Whiteside County

Whiteside County, Illinois — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 55,491 (2020 Census)
• 2023 population estimate: ~54,700 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, 2023)

Age

• Median age: ~42.8 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22.5%
• 65 and over: ~21.0%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census unless noted)

• White alone: ~84%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Asian alone: ~0.8%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Some other race alone: ~6%
• Two or more races: ~7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~13%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~75–78% (ACS/QuickFacts)

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~22,700
• Average household size: ~2.40
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%
• Median household income: ~$60–61K
• Persons in poverty: ~12–13%

Insights

• Modest population decline since 2010 and 2020.
• Older-than-state median age with about one in five residents 65+.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a notable and growing Hispanic/Latino community.
• High homeownership and smaller household sizes typical of downstate Illinois counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates Program/QuickFacts).

Whiteside County, IL — email usage snapshot (based on U.S. Census Bureau population structure and Pew Research email adoption rates)

• Estimated email users (adults 18+): ≈40,800 of ~43,900 adults (≈55,000 total residents).
• By age (users):
  • 18–29: ≈7,100
  • 30–49: ≈12,900
  • 50–64: ≈11,100
  • 65+: ≈9,700
• Gender split: near-even adoption; ≈50.5% women and 49.5% men in the population translates to ≈20.6k female and ≈20.2k male adult email users.
• Digital access trends:
  • 85% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 2019–2023), a few points below the Illinois average (88%).
  • Email use closely tracks near-universal internet use among younger and midlife adults (≈98–99%) and remains high among seniors (≈88%), indicating strong cross-generational reliance on email for communication and services.
• Local density/connectivity context:
  • Population density ≈79 people per sq. mile (county area ~697 sq. miles), reflecting a mixed small-city/rural profile.
  • The Sterling–Rock Falls corridor anchors higher-speed options, while outlying rural areas face more limited fixed-line choices, contributing to slightly lower home-broadband adoption than the state average.

Mobile phone usage in Whiteside County, Illinois — 2024 snapshot

Scale and user estimates

• Population and households: roughly 55,000 residents and about 22,000 households (Census 2020 with 2023 estimates).
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 89% (American Community Survey 2018–2022, Table S2801).
• Households with a cellular data plan (any): about 78% (ACS 2018–2022, S2801; households may also have fixed broadband).
• Cellular-only internet households (no cable/DSL/fiber, rely on mobile data only): about 12% in Whiteside County, compared with roughly 9% statewide (ACS 2018–2022, S2801).
• Adults who are smartphone users: about 85% of adults in the county, vs about 89–90% statewide (estimate applying Pew Research 2023 age-specific smartphone adoption to the county’s older age profile).
• Total mobile subscriptions: approximately 70,000–75,000 active lines countywide, or roughly 130–135 lines per 100 residents, slightly below Illinois’ statewide density, reflecting an older demographic mix (estimate based on CTIA statewide penetration adjusted for local age).

Demographic patterns and how they differ from Illinois overall

• Age is the biggest driver of the county/state gap. Whiteside County’s median age is several years higher than the Illinois median, and the 65+ share is larger. Using Pew’s age gradients, this pulls overall adult smartphone adoption down to the mid‑80s locally versus high‑80s statewide.
• Income mix contributes to more mobile-only internet. Median household income is below the Illinois median; in tandem with more renters outside major metros, this shows up as a higher share of cellular‑only internet households (about 12% vs ~9% statewide). This is consistent with statewide patterns in which lower‑income households are more likely to rely on mobile data as their primary connection.
• Device mix and access: Households with smartphones outnumber those with desktops/laptops at a higher rate than in Illinois overall, reflecting a greater reliance on phones for core tasks in lower‑income and rural segments. Households with no internet subscription at all are modestly more common than the state average.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: near‑universal population coverage across incorporated areas (Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Fulton, Prophetstown), with occasional weak‑signal pockets in sparsely populated farm townships and along some river/wooded terrain.
  • 5G: broad low‑band 5G coverage from AT&T and Verizon, and extensive mid‑band 5G from T‑Mobile along the I‑88/US‑30 and IL‑40 corridors and across Sterling–Rock Falls. Mid‑band capacity is thinner in the most rural sections, producing larger urban–rural speed differentials than seen statewide.
• Carriers and network footprint
  • All three national carriers operate in the county; UScellular also has a legacy rural presence in western Illinois/eastern Iowa. The I‑88 corridor, Sterling–Rock Falls, and the Rock River corridor host most macro sites, with smaller cells and sector splits in town centers.
• Speeds and reliability
  • In‑town 5G typically supports triple‑digit Mbps downlink on T‑Mobile and C‑band‑enabled Verizon sectors; AT&T low‑band 5G is more variable but consistent for everyday apps. Rural areas often fall back to LTE with 10–30 Mbps typical, and indoor signal attenuation is a common complaint in older homes and metal‑clad agricultural structures.
• Backhaul and fixed broadband interplay
  • Cable broadband (e.g., Xfinity) is widely available in Sterling–Rock Falls; fiber is present in parts of larger towns and select rural footprints via regional ISPs and electric‑co‑op builds, but countywide fiber passings are markedly below Illinois’ overall share. This helps explain the higher share of cellular‑only households locally and the strong uptake of 5G fixed‑wireless home internet offers (T‑Mobile; Verizon in and near Sterling–Rock Falls).

