Benton County

Benton County, Iowa – key demographics (most recent Census/ACS)

• Population

  • 25,575 (2020 Census); ~25.6k (2023 estimate)

• Age

  • Median age: ~42 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~20%

• Gender

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race/ethnicity (ACS, percentages)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~93–94%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • Black or African American: ~0.5–0.7%
  • Asian: ~0.3–0.6%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native and other: ~0.1–0.3% each

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~10,200
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~68% (married-couple ~55%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~28%
  • Homeownership rate: ~83%
  • Median household income (2022 dollars): ~$75–78k

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; 2023 Population Estimates).

Benton County, IA snapshot (population ≈25.6k; ~36 people per sq. mile)

Estimated email users: 18–21k residents (about 70–82% of total; roughly 88–94% of adults). Based on national email adoption applied to local age mix.

Age distribution of email users (approx.):

• 13–24: 15–20%
• 25–44: 28–34%
• 45–64: 28–32%
• 65+: 18–22% Use is near-universal among working-age adults; seniors’ adoption is solid and rising via healthcare, banking, and family communications.

Gender split: ~50% female, ~50% male (differences are minimal).

Digital access and trends:

• Home broadband subscription: ~78–85% of households; smartphone‑only internet: ~8–12%; no home internet: ~10–15%.
• Best wired options cluster in towns (Vinton, Belle Plaine, Atkins, Urbana); rural areas rely more on fixed wireless/satellite and see more variable speeds.
• Fiber builds and 5G expansion over recent years are improving capacity; public libraries and schools provide key free Wi‑Fi/computers.
• Mobile coverage is strongest along main corridors (e.g., US‑30/218); dead spots persist in sparsely populated zones.

These figures are reasoned estimates combining national email usage with rural Iowa connectivity patterns and Benton County’s demographics.

Mobile phone usage in Benton County, Iowa (2025 snapshot) — with differences vs. statewide

Headline estimates

• Adult smartphone users: about 18,000 out of ~20,200 adults (≈86–90% adoption). This is a bit lower than Iowa overall (typically ~2–4 percentage points higher).
• Adults using basic/feature phones: roughly 2,200–2,600, concentrated among seniors.
• Households relying on cellular as their primary home internet: about 1,000–1,400 (≈10–14% of ~10,400 households), likely a few points higher than the Iowa average.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• By age (adoption rates applied to Benton County’s age profile):
  • 18–29: ~3,100 adults; smartphone adoption ≈94–97% → ~2,900–3,000 users.
  • 30–49: ~6,100 adults; adoption ≈93–96% → ~5,700–5,900 users.
  • 50–64: ~6,100 adults; adoption ≈85–90% → ~5,200–5,500 users.
  • 65+: ~5,100 adults; adoption ≈70–78% → ~3,600–4,000 users.
• By location and income:
  • In-town residents and higher-income households skew closer to state-level adoption and are more likely to use 5G-capable devices and larger data plans.
  • Farm and exurban households have slightly lower smartphone adoption and are more likely to keep devices longer, use boosters, and rely on cellular hotspots where fixed broadband is limited.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern: 4G LTE is strong in incorporated places and along main corridors; 5G (low-/mid-band) is present primarily in towns and near highways, with LTE fallback common in outlying farm areas. mmWave 5G is rare.
• Carrier mix: All three national carriers serve the county; the “best” network varies by micro-area. Many residents choose carriers based on local signal reliability (fields, gravel roads, metal buildings) rather than price or headline speeds.
• Performance norms: Typical downlink is lower than the Iowa median due to wider tower spacing—think dependable LTE/low-band 5G in the 25–80 Mbps range countywide, with 100–300 Mbps mid-band 5G mainly in/near towns when available.
• Backhaul and build-outs: Ongoing fiber expansion by regional providers improves backhaul to cell sites, enabling incremental 5G upgrades. New macro or small-cell deployments tend to prioritize town centers, schools, public safety, and highway corridors; deep-rural infill remains the gap.
• Workarounds: Signal boosters in farm equipment and trucks, Wi‑Fi calling indoors, and portable hotspots for homework or field operations are noticeably more common than in urban Iowa.

How Benton County differs from Iowa overall

• Adoption slightly lower: An older age profile and more rural living reduce smartphone adoption by a few points vs. the state average.
• More cellular-reliant households: A higher share of homes use cellular as primary internet (hotspots or phone tethering), reflecting patchy fixed broadband in pockets.
• Coverage reliability matters more than peak speed: Plan selection and churn are driven by who has a usable signal in metal buildings and low-lying areas, not by the fastest 5G marketing claims.
• Longer device lifecycles: Residents tend to keep phones longer and prioritize durability and battery life; iPhone/flagship Android penetration is healthy but upgrade cadence lags metro counties.
• Higher per-capita mobile IoT: Agriculture drives usage of telematics, sensors, and monitoring (grain bins, pumps, livestock, and fleets), making machine-to-machine subscriptions more prominent than in urban parts of Iowa.
• Daytime mobility pattern: Commuting to nearby metro areas (e.g., Cedar Rapids corridor) shifts daytime usage out of the county, creating a “night-strong/day-diluted” local load profile.

