De Kalb County

Key demographics – DeKalb County, Indiana (most recent Census/ACS)

• Population

  • 43,475 (2020 Census)
  • ~44,400 (2023 population estimate)

• Age

  • Median age: ~39–40 years
  • Under 18: ~24%
  • 65 and over: ~17%

• Sex

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS, race alone unless noted)

  • White: ~94%
  • Black or African American: ~1%
  • Asian: ~0.5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.2%
  • Some other race: ~1%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%
  • White, not Hispanic: ~90%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~17,000
  • Average household size: ~2.6
  • Family households: ~69–70% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~53–55%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–77%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5‑year estimates); Population Estimates Program (2023).

Email usage estimate — De Kalb County, IN (pop. ~44,000)

• Total email users: ~33,000 residents.
• By age (estimated users):
  • 18–34: ~8,500
  • 35–54: ~10,900
  • 55–74: ~8,700
  • 75+: ~2,700
• Gender split: roughly even (~16.5k female, ~16.5k male users).

Digital access and trends:

• Home broadband subscription is likely in the low–mid 80% of households (consistent with Indiana ACS levels); about 10–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Email adoption is highest among 18–54; seniors (75+) participate at lower rates but continue to grow.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Auburn, Garrett, and along the I‑69 corridor; rural townships rely more on DSL/fixed‑wireless and face occasional coverage gaps.
• Population density is roughly 120 people per square mile; dispersed settlement outside town centers raises last‑mile costs, slowing fiber buildouts, though state programs (e.g., Next Level Connections/BEAD) are expanding service.

Method: Estimates scale national/Indiana email adoption and internet‑subscription rates to De Kalb County’s population. Figures are directional and intended for planning, not precise counts.

Summary of mobile phone usage in DeKalb County, IN

Overview

• Semi-rural county anchored by Auburn and the I-69 corridor. Coverage is broad, but capacity and indoor performance vary outside town centers.
• Mobile phones are the primary internet on-ramp for a noticeable minority of households, higher than the Indiana average.

User estimates (rounded, based on 2023–2024 public benchmarks and ACS-style demographics)

• Population base: ~44,000 residents; ~33,000–34,000 adults (18+).
• Smartphone users: 29,500–33,000 unique users countywide.
  • Adults 18+: ~27,000–30,000.
  • Teens 13–17: ~2,300–2,700.
• Wireless-only (no landline) households: majority; roughly 68–74% of households, skewing higher among younger renters and families.
• Households primarily relying on cellular/fixed wireless for home internet: about 14–20% (notably higher than Indiana’s metro-driven average).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone adoption; heavy app/social use; hotspot use for travel/school.
  • 35–64: high adoption; strong use of messaging, navigation, payments; many work in manufacturing/logistics with shift-based usage peaks.
  • 65+: adoption lower than younger cohorts but rising; more voice/text, telehealth, and family video calls; larger share than in Indiana’s urban counties.
• Income and plan mix
  • More price-sensitive plans, with higher uptake of prepaid/MVNOs (e.g., Cricket, Metro, Straight Talk) than in metro Indiana.
  • Longer device replacement cycles; slightly higher Android share than state urban centers.
• Race/ethnicity and language
  • County is predominantly White non-Hispanic; smaller Hispanic and Black populations skew younger and are more mobile-dependent for internet than the county average (aligns with national patterns).
• Mobility
  • Commutes and freight traffic on I-69 create daytime load along the corridor; school and shift changes drive localized peaks.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technology
  • All three national carriers cover the corridor and towns; low-band 5G is common countywide.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., T-Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C-band) is concentrated along I-69 and in Auburn/Garrett/Butler; rural townships often fall back to LTE/low-band 5G.
  • mmWave 5G nodes are rare to non-existent.
• Capacity/backhaul
  • Auburn Essential Services (municipal fiber) and regional fiber routes provide robust backhaul in town centers, improving carrier capacity there.
  • Some rural macro sites still rely on limited fiber reach or microwave backhaul, constraining peak speeds and uplink.
• Indoor coverage
  • Metal-roof warehouses, barns, and older industrial buildings commonly require signal boosters/DAS for reliable service.
• Public safety and community access
  • FirstNet coverage for responders is present; Text-to-911 is supported.
  • Libraries and schools offer Wi‑Fi/loaner hotspots that supplement areas with weak home broadband.
• Alternatives
  • Fixed wireless (cellular and WISPs) and satellite are meaningful substitutes outside cable/fiber footprints; adoption is visibly higher than in Indiana’s metro counties.

