Stephenson County

Stephenson County, Illinois — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 44,630 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18–64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~79%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~11%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~3%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): ~0.6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~0.3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~19,300
• Average household size: ~2.25
• Family households: ~59% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45% of households
• Homeownership rate: ~72–73%
• Housing units: ~21,000
• Vacancy rate: ~9–10%

Income and poverty

• Median household income: approximately $58,000–$60,000
• Persons in poverty: ~13%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population); American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (age, gender, race/ethnicity, households, housing, income, poverty). Insights: aging population (about 1 in 5 residents 65+), small household sizes, high homeownership, and income below the Illinois statewide median with moderate poverty.

• Population and density: ~44,600 residents across ~565 sq mi (≈79 people/sq mi); ~19,000 households, concentrated in/around Freeport.
• Estimated adult email users: ~32,600 of ~34,800 adults (≈94%).
• By age (users):
  • 18–29: ~5,100 (≈98% of cohort)
  • 30–49: ~10,500 (≈97%)
  • 50–64: ~8,400 (≈92%)
  • 65+: ~8,600 (≈88–90%)
• Gender split (users): Women ~16,600 (≈51%); Men ~16,000 (≈49%); usage rates are effectively equal by gender.
• Digital access and devices (households):
  • Broadband subscription: ≈82%
  • Computer in home: ≈90%
  • Smartphone-only internet: ≈14%
  • Result: email is accessed primarily via smartphones for many working-age adults; older adults remain more desktop/laptop-reliant.
• Trends and connectivity insights:
  • Broadband adoption has risen steadily since 2016, driven by mobile network upgrades and incremental fixed-line buildouts.
  • Rural tracts east/north of Freeport show lower subscription rates and slower fixed speeds than the city, contributing to a modest age/income digital divide.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, municipal hotspots) plays a meaningful role for smartphone-only households. Overall, email penetration is near-universal among working-age adults and high among seniors, with connectivity constraints mainly tied to rural density and income.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Stephenson County, Illinois

Headline takeaways (how the county differs from Illinois overall)

• Smartphone presence and broadband adoption are lower, while “cellular-data-only” households are higher than the Illinois average.
• An older population profile (larger 65+ share) depresses overall smartphone take-up relative to the state.
• 5G coverage is present in and around population centers but mid-band 5G depth and indoor reliability are patchier in outlying rural townships than typical statewide, making LTE fallback more common.

User estimates

• Population and households: ~43,800 residents and ~18,900 households (ACS 2018–2022 five-year).
• Estimated unique mobile phone users: ~40,000 residents (≈92% of the population). This estimate applies observed national mobile ownership rates by age to the county’s older age structure and aligns with local device/broadband indicators; it is likely a couple of points lower than Illinois overall.
• Smartphone users (implied): roughly 33,000–36,000, given county-level household smartphone penetration (below) and the age mix.

Device ownership and internet subscription (ACS 2018–2022, Table S2801; household-level)

• Households with a smartphone
  • Stephenson County: ≈88–90%
  • Illinois: ≈91–93%
  • Insight: The county trails the state by roughly 2–4 percentage points.
• Households with any broadband internet subscription (includes cable/fiber/DSL, cellular data plans, etc.)
  • Stephenson County: ≈82–84%
  • Illinois: ≈86–88%
  • Insight: Lower broadband take-up aligns with older age and rural distribution.
• Households with a cellular data plan for internet (any) and cellular-data-only internet
  • Cellular data plan (any): County ≈78–82% vs Illinois ≈82–85%
  • Cellular-data-only (no cable/fiber/DSL): County ≈13–16% vs Illinois ≈9–12%
  • Insight: Reliance on mobile networks as the sole home internet connection is meaningfully higher in Stephenson than statewide, a common rural pattern.
• Households with no internet subscription
  • Stephenson County: ≈12–14%
  • Illinois: ≈8–10%
  • Insight: A larger offline share persists locally.
• Households with no computing device (including no smartphone)
  • Stephenson County: ≈6–8%
  • Illinois: ≈4–6%
  • Insight: Digital exclusion is modestly higher than the state average.

Demographic context and usage implications (ACS 2018–2022, Table S0101 for age)

• Older population: Age 65+ share ≈22% in Stephenson vs ≈16–17% statewide. This skews ownership toward basic phones and lowers smartphone penetration, especially among senior-headed households.
• Income mix (ACS S2802 patterns): Cellular‑data‑only reliance is concentrated among lower-income households. Given Stephenson’s lower median household income than Illinois overall, this elevates mobile‑only usage locally relative to the state.
• Rural settlement: Dispersed households outside Freeport and along the northern tier correlate with higher cellular-only and fixed‑wireless reliance, and more frequent LTE rather than mid‑band 5G use indoors.

Mobile network and digital infrastructure (FCC National Broadband Map, 2024; industry disclosures)

• 5G availability: Low‑band 5G covers primary corridors and population centers (e.g., Freeport and along US‑20). Mid‑band 5G capacity is spottier in outlying townships; residents frequently fall back to LTE indoors or in topographically challenging areas.
• LTE coverage: Broad countywide outdoor LTE coverage on major carriers, but rural dead zones and reduced indoor signal quality occur north and northwest of Freeport and near township borders, more often than in metro Illinois counties.
• Backhaul and fixed infrastructure: Cable and fiber are concentrated in Freeport and a few adjacent communities; outside these areas, residents rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. This fixed‑network pattern helps explain the county’s higher cellular‑only share for home internet.

