La Porte County

La Porte County, IN — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population size

• 112,417 (2020 Census official count)

Age

• Median age: ~41.7 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~81%
• Black or African American alone: ~11%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5%
• Asian alone: ~0.8%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~8%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~74%

Households

• Total households: ~44,700
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~65% of households; nonfamily ~35%
• Married-couple families: ~46–47% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%

Insights

• Stable population since 2010 with modest aging (median age ~42).
• Majority White with notable Black and growing Hispanic populations.
• Household structure leans family-oriented with high homeownership relative to national averages.

La Porte County, IN email usage (2025 snapshot)

• Estimated users: ≈81,000 adult email users out of 112,417 residents (2020 census), based on ~78% adults and 92% email adoption among U.S./Indiana adults.
• Age distribution of adult email users (≈81k):
  • 18–29: ~17,000 (21%)
  • 30–49: ~28,000 (35%)
  • 50–64: ~22,000 (27%)
  • 65+: ~14,000 (17%)
• Gender split: Email use is essentially even by sex; ≈41,000 women (51%) and ≈40,000 men (49%) among adult users, mirroring the county’s population sex ratio.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Broadband subscription: ~83% of households have a broadband internet subscription (ACS trend up from the mid‑70s percent in late 2010s).
  • Device access: ~90%+ of households have a computer; smartphone‑only internet households are in the low‑teens percent, reflecting cost-conscious and rural users.
  • Mobile networks: County seats (La Porte, Michigan City) have robust 4G LTE and expanding 5G; rural townships see more variability in signal quality and fixed speeds.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈183 people per square mile across ~613 square miles.
  • Urban cores capture most addresses with 100+ Mbps fixed service; rural areas drive the remaining broadband subscription gap, shaping email access patterns.

Summary of mobile phone usage in La Porte County, Indiana (2024–2025 estimates)

Population base

• Total population: approximately 113,000
• Households: approximately 45,000
• Adults (18+): approximately 88,000; teens (13–17): approximately 6,800

User estimates

• Mobile phone users (all device types): 86,000–90,000 residents
  • Adults: ~83,000–85,000
  • Teens: ~6,300–6,600
• Smartphone users: 78,000–82,000 residents
  • Adults: ~73,000–76,000
  • Teens: ~6,400–6,500
• 5G-capable smartphone users: 50,000–56,000 (roughly 62–68% of smartphone users; slightly below statewide share due to older age and lower incomes)
• Prepaid/MVNO share of mobile lines: 28–33% (above statewide average), reflecting price sensitivity and mixed coverage by carrier in rural townships
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data plan as the sole home connection): 7,000–8,500 households (about 15–19% of households; higher than the Indiana average)
• Fixed Wireless Access (5G/LTE home internet) lines: 4,000–6,000 subscriptions countywide and growing quickly, driven by Verizon and T-Mobile offers where cable/fiber is limited

Demographic breakdown affecting usage

• Age: The county is older than Indiana overall (share of residents 65+ is several points higher). This depresses overall smartphone and 5G device adoption versus the state and sustains a small but persistent basic/mobile-only phone cohort among seniors.
• Income and education: Median household income trails the Indiana median, and bachelor’s attainment is lower than the state average. These factors correlate with:
  • Higher prepaid adoption
  • Higher smartphone-only home internet reliance
  • Slower upgrade cycles, which lowers 5G penetration despite coverage
• Race/ethnicity: Michigan City’s more diverse population (higher Black and Hispanic shares than the county average) exhibits higher smartphone dependence and prepaid/MVNO usage compared with the county’s rural townships, consistent with national adoption patterns by income and urbanicity.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability:
  • Mid-band 5G (Verizon C-band and T-Mobile n41) covers Michigan City, La Porte, and transportation corridors (I-94, I-80/90 Toll Road, US-20, US-35), delivering typical downlink speeds of 200–400 Mbps and uplink of 10–50 Mbps in covered areas.
  • AT&T provides broad low-band 5G coverage, with mid-band increasingly present in the cities and along interstates.
• LTE fallback and rural performance:
  • Outside the main corridors and towns—particularly in interior rural townships—service often falls back to low-band LTE, with typical speeds in the 5–25 Mbps range and lower uplink, which constrains video uplink and hotspot use.
• Capacity hot spots and seasonality:
  • Michigan City’s lakefront, outlet retail, casino, and summer events create noticeable seasonal demand spikes, with carriers adding capacity and small cells in activity centers. This seasonality is more pronounced than in much of the state.
• Indoor coverage:
  • Older industrial and masonry buildings, especially in Michigan City, can attenuate mid-band 5G; users often see low-band 5G/LTE indoors unless sites are nearby or in-building solutions are present.
• Wireline cross-effects:
  • Cable internet is widespread in the cities, with fiber expanding (notably by regional providers such as Surf Internet and selective Frontier builds). Rural fiber is patchy, which sustains higher-than-average reliance on mobile data and 5G fixed wireless for home broadband.

