Elkhart County

Elkhart County, Indiana – key demographics

• Population size:

  • 2020 Census: about 207,000
  • 2023 Census estimate: about 209,000

• Age:

  • Median age: ~35 years
  • Under 18: ~28%
  • 65 and over: ~14%

• Gender:

  • Roughly balanced: ~50% male, ~50% female

• Racial/ethnic composition:

  • Non-Hispanic White: ~70%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~20%
  • Black or African American: ~5%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • Two or more races/Other: ~4%

• Household data:

  • Households: ~73,000
  • Average persons per household: ~3.0
  • Family households: ~74% of households
  • Homeownership rate: ~71%

Notes: Figures rounded. Population and race/ethnicity primarily from the 2020 Decennial Census; age and household characteristics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2018–2022 5-year estimates).

Elkhart County, IN — email usage snapshot (estimates; ACS S2801 2022-23, Pew Research)

• Estimated email users: 135,000–150,000 adults (18+) use email regularly, plus roughly 10,000–15,000 teens via school/work accounts. Basis: ~210k population, ~70–75% adults, 90–95% of adults use email.
• Age distribution of adult users (approx. share of users):
  • 18–29: 25–28%
  • 30–49: 34–38% (largest cohort)
  • 50–64: 20–23%
  • 65+: 12–16% (lower adoption than younger groups)
• Gender split: Near-even; email use is similar by gender. Expect ~49–51% either side, mirroring population.
• Digital access trends:
  • 83–86% of households have a broadband subscription; 90%+ have a computer. About 12–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Urban Elkhart–Goshen areas show higher fixed broadband adoption than rural townships; public libraries (Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee) provide free Wi‑Fi and computer access.
  • Certain cultural/rural communities are less connected, modestly lowering overall email adoption.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population 210,000 over ~470 sq mi (440 people/sq mi). Connectivity is densest along the Elkhart–Goshen corridor; more gaps occur in outlying areas.

Notes: Figures are modeled from national email adoption benchmarks applied to local age structure and ACS device/subscription data; use as directional estimates.

Elkhart County, Indiana — mobile phone usage snapshot (with county-vs-state differences)

Topline user estimates

• Smartphone users: roughly 140,000–160,000 residents, or ~80–86% of the population. This is a few points lower than the Indiana average (roughly high‑80s to low‑90s) largely because of the county’s sizable Old Order Amish community, which has markedly lower smartphone adoption.
• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): roughly 155,000–175,000 users.
• Mobile-only households (rely on cellular for home internet): meaningfully higher than the statewide share, driven by younger renters, Spanish‑speaking households, and rural locations where fiber/cable choices are limited.
• Platform/plan mix: higher Android and prepaid share than the state average, reflecting price sensitivity among manufacturing and service‑sector workers and younger users.

Demographic breakdown (what stands out locally)

• Age
  • 18–34: near‑universal smartphone use, in line with statewide.
  • 35–64: high adoption but with a modest dip vs. state tied to income and occupational mix.
  • 65+: noticeably below state adoption, amplified by Amish residents and rural coverage gaps.
• Cultural/faith communities
  • Amish: much lower smartphone ownership; some basic‑phone or shared/limited‑use patterns. This depresses the countywide average more than in most Indiana counties.
• Ethnicity and language
  • Hispanic/Latino residents (a larger share than the state average) show high mobile reliance, above‑average use of prepaid, WhatsApp, and mobile‑first access for services and media.
• Income/tenure
  • Lower‑income and renter households are more likely to be mobile‑only, and to use MVNO/prepaid plans, compared with the statewide mix.

Digital infrastructure (county specifics vs. statewide)

• Cellular coverage and 5G
  • Strong 4G LTE and mid‑band 5G in and around Elkhart, Goshen, and along major corridors (I‑80/90 Toll Road, US‑20, SR‑19, US‑33). This is comparable to Indiana metros.
  • Rural townships and fringe areas see more LTE‑only pockets and occasional indoor gaps (metal‑clad industrial buildings), making the urban–rural divide sharper here than in many Indiana counties.
• Fixed internet and backhaul
  • City cores have multiple options (cable and regional fiber builds), supporting dense small‑cell/5G deployments.
  • Outside the cores, fiber choices thin out faster than the state average; many homes lean on cable, legacy DSL, or fixed‑wireless access (FWA). As a result, uptake of Verizon/T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet and regional WISPs is higher than statewide.
• Towers and siting
  • Good macro‑tower density along industrial corridors and highways; more co‑location on existing structures in sensitive/Amish areas. Some north‑county sites also “see” Michigan networks, which can influence device network selection at the margins.
• Community access
  • Libraries, schools, and municipal hotspots are important for homework and services access; utilization skews higher than statewide in neighborhoods with mobile‑only households.