What this implies

• Providers: Prioritize mid-band 5G along county roads and farm clusters; enhance indoor coverage tools (repeaters/Wi‑Fi calling); maintain clear local coverage maps and trial periods.
• Public sector: Streamline siting for rural infill towers, extend fiber backhaul to strategic vertical assets, and use BEAD/USDA programs to close cellular and fixed-broadband gaps that drive cellular-only reliance.
• Local businesses and services: Design mobile experiences that remain usable on LTE with intermittent connectivity; keep SMS/voice channels first-class for service and notifications.

Notes on method

• Estimates were derived by applying recent smartphone adoption rates by age (e.g., Pew Research, 2023) to Benton County’s age structure (Census/ACS), then adjusting a few points for rural context (NTIA/FCC patterns). Household counts are approximated from population and typical household size. For planning-grade figures, replace these estimates with the latest ACS S2801 (Computer and Internet Use), FCC Mobile Coverage maps, and carrier-provided 5G overlays for Benton County.

Below is an estimate-based snapshot of social media use in Benton County, Iowa. Because county-level platform data isn’t directly published, figures are inferred from recent Pew Research Center social media adoption rates, U.S. Census/ACS demographics for similarly rural Midwestern counties, and known rural usage patterns. Treat percentages as reasonable ranges, not exact counts.

Population and user base

• Population: ~25,600 residents; ~20,000 adults (18+).
• Social media users: ~19,000–21,000 total when including teens.
• Adult penetration: ~80–85% of adults use at least one social platform; teen penetration ~90–95%.
• Access: Usage is overwhelmingly smartphone-based; home broadband gaps persist in rural areas but are partially offset by mobile data.

Age profile (share of people in each age band using at least one platform)

• 13–17: 90–95%
• 18–29: 90%+
• 30–49: 82–88%
• 50–64: 70–78%
• 65+: 50–60%

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly even, small female tilt (about 51–53% women, 47–49% men) due to older-age composition.
• Platform skews (directional): Pinterest and Facebook skew female; Reddit and X/Twitter skew male; YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok are closer to even, with TikTok slightly female-leaning and Snapchat skewing younger.

Most-used platforms among adult residents (estimated share of adults)

• YouTube: 80–85% (broad, cross-age use; how-tos, news, ag/outdoors content)
• Facebook: 60–70% (highest daily use among 30+; Groups and Marketplace dominate)
• Facebook Messenger: 55–65% (primary local DM tool)
• Instagram: 40–45% (stronger in 18–34; Stories/Reels)
• TikTok: 30–35% (fast growth under 35; short-form video)
• Snapchat: 30–35% (primary among teens/younger adults for messaging)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (heavier among women 25–54: recipes, crafts, home)
• LinkedIn: 18–25% (professionals, commuters to Cedar Rapids/Iowa City)
• X/Twitter: 15–20% (news/sports watchers; lighter posting)
• Reddit: 15–18% (younger/male skew; topic-specific)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (below national average; niche communities)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (coverage patchy; Facebook Groups fill neighborhood role)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community hub: Facebook Groups are the default for local news, school updates, city/county notices, volunteer fire/EMS, road closures, severe weather, and “buy-sell-trade” activity. Marketplace is heavily used.
• Video-first shift: Short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery; YouTube remains the go-to for how-to, ag/DIY, storm coverage, and local sports highlights.
• Youth patterns: Snapchat is the primary messaging channel; TikTok for entertainment and trends; Instagram for identity and events, with cross-posting of Reels/TikToks.
• Shopping and recommendations: Local service referrals and bargains flow through Facebook Groups/Marketplace. Coupon/offer posts outperform generic ads.
• Timing: Engagement peaks early morning (commute/school run), lunch, and evenings; Sunday nights are strong for planning posts; weather events spike real-time engagement.
• Trust/privacy: Preference for closed or moderated groups; users are wary of cold DMs and outside sellers. Local admins and known community figures drive credibility.
• Content that performs: School sports, county fair/festivals, road/winter-storm updates, lost/found pets, local business openings, charity drives, and practical home/yard/farm tips.

Method note: Figures are extrapolated from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 social media adoption surveys and U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Benton County and comparable rural Iowa counties. For campaign or program planning, validate with local page insights, platform ad reach tools (zip-code targeting), and school/county communication stats.