Boone County

Here are concise, recent demographics for Boone County, Indiana.

Population

• Total population: ~74,000 (2023 Census Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~38 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~27%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~13%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~87%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~3–4%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Other: ~0.5%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~28,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~70–72%
• Households with children under 18: ~35–40%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Boone County, IN (2024 pop ~75k) likely has 58k–66k active email users—roughly 80–88% of all residents and about 90–95% of those age 13+. Usage by age (share with email):

• 13–17: ~85–92% (largely school-provided accounts)
• 18–34: 97–99%
• 35–54: 95–98%
• 55–64: 90–95%
• 65+: 75–85%, rising via telehealth, banking, and civic notices

Gender: Population is slightly female-majority (~50–51%); email adoption is essentially even, with women typically 1–2 percentage points higher.

Digital access trends:

• 92–95% of households have a broadband subscription; fiber/cable widely available in Zionsville, Whitestown, and Lebanon; rural western/northern townships see more DSL/fixed‑wireless reliance.

• 90% smartphone ownership; most users check email daily via mobile.

• Strong work‑from‑home and commuter ties to Indianapolis correlate with heavy daytime email traffic; libraries and schools provide free Wi‑Fi for those without home service.

Local density/connectivity:

• Density roughly 160–180 people per sq. mile, concentrated along the I‑65 corridor and US‑421.
• Fixed broadband coverage is near‑universal in towns; 4G/5G mobile coverage is robust along major routes, improving rural access.

Estimates synthesized from state/county demographics and U.S. email/broadband trends.

Boone County, IN mobile phone landscape (with emphasis on what differs from Indiana overall)

How the estimates were built

• Population base: recent Census estimates and local growth patterns put Boone County in the mid– to upper‑70,000s. Adults are roughly three‑quarters of the population. Smartphone ownership benchmarks use recent U.S. adult averages (~90%+), adjusted upward for Boone’s higher income/education and suburban proximity to Indianapolis, and slightly downward for its rural western townships.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: about 54,000–59,000 (roughly 90–94% of 59,000–63,000 adults).
• Teen smartphone users (12–17): about 8,000–9,000.
• Total smartphone users (all ages): on the order of 62,000–68,000.
• Plan mix: higher share of postpaid, multi‑line family plans than the state average; lower reliance on prepaid/MVNO in the suburban south/east of the county, with prepaid/MVNO more common in rural western townships.

Demographic patterns that shape usage (and how they diverge from state‑level)

• Income and education: Boone’s household incomes and bachelor’s‑degree attainment are well above Indiana averages, especially in Zionsville/Whitestown. That correlates with:
  • Earlier 5G device adoption and higher uptake of premium unlimited plans than the state overall.
  • More multi‑device lines per household (phones, tablets, watches), but a lower share of “mobile‑only” home internet than Indiana as a whole (more homes also maintain cable/fiber).
• Age mix: Family‑heavy growth corridors (Whitestown, Zionsville, southeast Lebanon) skew usage to high‑data social/video and family plan bundles. Rural townships have older populations with slightly lower smartphone and 5G device penetration.
• Commuting: A large commuter flow to Indianapolis shifts daytime demand toward the I‑65/I‑865/Michigan Rd corridors—more pronounced than in many Indiana counties—raising the value of highway macro coverage and small‑cell infill.

Digital infrastructure (where Boone differs from much of the state)

• 5G coverage and spectrum:
  • All three national carriers provide strong low‑band 5G countywide, with mid‑band 5G (Verizon C‑band, T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz, AT&T C‑band) broadly covering Lebanon, Whitestown, and Zionsville and along I‑65. This mid‑band depth is stronger than large parts of rural southern and northern Indiana.
  • mmWave is limited to select nodes (if any); most performance gains come from mid‑band and densification.
• Densification and small cells: More small‑cell nodes and upgraded sectors in Whitestown/Zionsville and along logistics corridors than a typical Indiana county, reflecting rapid residential and warehouse growth.
• Fiber backhaul and enterprise builds:
  • Multiple long‑haul and metro fiber routes run along I‑65 and into the suburbs (used for cell‑site backhaul and business services). Residents are more likely to have access to fiber/coax options (AT&T Fiber/Metronet in pockets; cable in most platted subdivisions) than in many Indiana counties, reducing dependence on mobile‑only access.
  • LEAP Lebanon Innovation District and new hyperscale/data‑center activity are accelerating high‑capacity fiber and power upgrades, a dynamic not seen in most counties.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T‑Mobile and Verizon 5G Home/FWA are widely marketed in towns and on exurban fringes. Adoption is growing in rural edges replacing legacy DSL, but countywide FWA reliance is lower than the Indiana average because many suburban households already have cable/fiber.
• Known weak spots: Western/northwestern townships and some low‑density pockets see fewer mid‑band 5G sectors and rely on LTE/low‑band 5G, yielding lower throughput than the suburban southeast—typical rural pattern but over a smaller share of the county than is common statewide.
• Public safety and resilience: Proximity to Indy and commercial demand have yielded comparatively robust macro‑site density and fiber backhaul. Outage recovery and capacity augments along I‑65 tend to occur faster than in more remote Indiana counties.

