Washington County

Washington County, Illinois — key demographics

Population size

• 13,761 (2020 Census; official count)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~96–97%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.1–0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.2–0.4%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1–2%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~95–96%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~5,600
• Average household size: ~2.5
• Family households: ~ two-thirds of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80%+
• Households with children under 18: ~1 in 4 to 1 in 3

Insights

• Small, aging, predominantly White population with high owner-occupancy and modest household size.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (P.L. 94-171); American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Washington County, IL snapshot (estimates based on Census/ACS and national email adoption):

• Population: ~13,700; density ~24 people per sq mi; ~5,700 households.
• Estimated email users: ~10,800 countywide (≈79% of residents; ≈93% of adults).

Age distribution of email users (share; approx. counts):

• 13–17: 7% (~760)
• 18–34: 23% (~2,480)
• 35–54: 34% (~3,670)
• 55–64: 17% (~1,840)
• 65+: 19% (~2,050)

Gender split among users:

• Male 51% (5,510)
• Female 49% (5,290)

Digital access and trends:

• Households with a broadband subscription: 82% (4,680). Device access (computer/tablet/smartphone): 92% (5,240).
• Smartphone‑only internet households: 11% (620), reflecting mobile-first behavior among younger and lower‑density areas.
• Town centers (e.g., Nashville, Okawville) have the most wired options (cable/fiber/DSL); outlying rural areas lean on fixed wireless, with more variable speeds and latency.
• Email remains near‑universal among working‑age adults and growing among seniors, driven by healthcare portals, school communications, e-commerce, and government services.

Connectivity context:

• Rural spread (low density) increases last‑mile costs, creating a town‑vs‑countryside gap; ongoing provider upgrades are narrowing this but pockets with limited wired choices remain.

Washington County, Illinois — mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Topline size and adoption

• Population and households: 13,761 residents (2020 Census) in about 5,600 households.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone), ages 13+: 11,205 (estimated).
• Smartphone users, ages 13+: 10,070 (estimated).
• Adult smartphone adoption (18+): about 88% in the county vs roughly 90–92% statewide.
• 5G‑capable device penetration among local smartphone users: ~65% (vs ~75–80% statewide).

Demographic breakdown (users are estimates; shares are of total population unless noted)

• By age (smartphone users):
  • 13–17: 785 users (95% adoption within this group).
  • 18–29: 1,535 (93%).
  • 30–49: 2,913 (92%).
  • 50–64: 2,754 (87%).
  • 65+: 2,081 (72%).
  • Insight: A notably older population mix and lower senior adoption pull the county average below the state.
• By household status:
  • Wireless‑only voice households (no landline): 60% of households (3,360), below the Illinois mix (≈70%+).
  • Mobile‑only home internet (cellular data but no wireline): 9% of households (504), higher than the Illinois average (~6%).
• By platform and plan type (among smartphone users):
  • Android: 60% (6,040 users); iOS: 40% (4,030 users). Illinois as a whole is closer to a 50/50 split.
  • Prepaid/MVNO share: ~30% of lines in the county vs ~20–25% statewide, reflecting older and more price‑sensitive segments.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology:
  • Low‑band 5G (AT&T n5/850 MHz and T‑Mobile n71/600 MHz) blankets most populated areas and travel corridors (Nashville, IL‑127, and I‑64). Verizon’s low‑band 5G/LTE is present in towns and along highways.
  • Mid‑band 5G (Verizon/AT&T C‑band n77; T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz n41) is concentrated in and around Nashville and near I‑64; outside those pockets, users typically fall back to low‑band 5G or LTE.
  • Practical implication: In‑town users commonly see mid‑band 5G performance; farm roads and rural tracts are more often on LTE or low‑band 5G with lower capacity.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Mid‑band 5G areas support typical smartphone speeds in the 100–300 Mbps class; low‑band 5G/LTE areas more commonly run 10–50 Mbps. Peak speeds vary by carrier and proximity to sites.
• Device compatibility that matters locally:
  • For best rural coverage and in‑building service, phones should support LTE Band 12/13/17 and 5G n5/n71; for higher speeds in town, support for n41/n77 is advantageous.
• Fixed‑wireless as a gap‑filler:
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home is broadly available; Verizon 5G Home availability is more limited (generally near mid‑band coverage). LTE‑based fixed wireless and WISPs remain important for outlying areas lacking fiber/coax.

