Adams County

Here are key demographics for Adams County, Iowa (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5‑year estimates):

• Population: 3,704 (2020 Census)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~46 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~27%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%
• Race/ethnicity (ACS, shares of total population):
  • White alone, non-Hispanic: ~94–95%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Black or African American: ~0–1%
  • Asian: ~0–1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Households (ACS):
  • Total households: ~1,650
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~63% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~54% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~26%
  • One-person households: ~32%
  • 65+ living alone: ~15%
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~78%

Adams County, IA — email usage (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 2,600–3,000 residents. Basis: 2020 population ~3,700, rural Iowa internet adoption ~85–90%, and near-universal email among internet users.
• Age pattern (share using email):
  • 13–24: ~95–98%
  • 25–44: ~95–97%
  • 45–64: ~90–94%
  • 65+: ~65–80% Resulting user mix skews older than urban areas but with lower uptake in 65+.
• Gender split: roughly even (county population ~49% male, 51% female); email usage near parity.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband subscription roughly 70–80% of households (typical for rural Iowa 5‑year ACS).
  • 10–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Outside town centers, residents more likely to rely on fixed wireless or satellite; public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) remains an important access point.
  • Mobile data coverage is adequate in towns and along main corridors but inconsistent in sparsely populated areas.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Adams is Iowa’s least populous county (~3.7k people) with about 8–9 residents per square mile, making last‑mile broadband costly and contributing to slower upgrades versus urban counties.

Notes: Figures are approximations using Census/ACS and Pew rural adoption patterns; round to ranges for county‑level precision.

Below is a high-level summary of mobile phone usage in Adams County, Iowa, with rough user estimates, demographic patterns, and digital infrastructure notes. Emphasis is on how the county differs from Iowa statewide patterns. Figures are directional and based on combining recent Census/ACS population structure with national/rural adoption research; they should be treated as estimates pending county-specific surveys.

User estimates

• Population baseline: Adams County is small (around 3.6–3.8 thousand residents, with a higher-than-average share age 65+). Adults (18+) are roughly 75–80% of residents.
• Any mobile phone users: About 2,400–2,700 adult residents likely have a mobile phone of some kind (roughly 90–95% of adults, slightly below Iowa’s statewide share due to the county’s older age profile).
• Smartphone users: Roughly 2,000–2,300 adult residents (about 75–85% of adults). This is a few points lower than Iowa’s likely statewide adult smartphone rate (typically mid-80s to near 90%) because Adams County skews older and more rural.
• Mobile-only internet households: Expect a modest but meaningful slice of households relying mainly on cellular data (hotspots or phone tethering) where fixed broadband is limited. The share is likely above Iowa’s urban counties but kept in check by the older population (who are less mobile-dependent). A plausible range is “low-teens percent” of households, versus “high single to low-teens” statewide.

Demographic breakdown (how usage differs from the state)

• Age
  • 65+: Significantly lower smartphone adoption than the Iowa average for this age group; higher prevalence of basic/feature phones; more voice-and-text centric usage. This is the single biggest driver of the county’s lower overall smartphone share.
  • 25–54: Adoption rates are closer to statewide norms, but upgrade cycles run longer; midrange Android devices and value iPhones are common.
  • Teens and young adults: Near-universal smartphone access, but data plans may be more constrained; school-issued devices and Wi‑Fi offload matter.
• Income and plans
  • Lower median household income than the Iowa average translates to more price-sensitive choices: prepaid and MVNO plans, smaller data buckets, and family plans with mixed device vintages.
  • Higher likelihood of delaying device upgrades and repairing rather than replacing.
• Usage patterns
  • Heavier reliance on SMS/voice and practical apps (weather, agriculture, banking, telehealth) vs. high-bandwidth entertainment compared with urban Iowa counties.
  • More Wi‑Fi offload at home, school, library, or work to manage data caps.
• Accessibility/health
  • Telehealth by phone (voice/video) is growing but constrained by coverage and device capability among older adults; this constraint is more pronounced than statewide.