Usage trends vs. Indiana overall

• Higher: 5G device penetration; premium unlimited plans; multi‑line family bundles; mobile video/streaming and connected wearables; enterprise/private wireless (e.g., CBRS) around logistics/distribution sites.
• Lower: Mobile‑only households and prepaid share among suburban users; coverage gaps (fewer and smaller than statewide rural norms).
• Distinctive drivers: Rapid population and warehouse growth, commuter corridors into Indianapolis, and the LEAP/data‑center buildout collectively push earlier network upgrades, more small‑cell deployments, and stronger mid‑band 5G than seen across much of the state.

Boone County, IN social media snapshot (modeled, 2024) Note: County-specific panels are limited. Figures below are estimates derived from Pew Research Center platform adoption, Indiana/Midwest patterns, and Boone County’s age, income, and suburban profile.

High-level user stats

• Adult population: ~56–58k. Social media users: ~40–45k adults (≈70–78%).
• Daily use: ~80% of users check at least daily; ~45–50% check multiple times/day.
• Device mix: Mobile-first (>90% of sessions), with strong evening and weekend use.

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

• YouTube: 78–85%
• Facebook: 60–68%
• Instagram: 40–50%
• Pinterest: 30–40%
• LinkedIn: 28–35% (above average in Zionsville/Whitestown)
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 22–30% (heaviest under 30)
• X (Twitter): 15–22%
• Reddit: 15–20%
• Nextdoor: 15–25% of households participate in at least one neighborhood

Age patterns (who’s active where)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube >90%; Snapchat 70–85%; TikTok 60–75%; Instagram 60–70%; Facebook 15–25%.
• 18–29: Any social 90%+; IG 70–80%; TikTok 55–65%; Snap 60–70%; FB 50–60%; YouTube ~95%.
• 30–49: Any 85–90%; FB 70–80%; IG 55–65%; YouTube ~90%; TikTok 35–45%; LinkedIn 35–45%.
• 50–64: Any 70–80%; FB 65–75%; YouTube 75–85%; IG 35–45%; Pinterest 35–45%; Nextdoor 20–30%; TikTok 15–25%.
• 65+: Any 45–55%; FB 50–60%; YouTube 55–65%; Nextdoor 20–25%; IG 20–30%.

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Overall adult user base ≈51% women, 49% men (mirrors population).
• Platform skews: Pinterest heavily female (~2:1); Instagram and Snapchat slightly female; Facebook slightly female; LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Reddit skew male (Reddit strongest male skew).

Behavioral trends (what people actually do)

• Community-first on Facebook/Nextdoor: School updates, youth sports, road construction (I‑65/SR corridors), new housing/retail, lost/found pets, public safety, HOA issues.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace and “yard sale/Buy Nothing” groups drive secondhand goods, seasonal items, and home services referrals.
• Family life content wins: Youth sports highlights, school events, camps, and kid-centered activities perform best in Zionsville/Whitestown; Lebanon shows more civic/service posts.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok used for restaurant openings, real estate walkthroughs, fitness/health, and small-business promos; cross-posting to Facebook broadens reach.
• Professional networking: LinkedIn strong among commuters/professionals; effective for hiring and B2B visibility.
• Info sources: County/municipal agencies and local media push alerts via Facebook and X; weather and traffic updates see high spike engagement.
• Messaging backbone: Facebook Messenger dominates among adults; GroupMe common for teams/parent groups; Snapchat for teen communication; WhatsApp niche but growing among international households.
• Timing: Peaks before work (7–9am), lunch (11:30–1), and late evening (8–10pm); weekend mid‑day is strong for family-oriented content.