How Washington County differs from Illinois overall

• Adoption level: Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption (older age structure and more seniors without smartphones).
• Device and plan mix: More Android and prepaid/MVNO usage than the state average, tied to income and age profiles.
• Access pattern: Higher reliance on mobile‑only internet at home, reflecting patchier wireline options in rural tracts.
• Network experience: Much smaller share of residents with day‑to‑day access to mid‑band 5G than metro Illinois; speeds and capacity are more variable outside towns.
• Landline retention: Lower wireless‑only household share than the state due to a higher proportion of older residents who retain landlines.

Method notes (for transparency)

• Population and household counts from the 2020 Census. Adoption and device estimates synthesized from recent Pew Research and ACS Computer & Internet Use patterns, adjusted for Washington County’s older, more rural demographics and typical Illinois rural network build profiles. Where county‑specific measurements are unavailable, estimates are provided as 2024 point values consistent with rural‑Illinois conditions.

Key takeaways

• About 10,000 residents 13+ in Washington County use smartphones, and over 11,000 use some kind of mobile phone.
• Seniors are the pivotal gap: raising 65+ smartphone adoption would narrow most of the county‑vs‑state difference.
• Mid‑band 5G is the main differentiator in user experience; it is present, but geographically limited, keeping Washington County’s average speeds below the statewide norm concentrated in metro areas.

Washington County, IL social media usage (2024 snapshot — modeled local estimates)

User stats

• Estimated social media users (age 13+): 8,500–9,700 residents (≈70–76% penetration)
• Daily users: ~80–85% of social users (≈6,800–8,200 people)
• Primary device: >90% mobile use; desktop largely work/utility-driven

Age groups (share within each group using social media)

• 13–17: 90–95%
• 18–29: 90–95%
• 30–49: 80–85%
• 50–64: 65–72%
• 65+: 48–55%

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is near parity (female ≈ male)
• Platform skews: Pinterest (female-skewed), Snapchat (slight female skew among teens/20s), Reddit (male-skewed), LinkedIn (male-leaning locally due to industry mix), Facebook and YouTube broadly balanced

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults using at least monthly)

• YouTube: 70–78%
• Facebook: 60–68%
• Instagram: 35–42%
• TikTok: 24–30%
• Snapchat: 22–28%
• Pinterest: 28–34%
• LinkedIn: 18–24%
• X/Twitter: 14–18%
• WhatsApp: 15–20%

Behavioral trends

• Community-first behavior: High reliance on Facebook Groups for schools, churches, local government, buy/sell/trade, and county-fair updates
• Information utility: Weather alerts, road closures, school announcements, and high school sports drive spikes in engagement
• Messaging over feeds: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are preferred for coordination; many “lurkers” consume more than they post
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube for how‑to/DIY, equipment and outdoors content; TikTok/IG Reels for short entertainment
• Local commerce: Facebook Pages/Marketplace and Instagram are primary channels for small businesses; coupon posts and event promos outperform generic branding
• Timing: Peak activity on weekdays 7–9 pm, secondary peak at lunch (12–1 pm), and Sunday evenings
• Privacy norms: Older adults favor closed groups and minimal public posting; younger users lean on ephemeral content (Snapchat, Stories)

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled local estimates derived from the county’s age mix (U.S. Census/ACS) and 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption by age and community type (Pew Research Center, DataReportal). County-level surveys are not publicly available; use these as best-available local approximations.