Black Hawk County

Black Hawk County, Iowa – key demographics (latest available)

Population

• Total: ~130,900 (2023 population estimate). 2020 Census: 131,144.

Age

• Under 5: ~6%
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Sex

• Female: ~50.8%
• Male: ~49.2%

Race/ethnicity

• White alone, not Hispanic/Latino: ~81%
• Black or African American alone: ~10%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1% combined (Note: “Hispanic or Latino” overlaps with race categories; “White alone, not Hispanic/Latino” does not.)

Households

• Number of households: ~51,000
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (2023) and American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Figures rounded.

Summary: Email usage in Black Hawk County, Iowa

• Population baseline: ~131,000 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): ~100–105k.
• Estimated email users: 85–90% of adults use email (Pew U.S. benchmarks), implying ~85–95k users locally. Teens add a modest additional share.
• Age distribution (approx., reflecting national patterns):
  • 18–29: 95–98% use email
  • 30–49: 93–97%
  • 50–64: 88–94%
  • 65+: 75–85%
• Gender split: No meaningful gap; usage roughly mirrors population (about half female, half male).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: mid-to-high 80s percent (ACS-like county estimates).
  • Device access: ~90–95% of households have a computer/smartphone; 10–15% are smartphone-only.
  • Email use is increasingly mobile-first; older adults show steady adoption gains.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • Urban core (Waterloo–Cedar Falls) has strong coverage; Cedar Falls Utilities offers citywide gigabit fiber, one of Iowa’s earliest gigabit deployments.
  • University of Northern Iowa presence and multiple ISPs boost connectivity.
  • Rural fringes may face lower speeds/choice compared to the metro core.
  • County population density roughly ~225–230 per sq. mile, supporting robust urban broadband buildout.

Sources: U.S. Census/ACS, Pew Research Center on email/internet use, FCC/ISP public info. Estimates are directional.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Black Hawk County, Iowa (with county-specific nuances vs statewide)

Context

• Population: roughly 130–135k residents, anchored by Waterloo and Cedar Falls, plus the University of Northern Iowa (UNI).
• Urban core plus nearby rural townships makes the county more urban and student-heavy than Iowa overall.

Estimated mobile user base

• Unique mobile users on a typical day: approximately 115k–125k devices/subscribers present in the county.
  • Adults (18+): ~100k–105k residents; 96–98% have a mobile phone.
  • Teens (13–17): ~7–9k; mobile adoption ~90–95%.
  • Non-resident daily population (commuters, visitors, and out-of-county students/staff): adds several thousand additional active devices on weekdays and during UNI events.
• Smartphone share: near national norms (roughly 85–90% of phone owners), likely a bit higher in Cedar Falls/UNI and slightly lower in lower-income tracts in Waterloo.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age/student effect (distinct from statewide):
  • Higher 18–24 share due to UNI. This cohort has near-universal smartphone adoption, heavier app/social/video use, and higher iPhone penetration than older cohorts. Seasonal traffic spikes align with the academic calendar and game/event days.
• Income and plan mix:
  • Waterloo has more lower-income neighborhoods than the state average; these areas typically show higher prepaid adoption, more price-sensitive plans, and greater reliance on assistance programs (e.g., Lifeline). The wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 likely pushed some households toward mobile-only or downgraded plans.
  • Cedar Falls, with widespread municipal fiber, shows strong home broadband take-up and heavy Wi‑Fi offload—reducing mobile data dependency at home relative to Iowa’s average.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Black Hawk County’s Black population share is substantially higher than Iowa’s average. Combined with income differences, this can correlate with higher eligibility for affordability programs and a greater need for reliable mobile connectivity for primary internet access in some neighborhoods.
• Mobile-only households:
  • More “smartphone-only internet” in parts of Waterloo than in fiber-served Cedar Falls. Countywide, the share of mobile-only internet users is likely lower than many rural Iowa counties (thanks to municipal fiber) but higher than affluent suburbs elsewhere in the state.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage and carriers:
  • T‑Mobile: broad mid-band 5G around Waterloo–Cedar Falls with strong capacity; typically leads statewide in coverage/speeds.
  • Verizon: C‑Band 5G present in the metro core and along major corridors; robust low-band LTE/5G blanket.
  • AT&T: 5G/5G+ nodes in population centers; strong FirstNet presence for public safety.
  • UScellular: important in Iowa’s rural footprint; competitive in town but less dominant than in surrounding rural counties.
• Backhaul and fiber (county strength vs state):
  • Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) offers citywide fiber and multi‑gig tiers—driving high Wi‑Fi offload and reducing mobile network strain in Cedar Falls.
  • Mediacom and other regional fiber providers, plus the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), provide substantial backhaul along US‑20, I‑380 terminus, and key arterials (US‑63, US‑218).
• Capacity hotspots and seasonality:
  • UNI campus (including the UNI‑Dome/McLeod Center), downtown Waterloo, Crossroads area, and major manufacturing sites (e.g., John Deere) create event‑driven or shift‑driven peaks; carriers often augment with small cells or temporary capacity.
• Rural edges:
  • Townships and small communities at the county perimeter can drop to low‑band LTE/5G with fewer sectors per site, leading to lower peak speeds and more variable indoor coverage than the metro core.
• Private networks and CBRS:
  • The area’s manufacturing/logistics footprint makes it a good candidate for CBRS‑based private LTE/5G on campuses and in plants, though deployments are site‑specific.