How usage trends differ from the Illinois norm

• Smartphone ownership is a bit lower and grows more slowly, reflecting the county’s older age profile and rural fixed‑network constraints.
• Cellular‑only home internet is distinctly more common, making mobile networks carry a larger share of household internet demand than statewide.
• 5G performance (especially mid‑band) is more variable across the county than in urban/suburban Illinois, reinforcing LTE dependence in everyday use.
• Digital inclusion gaps (no internet, no device) are wider than the state average, which dampens overall smartphone and app‑based service adoption.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year: Tables S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions) and S0101 (Age).
• FCC National Broadband Map (as of early 2024) for mobile and fixed broadband availability patterns.

Social media usage in Stephenson County, Illinois (short breakdown)

Population base

• Total population: ≈44,600 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): ≈34,700.
• Adults using at least one social platform: ≈72% of adults ≈ 25,000 (based on Pew’s U.S. adult rate; county likely within a few points of this).

Most‑used platforms (adult reach, estimated for the county; aligned to Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. usage rates and adjusted slightly for the county’s older age mix)

• YouTube: 80–85% of adults (≈28k–30k). Broad, cross‑age reach; heavy for how‑to, local news clips, DIY, and product research.
• Facebook: 65–70% (≈22k–24k). The dominant local “public square” for community groups, events, Marketplace, school and agency updates.
• Instagram: 40–45% (≈14k–16k). Strong with under‑35s, local retail, food, and event promotion via Reels/Stories.
• TikTok: 30–33% (≈10k–11k). Younger skew; short‑form entertainment, local creators, trends.
• Snapchat: 25–27% (≈9k). Teens/20s; primarily messaging and Stories.
• Pinterest: 30–35% (≈10k–12k). Projects, recipes, home, crafts; strong female skew.
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (≈9k–10k). Professional networking; healthcare, education, manufacturing roles.
• X (Twitter): 20–22% (≈7k–8k). Local sports, news, politics; male‑leaning audience.
• Reddit: 20–22% (≈7k–8k). Tech/gaming/outdoors; male‑leaning.
• WhatsApp: 20–22% (≈7k–8k). Group coordination; useful among bilingual/immigrant households.
• Nextdoor: low double digits in/around Freeport; lower elsewhere in the county.

Age‑group patterns (county mirrors U.S. patterns; percentages are Pew U.S. adult usage)

• 18–29: YouTube 93%; Instagram 78%; Snapchat 73%; TikTok 62%; Facebook ≈40%. Heaviest creators/short‑form consumption; messaging via Snap/IG DMs.
• 30–49: YouTube ≈92%; Facebook ≈75%; Instagram ≈49%; TikTok ≈39%; LinkedIn ≈40%. Mix of family, local info, shopping discovery.
• 50–64: YouTube ≈83%; Facebook ≈69%; Pinterest ≈35%; Instagram ≈28%; TikTok ≈21%. Community groups, news, how‑to content.
• 65+: Facebook ≈50%; YouTube ≈49%; Instagram ≈15%; TikTok ≈7%. Primarily information, local updates, family photos.

Gender breakdown (audience composition follows national patterns; county expected to be similar)

• Facebook: ~55% women / 45% men.
• Instagram: ~53% women / 47% men.
• Pinterest: ~70% women / 30% men (largest female skew).
• TikTok: ~60% women / 40% men.
• Snapchat: ~56% women / 44% men.
• YouTube: ~46% women / 54% men.
• Reddit: ~35% women / 65% men.
• X (Twitter): ~40% women / 60% men.
• LinkedIn: ~45% women / 55% men.

Behavioral trends observed in comparable rural Midwest counties and reflected locally

• Facebook as the hub: Buy/sell/trade, lost‑and‑found pets, garage sales, church/nonprofit events, weather/road conditions, school closures, county agency posts. Marketplace is a primary channel for used vehicles, equipment, furniture.
• Local commerce discovery: Instagram Reels/Stories for restaurants, boutiques, salons; cross‑posted to Facebook. Reviews and recommendations happen in Facebook Groups.
• Youth communication: Snapchat is the default messenger for teens/young adults; TikTok drives entertainment and trend participation; YouTube for long‑form learning and gaming content.
• Information flow: Severe weather, outages, public safety, and high‑school sports drive spikes in Facebook and YouTube engagement; X used by local journalists/sports accounts, but reach is smaller.
• Content styles that perform: Short, vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts), before‑and‑after visuals (home, auto, crafts), clear value posts (deals, openings, deadlines), and community‑oriented storytelling.
• Timing: Engagement typically clusters before work (6–9 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–9 p.m.) on weekdays; weekend late mornings for events and retail.
• Ads: Best cost‑effective reach via Facebook + Instagram; YouTube for awareness; TikTok for under‑35s. Hyperlocal targeting works well around Freeport and major corridors.

Notes on methodology

• Percentages for platform usage by age and overall prevalence are from Pew Research Center’s “Social Media Use in 2024.” County‑level figures are estimated by applying those rates to Stephenson County’s adult population and adjusting slightly for its older age profile and rural context. Real‑world adoption will vary by a few points. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020), Pew Research Center (2024).