White County

White County, Illinois — key demographics (latest available)

Population size

• 13,877 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~13.5k (continued gradual decline since 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~23%
• Working age (18–64): ~56%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (share of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~95–97%
• Black or African American: ~0.5–1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2–0.5%
• Asian: ~0.2–0.3%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~1–2%

Households

• Total households: ~6,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~60%
  • Married-couple families: ~45–50% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~25–28%
• Nonfamily households: ~40%
  • Living alone: ~33–35% (about half of these are age 65+)
• Housing tenure: owner-occupied ~75–80%; renter-occupied ~20–25%

Insights

• Older age structure and small household sizes relative to national averages.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with modest racial/ethnic diversity.
• High owner-occupancy typical of rural counties; population has been slowly declining.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates). Figures rounded for readability.

• Scope: White County, IL (population ~13,500; low-density rural ~28 residents per sq. mile).
• Estimated email users: ~9,600 residents.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6% (~580)
  • 18–34: 22% (~2,100)
  • 35–54: 32% (~3,100)
  • 55–64: 18% (~1,700)
  • 65+: 22% (~2,100)
• Gender split among users: Female 51%, Male 49% (near parity).
• Digital access and behavior:
  • ~80% of households have a home broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer or smartphone.
  • 12–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Among connected adults, ~92% use email; ~75–80% check email daily.
  • Older adult (65+) email adoption ~70%; near‑universal use among ages 18–54.
• Connectivity context:
  • Rural settlement pattern and farm areas create last‑mile gaps; fixed wireless and fiber co‑op buildouts are improving coverage, while mobile 4G covers most populated corridors.
  • Household density and longer loop lengths make wired upgrades costlier than state averages, sustaining higher reliance on mobile broadband for some households.

Overall: Email use is widespread and mature, with near‑parity by gender and strong middle‑age adoption; access constraints are driven more by rural last‑mile connectivity than by user interest.

White County, Illinois – Mobile phone usage summary (2024–2025)

Anchor stats and context

• Population: 13,877 (2020 Census). The county skews older than Illinois overall, with roughly 22% aged 65+ (vs ~16–17% statewide). Rural settlement and lower population density shape both coverage and adoption patterns.

User estimates (adults unless noted)

• Mobile phone users: 10.6k–11.0k, or about 90–94% of adults. This is a few points below Illinois’ urban-skewed average.
• Smartphone users: 9.0k–9.4k, or roughly 78–83% of adults. Statewide rates are several points higher, reflecting the county’s older age profile and price sensitivity.
• Platform mix: Android 60–65%; iOS 35–40%. This is notably more Android-heavy than Illinois’ metro counties, where iOS is at or above parity.
• Plan mix: Prepaid/MVNO lines estimated at 30–35% of active consumer lines (vs ~20–25% typical in Illinois metros), driven by budget constraints and weaker device-subsidy pull-through.
• Home internet reliance on cellular: About 12–16% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet (materially higher than the state average of roughly high-single digits), reflecting more limited fixed-broadband take-up in parts of the county.
• Wireless-only telephone households (no landline): Approximately 65–70%, slightly lower than the Illinois average, consistent with an older resident base that retains some legacy landlines.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Older age structure reduces top-end smartphone penetration and slows 5G device turnover.
• Lower median income and higher price sensitivity increase prepaid/MVNO adoption and prolong device replacement cycles.
• Commuting and travel patterns are intra-county or to adjacent rural counties, making wide-area LTE reliability more important than urban-capacity 5G features.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: AT&T and Verizon provide near-countywide outdoor LTE; T-Mobile’s 600 MHz expansion covers towns and primary corridors but shows more rural gaps.
• 5G footprint: Low-band 5G is present in and around Carmi, Grayville, Norris City, and along US‑45/IL‑141/IL‑14 corridors. Mid-band 5G (for higher capacity) remains limited outside town centers; mmWave is effectively absent.
• Performance: Typical user experience relies on LTE or low-band 5G; mid-band capacity and median speeds are below Illinois’ metro averages, with more frequent LTE fallback at peak times.
• Backhaul and fiber: Cell backhaul is a mix of microwave and fiber. Ongoing fiber-to-the-home buildouts by regional cooperatives and incumbents since 2021 have improved backhaul to some sites, but not uniformly across the county.
• Coverage challenges: Tower spacing across farmland and along the Wabash/Little Wabash river bottoms creates localized dead zones and weaker indoor penetration, especially in metal-roof structures and larger single-story commercial buildings.

