈6,900)
• LinkedIn: 22% (≈5,500)
• X (Twitter): 18% (≈4,500)
• Reddit: 16% (≈4,000)
• Nextdoor: 8% (≈2,000)

Age profile of adult social media users (share of the ~19,800 adult users; key platform tendencies)

• 18–29: 25% (5,000). Very high on Instagram (70%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (60%+), YouTube (90%+).
• 30–49: 34% (6,700). Heavy on Facebook (75%+), YouTube (90%+), Instagram (55–60%), TikTok (40%).
• 50–64: 26% (5,200). Facebook (70%+), YouTube (80%+), Pinterest (~35%+); modest Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: 15% (3,000). Facebook (50%), YouTube (50%); limited on newer apps (<20%).

Gender breakdown (adult users)

• Overall: women 53% (10,500), men 47% (9,300).
• Platform skews: women are the majority on Facebook (57%), Instagram (58%), Pinterest (75–80%), Snapchat (56%), TikTok (58%). Men dominate YouTube (54%), Reddit (70%), X (60%), and slightly LinkedIn (~53%).

Behavioral trends observed in counties like Morgan (applies locally)

• Facebook as the community hub: most daily use for 35+, driven by school and city pages, churches, local news groups, high-school sports, and Marketplace. Event posts and school/weather alerts spike engagement.
• Video-first consumption: short-form video (TikTok/Reels) is the default for under-35; YouTube is strong across ages for how‑to, local sports highlights, farming/outdoors, and product research.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger for families and civic groups; Snapchat for teens/college; Instagram DMs common for 20s–30s.
• Local commerce and discovery: Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups are the primary peer‑to‑peer channels; Instagram Shops used by boutiques; Facebook Events are the planner for fairs, fundraisers, and games.
• Timing: engagement peaks 6–9 pm on weekdays; weekend mornings favor Marketplace and group browsing. Severe weather, closures, and community incidents trigger real‑time spikes across Facebook and YouTube.
• Advertising implications:
  • Facebook/Instagram: best broad reach for 25–64; short vertical video + simple copy works; geo-target Jacksonville and commuter corridors (US‑67/IL‑104).
  • TikTok/Snapchat: cost‑efficient frequency and shares for 13–29 with creator‑style vertical video.
  • YouTube: strong for longer explainer/pre‑roll, skewing slightly male; target DIY, agriculture, outdoors interest categories.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled for Morgan County by applying U.S. Census 2020–2023 demographics to Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media adoption rates and adjusting for the county’s slightly older age mix and its college‑age cohort. They represent best‑available estimates rather than a direct local survey.

Sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use, 2024); U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial Census 2020; 2023 county population estimates).