How DeKalb County trends differ from Indiana overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary home internet
  • Share of households using cellular/fixed wireless for home connectivity is several points higher than the statewide average, reflecting sparser cable/fiber outside Auburn.
• Coverage breadth vs. depth
  • Broad low-band coverage but thinner mid-band 5G density; average real-world speeds and in-building performance trail metro Indiana.
• Plan and device mix
  • Greater use of prepaid/MVNO plans and longer device upgrade cycles; slightly higher Android share than urban counties.
• Usage timing
  • Network load is shaped by manufacturing shifts, school schedules, and the I‑69 corridor—less of the 9–5 office pattern seen in Indianapolis and other metros.
• Demographics
  • An older share of residents than urban Indiana yields lower—but rising—smartphone adoption in the 65+ segment and more voice/SMS-heavy usage.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• Estimates combine county population/age structure with recent national/rural adoption rates (e.g., Pew, NHIS/CDC), plus Indiana infrastructure patterns and carrier deployment norms. For precise local figures, consult: latest ACS 1‑year tables, FCC mobile/broadband maps and propagation layers, carrier coverage maps with C‑band/2.5 GHz overlays, and local providers (Auburn Essential Services, regional fiber operators).

Below is a concise, data‑informed snapshot for DeKalb County, Indiana. Because county‑level social stats aren’t directly published, figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted slightly for a more rural/older county profile, and anchored to local population. Treat these as planning ranges, not exact counts.

County baseline

• Population: ~44–45K; adults (18+): ~33–35K
• Internet access: high smartphone adoption; home broadband somewhat lower than urban areas, so mobile-first behavior is common

Estimated social media users

• Adults using at least one major platform (incl. YouTube): ~80–85% of adults ≈ 26–30K people

Most‑used platforms (share of adults; estimated local range)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 40–50%
• Pinterest: 30–40% (skews female)
• TikTok: 28–35% (younger skew)
• Snapchat: 28–32% (teens/20s)
• LinkedIn: 20–28% (lower in rural/manufacturing areas)
• X/Twitter: 18–25% Note: Rankings reflect typical usage; small shifts can occur by town and age.

Age patterns (who’s on what)

• Teens (13–17): YouTube dominant; TikTok and Snapchat very strong; Instagram solid; Facebook light. Expect short‑form video, messaging, and creator‑led trends to drive attention.
• 18–29: Heavy on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Facebook used but less central for daily engagement.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook lead; Instagram strong; TikTok growing for entertainment/DIY; Pinterest notable for home, recipes, crafts.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub; YouTube widely used (news/DIY/how‑to); Instagram moderate; Pinterest moderate.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube mainly; other platforms minimal.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Over‑indexed on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest audience is predominantly female). Strong use of local groups, school/church pages, and Marketplace.
• Men: Over‑indexed on YouTube, Reddit, and X/Twitter. Strong interest in sports, automotive, DIY, outdoor content on YouTube/Facebook.

Behavioral trends (local use cases)

• Facebook = community infrastructure: local news, school and church updates, youth sports, event discovery, fundraisers, buy/sell/marketplace, lost & found, and service recommendations.
• YouTube = how‑to and hobbies: home/auto repair, farming/outdoors, hunting/fishing, product research; Shorts consumption rising.
• Short‑form video everywhere: Reels/Shorts/TikTok drive discovery; <30–45s clips with captions outperform static posts.
• Groups > pages for reach: neighborhood and interest groups have high engagement; word‑of‑mouth spreads fast via shares and tags.
• Messaging layer is critical: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat streaks/DMs are primary touchpoints, especially for coordination and customer replies.
• Timing: Evenings and early mornings show higher engagement; weekends for events and Marketplace.
• Local proof wins: Real people, local faces, behind‑the‑scenes, and service turnaround videos outperform polished ads.
• Weather and sports spikes: Severe weather updates, school closings, and high school sports content produce reliable engagement surges.

Method notes

• Estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption benchmarks, adjusted for a slightly older/rural county profile; adult population based on Census/ACS recent counts for DeKalb County. For campaign planning, validate with platform ad‑tools (e.g., Meta, TikTok, Snapchat) geotargeted to DeKalb County to get current audience reach.