Digital infrastructure points (and how they diverge from Iowa overall)

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along main corridors and towns (e.g., Corning), but pockets of weak or no signal persist in outlying areas—more common than in most Iowa counties.
  • 5G availability exists primarily as low-band coverage near population centers and highways; mid-band 5G is likely limited. Net effect: less consistent 5G than Iowa’s metro counties.
• Performance
  • Typical rural LTE speeds and higher variability; peak speeds can be solid near towers, but overall median performance is lower and less consistent than the Iowa statewide median, with larger drops indoors and in low-lying or wooded areas.
• Carriers and competition
  • Service is commonly provided by the national carriers and at least one regional/rural carrier; MVNOs ride on these networks but may see deprioritization during congestion. Fewer competing tower sites and longer inter-site distances than in urban Iowa.
• Backhaul and power resilience
  • Fewer fiber-fed towers and longer backhaul routes can limit capacity and recovery after storms compared with urban counties.
• Interaction with fixed broadband
  • Where cable/fiber is absent, households turn to cellular hotspots or fixed wireless access (FWA). FWA uptake is likely higher than in cities, but signal quality varies by location and line-of-sight; indoor equipment placement can materially affect results.

Key differences from Iowa statewide trends

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by an older age mix; higher share of basic phones among seniors.
• More coverage gaps and greater performance variability; 5G less prevalent and less often mid-band than in metro Iowa.
• Plan choices skew toward prepaid/value; upgrade cycles are longer.
• Slightly higher reliance on mobile as a primary/backup internet source where wired options are limited, offset by lower smartphone adoption among seniors.
• Usage is more utility-oriented (voice/SMS, weather, farm/logistics, telehealth) and less streaming-heavy than in urban counties.

Notes on improving precision

• Pull ACS 5‑year table S2801 (Computer and Internet Use) for Adams County to pin down “households with a smartphone subscription” and “cellular data plan” shares.
• Cross-check FCC mobile coverage maps and carrier-provided 5G/LTE layers for current tower and spectrum footprints.
• Use county-level speedtest aggregates (e.g., Ookla, FCC MDM) for median speeds and consistency metrics.
• Compare to Iowa statewide values from the same sources to quantify the gaps.

Adams County, IA — social media snapshot (2025, best-available estimates)

Context

• Population: ~3,700; rural, older-leaning
• Internet access: mobile-first; patchy broadband outside towns

User stats

• Social media users: ~2,400–2,700 residents (≈65–73% of total; ≈78–83% of ages 13+)
• Gender among users: ≈52% women, 48% men

Age mix among users

• 13–17: ~8%
• 18–29: ~18%
• 30–49: ~34%
• 50–64: ~24%
• 65+: ~16%

Most-used platforms (share of local social media users)

• Facebook: ~78%
• YouTube: ~74%
• Instagram: ~38%
• TikTok: ~32%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• Pinterest: ~28% (skews female)
• X/Twitter: ~16% (skews male; news/sports)
• LinkedIn: ~14% (professionals)
• Reddit: ~14% (younger males)
• Nextdoor: ~5%

Behavioral trends

• Community hub: Facebook dominates for local news, school sports, churches, civic groups, and buy/sell; Marketplace is heavily used.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary; WhatsApp is niche.
• Video: YouTube for how‑to, agriculture, home repair, and outdoors; TikTok/Shorts for entertainment; creation mostly under 35.
• Posting cadence: Younger users share stories/snaps daily but post fewer permanent updates; 30+ post around events and milestones.
• Peak times: 7–9 AM, lunch hour, and 7–10 PM; spikes during weather alerts and high school games.
• Content that performs: Local faces/places, clear event info, limited-time deals/auctions, before–after projects, farm/home tips; short videos and image carousels outperform long clips due to connectivity.
• Trust signals: Word‑of‑mouth and local endorsements matter; comments and shares carry more weight than polished creative; avoid overly corporate tone.
• Platform by age:
  • Teens: Snapchat, TikTok; light Facebook use (groups/messaging).
  • 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Facebook for local ties.
  • 30–49: Facebook first; YouTube second; Instagram for visuals.
  • 50–64: Facebook core; YouTube and Pinterest secondary.
  • 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for tutorials and news clips.

Note on method: These are modeled estimates using national/rural usage patterns (Pew Research) adjusted to Adams County’s population and age profile; exact county-level platform shares aren’t directly published.