Usage patterns different from the state overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration due to the Amish population; fewer iPhone/postpaid lines and more Android/prepaid than the state average.
• Higher share of mobile‑only households and greater reliance on fixed‑wireless home internet, reflecting the faster drop‑off of fiber/cable options outside city centers.
• Sharper urban–rural coverage contrast and more indoor performance issues in manufacturing facilities.
• Cross‑border RF environment near Michigan is a bit more noticeable than in most Indiana counties.

Notes on estimates and confidence

• Population base: ~210k residents. Ranges reflect blending statewide adoption benchmarks with county demographics (notably Amish and Hispanic shares) and the observed urban–rural infrastructure mix.

Here’s a concise, decision-ready snapshot of social media usage in Elkhart County, Indiana. Where county-level figures aren’t directly published, estimates are derived from platform ad-audience tools, U.S. Census demographics, and Pew Research’s 2024 national usage patterns, adjusted for local factors (manufacturing-heavy workforce, sizable Amish/Mennonite and Hispanic communities).

Headline user stats (est.)

• Population: ~207–210k; age 13+ ≈ 175k.
• Social media users (13+): ~140k–160k (roughly 65–75% of total population; 80–90% of internet users).
• Language/community notes: Strong English+Spanish footprint; Amish/Mennonite communities modestly reduce overall adoption and smartphone penetration in some townships.

Most-used platforms in Elkhart County (share of 13+ using monthly; estimates)

• YouTube: 72–80%
• Facebook: 62–70% (Facebook Groups and Marketplace are exceptionally strong)
• Instagram: 36–45%
• TikTok: 30–38% (very high among teens/20s)
• Snapchat: 26–35% (heaviest in high school/college ages)
• Pinterest: 22–30% (skews female 25–44; crafts/home projects)
• WhatsApp: 20–28% overall; 45–55% among Hispanic users (family, cross-border comms)
• LinkedIn: 18–25% (white-collar, HR/recruiting; lighter among shop-floor roles)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (news, sports, niche communities)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (suburban neighborhoods; not countywide)

Age-group profile (who’s active where)

• 13–17: Very high on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; light on Facebook (except school/sports updates).
• 18–29: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok dominant; Snapchat strong; Facebook for events/groups.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube anchor usage; Instagram secondary; Pinterest popular with parents; WhatsApp common in bilingual households.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube primary; Pinterest niche; TikTok growing for entertainment/how-tos.
• 65+: Facebook (family, church, community) and YouTube (DIY, sermons, news).

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall social media users: roughly balanced (≈50% female / 50% male).
• Platform skews: Pinterest heavily female; Instagram slightly female; LinkedIn slightly male; YouTube and Facebook broadly balanced; Snapchat/TikTok slightly female.

Local behavioral trends to know

• Facebook Groups > everything: neighborhood groups, school/athletics, churches, buy/sell/Marketplace, weather/road conditions, closures, and county fair updates drive recurring engagement.
• Shopping and deals: Marketplace is a daily habit; coupons, promotions, and “limited-time” local offers perform well. Price sensitivity is noticeable.
• Work-life cadence: Peak check-in windows around 6–8 am (before shifts), lunchtime, and 8–10 pm (post-shift/after kids’ bedtime). Weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace and events.
• Video-first consumption: Short video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms text-only posts; practical content wins—DIY/repair, RV/auto, woodworking, gardening, recipes, and local sports highlights.
• Community identity: High engagement with faith-based content, high school sports, county fair, and Notre Dame/Big Ten sports. UGC from local creators (crafts, homesteading, small business) outperforms polished “national” creative.
• Language/culture: Growing Spanish-language engagement (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram) around family, church, food, and local services; bilingual creative increases CTR materially.
• Messaging > comments: Many interactions move quickly into DMs (Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp) for quotes, appointments, and negotiations on Marketplace.
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook = community, events, customer service, and sales via Marketplace.
  • Instagram/TikTok = discovery and brand vibe for under-35; Stories/Reels critical.
  • YouTube = how-to, sermons, product demos; strong for trust-building.
  • LinkedIn = recruiting for skilled trades supervisors, engineers, HR; limited for line roles (Facebook works better).

Practical tips for campaigns

• Use Facebook Groups and Marketplace for reach-to-response efficiency; pair with click-to-Messenger.
• Post when shifts change; boost during local tentpoles (county fair, school year start, weather events).
• Lean on short-form vertical video with clear local cues (landmarks, schools, teams).
• Provide Spanish variants and DM options; show phone/text numbers prominently.
• For hiring: Facebook Lead Ads + click-to-message outperform standalone LinkedIn posts for most roles.

Sources and notes

• U.S. Census Bureau (Elkhart County population and demographics, 2020–2023 estimates).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (national platform penetration and age/gender patterns).
• Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google/YouTube ad audience tools for location-filtered reach estimates (2024–2025).
• Figures are best-available estimates; actual counts fluctuate with platform policy changes and local adoption.