How White County differs from Illinois overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and slower 5G device adoption (older age mix; more price-sensitive plans).
• Higher Android and prepaid/MVNO shares than the state’s urban counties.
• Greater reliance on cellular for home internet in areas with limited or cost-prohibitive fixed broadband.
• 5G availability is mainly low-band; mid-band capacity is spottier, keeping LTE central to the user experience.
• Slightly higher retention of legacy landlines than the statewide pattern, despite widespread mobile use.

Implications

• Carriers that prioritize low-band coverage enhancements, targeted mid-band infill in towns, and competitive prepaid offers will best match local demand.
• Businesses and agencies should assume strong LTE availability but plan for variable indoor coverage and capacity; deploying in‑building boosters or Wi‑Fi offload in metal structures can materially improve reliability.

White County, Illinois — social media usage snapshot (2025)

User stats (modeled estimates, adults/teens 13+)

• Active social media users: ≈8,600 (about 72% of residents 13+)
• Daily active social users: ≈5,700 (≈66% of social users)
• Primary device: mobile-first; video and messaging dominate session time

Age mix of social users

• 13–17: 8% (≈690)
• 18–29: 18% (≈1,550)
• 30–49: 32% (≈2,750)
• 50–64: 23% (≈1,980)
• 65+: 19% (≈1,640)

Gender breakdown of social users

• Women: 53%
• Men: 47%

Most-used platforms (monthly reach among social users; multi-platform use means totals exceed 100%)

• YouTube: 84% (≈7,200)
• Facebook: 76% (≈6,500)
• Facebook Messenger: 58% (≈5,000)
• Instagram: 38% (≈3,300)
• TikTok: 34% (≈2,900)
• Snapchat: 28% (≈2,400)
• Pinterest: 24% (≈2,100) — strong female skew
• WhatsApp: 15% (≈1,300)
• X (Twitter): 13% (≈1,100)
• Reddit: 11% (≈950)
• LinkedIn: 9% (≈770)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy use of Groups (schools, churches, sports, local government), buy/sell via Marketplace, and event promotion. Local announcements and severe-weather updates drive spikes.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how-to, local sports/meet streams, and product research; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) rising across all ages, with 50+ increasingly watching Reels shared in Facebook.
• Youth patterns: Teens and 18–29s center on TikTok and Snapchat for daily messaging and entertainment; Instagram for creators, trends, and local sports highlights.
• Commerce and fundraising: Live sales on Facebook from boutiques/crafters; Marketplace is the default for used goods. Raffles, giveaways, and sponsor spotlights perform well for schools/teams.
• News trust and sourcing: Preference for hyperlocal pages and known admins over national outlets; high engagement on posts with names, faces, and recognizably local scenes.
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings 6–9 pm; weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace and events; school-year activity dips during weekday school hours.
• Content formats that win: Short videos under 30–60 seconds, clear before/after visuals (home, auto, farm), youth sports clips, church/community service recaps, and practical how‑to demos.
• Platform roles by segment:
  • 50+: Facebook + YouTube dominate; Pinterest for home, recipes; low X/Reddit usage.
  • 30–49: Facebook/Instagram dual use; Reels/TikTok for ideas; Messenger for parent groups.
  • 18–29: TikTok/Snapchat daily; Instagram for networking; YouTube for long-form and tutorials.
  • Teens: Snapchat streaks, TikTok trends/challenges; minimal Facebook posting but present for groups and events.

Method note: Figures are modeled for White County’s rural age/sex profile using 2024–2025 Pew Research platform adoption benchmarks and recent Census/ACS distributions; percentages reflect monthly reach among local social media users.