How La Porte County differs from Indiana overall

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: About 15–19% of households rely solely on cellular data at home, above the state average, due to rural gaps in fiber/modern cable and legacy DSL retirements.
• Slightly lower 5G device penetration: Despite good corridor coverage, an older population and lower incomes slow handset upgrades, keeping 5G-capable device share a few points under the state.
• Larger prepaid/MVNO footprint: Budget sensitivity and variable rural performance raise prepaid share to roughly 30%, above the statewide mix.
• Stronger seasonality: Tourism-driven peaks around Michigan City produce more pronounced short-term congestion and capacity augmentation needs than typical Indiana counties.
• Coverage pattern: The county shows a sharper urban–rural performance divide than the state average; speeds are excellent along I-94/I-80/90 and in town centers but drop more noticeably in interior farming and wetland areas.

Practical implications

• Network planning: Continued mid-band 5G infill in rural townships and indoor solutions in older building stock will yield the most noticeable user gains.
• Product mix: Prepaid, multi-line discounts, and FWA bundles resonate more here than statewide, while premium unlimited tiers see stronger uptake among commuters and tourism workers concentrated near corridors.
• Digital equity: Smartphone-only households and areas with LTE-only service remain priority targets for fiber or FWA expansion and for device/plan subsidy programs.

Notes on methodology

• Counts and percentages are derived by applying current national and Indiana adoption rates to La Porte County’s population and household structure, adjusted for the county’s older age profile, lower median income, and urban–rural mix. Speed ranges reflect typical observed performance for mid-band 5G and rural LTE in similar Indiana counties and along the county’s primary corridors.

La Porte County, IN — social media snapshot (2025)

Population base used

• Residents: ~112–114K
• Adults (18+): ~87K
• Method: County adult user counts are estimated by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to the county’s adult population; age/gender skews and behavioral trends reflect the same national benchmarks adjusted to local demographics

Most‑used platforms among adults (18+) in La Porte County

• YouTube: ~83% (≈72K adults)
• Facebook: ~68% (≈59K)
• Instagram: ~47% (≈41K)
• Pinterest: ~35% (≈30K)
• TikTok: ~33% (≈29K)
• LinkedIn: ~30% (≈26K)
• Snapchat: ~30% (≈26K)
• WhatsApp: ~29% (≈25K)
• X/Twitter: ~22% (≈19K)
• Reddit: ~22% (≈19K)
• Nextdoor: ~20% (≈17K)

Age patterns (who uses what)

• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; heavy Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok (each majority usage); Facebook well below half
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube are dominant; Instagram substantial; TikTok mid‑to‑high adoption and growing
• 50–64: Facebook very strong; YouTube strong; Pinterest notable; Instagram moderate; TikTok limited but rising
• 65+: Facebook leads; YouTube moderate; Instagram/TikTok low; Nextdoor usage present among homeowners

Gender breakdown by platform

• Skews female: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Snapchat (slight), Pinterest (strong; large majority women)
• Skews male: Reddit (strong), X/Twitter (moderate), LinkedIn (slight)
• Roughly balanced: YouTube, WhatsApp
• Practical takeaway for La Porte County: content targeting women 25–54 performs well on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; male‑targeted interests (tech, gaming, sports, finance) over‑index on Reddit/X/YouTube

Behavioral trends observed locally (based on Midwest county patterns and platform norms)

• Community and information: Facebook Groups and local pages are the hub for schools, city/county updates, events, and storm/road conditions; Marketplace is heavily used for buying/selling household, outdoor, and auto items
• Discovery and local business: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) drives awareness for restaurants, boutiques, salons, and events; authentic, face‑forward videos outperform polished creatives
• Video habits: YouTube watch‑time is high on connected TVs for how‑to, home/auto repair, fishing/outdoors, and local sports
• Messaging and service: Many residents contact businesses via Facebook/Instagram DMs; <24‑hour response is expected
• Timing: Mobile‑first usage with engagement peaks at lunch and 7–10 PM; weekends are strongest for events and shopping
• Neighborhood/older adults: Nextdoor and Facebook are common for neighborhood watch, utilities, weather, and municipal notices
• Youth/young adults: Snapchat remains core for daily messaging; TikTok and YouTube dominate entertainment and local happenings

Key implications

• Use Facebook + YouTube as reach anchors; add Instagram and TikTok for under‑45s and discovery
• For women 25–54, prioritize Pinterest and Facebook/Instagram Reels; for men 18–44, emphasize YouTube, Reddit, and X
• Lean into short, geo‑tagged, face‑to‑camera video; highlight community ties, deals, and practical value
• Maintain active Facebook Groups presence and rapid DM response to build trust and drive conversion