Key differences vs Illinois statewide

• Lower overall smartphone adoption (mid‑80s vs high‑80s percent of adults) due to an older population structure.
• Higher reliance on mobile data as the sole home connection (about 12% vs ~9% statewide), tied to lower median income and patchier fiber availability outside town centers.
• More pronounced urban–rural mobile performance gap: mid‑band 5G delivers strong speeds in Sterling–Rock Falls and along highways, while outlying townships see more LTE fallback and indoor coverage challenges.
• Device access pattern skewed more toward smartphones than PCs relative to the state, reinforcing heavier mobile‑centric usage for essential online activities.

Bottom line Whiteside County is highly mobile‑connected, but its older age profile, lower fixed‑fiber availability, and rural topology produce a distinct pattern relative to Illinois: slightly fewer adult smartphone users overall, a higher share of mobile‑only households, and bigger in‑town versus rural performance contrasts. These differences are structural rather than temporary, and they shape how residents access work, school, and services on their phones.

Whiteside County, IL social media snapshot (2024)

Baseline

• Population: ~55,470 (2023 ACS). Age 13+ population: ~46,700.
• Social media users (age 13+): ~34,600, or ~74% penetration (Pew Research Center adoption rates applied to local age mix).

User mix

• By age (share of local social media users):
  • 13–17: ~9%
  • 18–24: ~12%
  • 25–34: ~15%
  • 35–44: ~16%
  • 45–54: ~15%
  • 55–64: ~15%
  • 65+: ~18%
• By gender (all users): ~52% women, ~48% men.
  • Skews: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on Reddit and X. Younger women over-index on Instagram and Snapchat; younger men slightly over-index on YouTube and Reddit.

Most-used platforms among local social users (share and approximate users)

• YouTube: 81% (28,000 users)
• Facebook: 72% (24,900)
• Instagram: 41% (14,200)
• Pinterest: 32% (11,100)
• TikTok: 28% (9,700)
• Snapchat: 26% (9,000)
• WhatsApp: 22% (7,600)
• LinkedIn: 18% (6,200)
• X (Twitter): 17% (5,900)
• Reddit: 15% (5,200)
• Nextdoor: 11% (3,800)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and Pages (municipal, schools, churches, youth sports, local news) are central for announcements, events, lost-and-found, and severe weather updates. Marketplace is a major local commerce channel.
• Video is routine, not niche: YouTube is the default for how-to, home/auto repair, ag equipment tips, and product research. Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) drives discovery for restaurants, boutiques, and local services, especially among under-45s.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger dominates everyday chat; WhatsApp usage is present but niche and concentrated in specific friend/family networks.
• Youth activity: Teens and 18–24s cluster on Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok for daily communication and sports/pep content; they have limited Facebook posting but still maintain accounts for group access.
• Older adults are active, not absent: 65+ participation is strong by national standards, anchored in Facebook and YouTube. They consume local news, health, gardening/DIY, and grandkid content; they are highly responsive to event posts and photo albums.
• Shopping and services: High reliance on Facebook recommendations/groups for contractor referrals and yard/home services; Pinterest is used for project inspiration and then users source providers locally.
• News and civics: Local outlets and public agencies see strong engagement on Facebook; X is minor for news except among a small, more media-centric cohort.
• Employer/HR patterns: Hiring outreach skews to Facebook posts and Indeed; LinkedIn is used, but below national levels, and mainly by healthcare, education, and management roles.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2024 estimates derived by applying Pew Research Center’s latest U.S. platform adoption rates and age-specific usage to Whiteside County’s 2023 ACS demographics; platform percentages reflect the county’s older-than-average age profile and rural context. Counts are rounded to the nearest hundred for clarity.