How Black Hawk County differs from Iowa overall

• More urban and student-driven traffic mix:
  • Higher 18–24 usage intensity, more iOS share among young users, bigger event‑day surges; stronger app/video/social consumption than the state average.
• Better 5G capacity where people live/work:
  • Mid‑band 5G is more continuous in Waterloo–Cedar Falls than in many rural Iowa counties, supporting higher median speeds and lower congestion in the core.
• Strong home broadband offload:
  • CFU’s ubiquitous fiber in Cedar Falls means more Wi‑Fi-first behavior and fewer mobile‑only households than much of Iowa, shifting some peak load off cellular.
• More affordability-sensitive segments within the same county:
  • Compared with statewide averages, Waterloo has more residents likely to use prepaid/Lifeline and to rely on smartphones as primary internet. The end of ACP support may have a larger local impact than in higher‑income Iowa suburbs.
• Carrier dynamics:
  • UScellular is influential statewide, especially rurally, but in Black Hawk County the big three (T‑Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) compete strongly in the metro with dense 5G; rural county fringes still mirror the statewide rural experience.

Notes and data sources you can use to refine figures

• Population and demographics: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 1‑year/5‑year), UNI institutional research for enrollment.
• Mobile adoption and smartphone-only trends: Pew Research Center, NTIA Internet Use Survey.
• Coverage and performance: FCC Broadband Map (mobile), carrier coverage maps, Ookla/RootMetrics/OpenSignal, M‑Lab.
• Broadband infrastructure: CFU publications, ICN, Mediacom filings; FCC BDC fabric.
• Affordability programs: USAC (Lifeline), ACP wind‑down updates; local ISPs’ low‑income plans.

Social media usage in Black Hawk County, IA (2025 snapshot)

Headline numbers

• Population ~132,000; adults (18+) ~103,000.
• Estimated adult social media users: 74,000–85,000 (≈72–83% of adults), midpoint ≈80,000.

Age mix among adult social media users (estimated)

• 18–29: ~24%
• 30–49: ~38%
• 50–64: ~25%
• 65+: ~13%

Gender breakdown (estimated)

• Female: ~51–53%
• Male: ~47–49%
• Note: Platform skews vary slightly (e.g., TikTok/Snapchat lean more female; Reddit leans male).

Most-used platforms (share of adults; local estimates)

• YouTube: ~82%
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~52% (slightly boosted by UNI student presence)
• TikTok: ~36%
• Snapchat: ~35%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Reddit: ~21%
• WhatsApp: ~22%
• Nextdoor: ~13%

Behavioral trends observed/likely locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of Groups (city/neighborhood, UNI housing, buy/sell, school updates) and Marketplace; strong daily usage among 30+.
• Short‑form video is rising: Instagram Reels and TikTok for local food spots, UNI/high‑school sports, events; many cross‑post Reels to Facebook.
• Messaging habits: Snapchat dominates among students/young adults; Facebook Messenger common for 30+; WhatsApp pockets among international students/immigrant communities.
• News and alerts: High followership for Waterloo‑Cedar Falls Courier, KWWL, and city/county public safety pages; spikes in engagement during severe weather, road closures, and elections.
• Event discovery: Facebook Events and Instagram Stories power nightlife and community attendance (downtown Cedar Falls, festivals, markets).
• Commerce: Marketplace and local buy/sell groups drive weekend midday traffic; small retailers use Facebook/Instagram for promos; LinkedIn used for hiring at major employers (manufacturing, healthcare, UNI).
• Time‑of‑day peaks: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend afternoons; student activity surges late night, especially on Snapchat/TikTok.

Notes on method and confidence

• County‑level platform usage is not directly published. Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption rates, adjusted for Black Hawk County’s age profile (ACS) and the presence of UNI (Cedar Falls). Treat as directional estimates.