Bremer County

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• Total population
• Median age and key age brackets
• Sex (male/female) share
• Race and Hispanic/Latino composition
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Bremer County, IA — estimated email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: 17,000–20,000 residents. Based on ACS population (~25–26k) and national benchmarks showing ~90%+ of internet-using adults maintain email.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.):
  • 18–34: 25–30% of users; near-universal adoption.
  • 35–64: 45–50% of users; >90% adoption.
  • 65+: 20–25% of users; adoption typically 75–85%, rising each year.
• Gender split: Roughly even (near 50/50), consistent with national patterns.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet/computer subscription rates are typically mid-to-high 80s percent in similar Iowa counties; Bremer’s rates are likely comparable, with steady gains among seniors.
  • Fiber has expanded in and around Waverly (municipal fiber available citywide), with cable/DSL and fixed wireless covering most rural areas; gaps persist on the most sparsely populated roads.
  • Mobile LTE/5G is strong along major corridors (e.g., US‑218), with weaker spots in low-density farmland.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density is roughly 55–60 people per sq. mile; most residents cluster in Waverly, Denver, Sumner, and Shell Rock.
  • FCC maps indicate most addresses have access to 100/20 Mbps or better; state/federal programs are targeting remaining rural pockets.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Bremer County, Iowa (modeled 2024)

Overview and user estimates

• Population baseline: ~25,000–26,000 residents (ACS/Census). Adults ≈ 77–79% of population.
• Estimated mobile phone users (any mobile device): 21,500–23,000 (roughly 84–88% of total population).
• Estimated smartphone users: 20,500–22,000 (about 80–85% of total population; 90%+ among adults under 65, 70–80% among 65+).
• Mobile-only internet households (use cellular as primary home internet): likely below Iowa’s rural average due to strong local fiber availability in and around Waverly; still present in outer townships where fixed options thin.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns and adoption)

• 18–29: Very high smartphone adoption (≈95–98%). Wartburg College students lift both penetration and per-capita data use in Waverly; heavy MVNO usage and 5G device penetration.
• 30–64: Near-universal mobile ownership (≈95%+), high smartphone share. Work-related mobile use and hotspotting common, but less reliance on mobile as primary home internet than rural Iowa peers because fiber and cable options are available to many households.
• 65+: Adoption trails younger cohorts (≈70–80% smartphone; remaining use feature phones or basic plans). Strong year-over-year growth as low-band 5G improves perceived coverage and as telehealth expands.
• Income/education: Median income at or slightly above Iowa average and a college presence correlate with higher smartphone ownership and newer devices compared with rural Iowa overall.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes (county-level)

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular all serve the county. UScellular retains meaningful share in rural tracts; Verizon and T-Mobile have strengthened 5G coverage along main corridors.
• 5G footprint: Mid-band 5G (e.g., Verizon C-band, T-Mobile 2.5 GHz) is most consistent in and around Waverly and along US‑218; low-band 5G and LTE cover the rest of the county with occasional weak spots in sparsely populated northern and eastern townships.
• Backhaul and local fiber: Waverly Utilities (municipal fiber) and Butler-Bremer Communications (telco cooperative) provide dense fiber backhaul and FTTH in core and several rural areas; Mediacom and regional carriers add redundancy. This fiber depth improves mobile site capacity and peak-hour performance relative to many rural counties.
• Public/enterprise Wi‑Fi: Wartburg College and municipal/enterprise Wi‑Fi in Waverly offload traffic, reducing cellular congestion in the city.
• Emergency communications: AT&T FirstNet coverage is established; local agencies in the Cedar Valley region commonly use it. Reliable coverage on primary roads; device provisioning and priority services improve resilience during incidents.

How Bremer County differs from Iowa statewide trends

• Coverage quality: Better-than-average rural capacity where fiber backhaul is dense (Waverly and along US‑218), with speeds and reliability that often exceed rural Iowa norms; still behind Iowa’s major metros (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City) for contiguous mid-band 5G.
• Adoption mix: Slightly higher smartphone and 5G device adoption than Iowa’s rural average due to college presence and income/education profile; older adult adoption still lags but is catching up faster year over year.
• Carrier dynamics: UScellular remains comparatively stronger in outer townships than in Iowa’s metro counties; T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G has made faster inroads around Waverly than in many farm-heavy counties without a college town.
• Mobile-as-primary broadband: Lower share than rural Iowa average because municipal and cooperative fiber reduce the need to rely on cellular home internet; where fiber/DSL is absent, households do adopt LTE/5G fixed wireless at rates similar to rural peers.
• Traffic patterns: Noticeable student-driven nightly and weekend peaks in Waverly differ from commuter-heavy patterns typical of counties without a residential college.

Implications

• For residents: Best overall performance in and near Waverly; verify rural address coverage per carrier, especially if relying on mobile for home internet.
• For businesses and agencies: Strong fiber backhaul and multiple carriers support reliable mobility and IoT in population centers; site surveys recommended for agricultural and exurban deployments due to patchy mid-band 5G outside corridors.
• For planners: Continued investment in rural fiber laterals and additional macro/small-cell sites along county roads would close the remaining gap with metro-level 5G performance.

Bremer County, IA – social media snapshot (estimates for 2025)

Overall user stats

• Population: ~25–26k residents. Estimated social media users: ~20–22k (80–85% of residents 13+ use at least one platform).
• Household internet access: roughly mid-80s% of households have broadband; mobile-only access fills many rural gaps.
• Daily use: About 70% of social media users log in daily; younger users are heavy multi‑platform users.

Age breakdown (share using at least one platform)

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

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Women: slightly higher overall usage (≈85–88% use at least one platform). Skews higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.
• Men: ≈80–83% use at least one platform. Skews higher on YouTube, X (Twitter), Reddit.
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: women +5–10 pts vs men
  • Instagram: women +5 pts
  • Pinterest: women ~2x men
  • YouTube: men +5–10 pts
  • X/Twitter and Reddit: men +5–10 pts (overall smaller bases)

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated % of adults who use)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 40–45%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 28–32% overall; 70–85% among 18–24
• Pinterest: 28–33% (heavier among women 25–54)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (concentrated among educators, healthcare, managers)
• X/Twitter: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (lower in rural areas)

Frequency and engagement (typical share of users who are daily users)

• Snapchat: ~75–80% of users daily (messaging/streaks among teens/college)
• TikTok: ~60–65% daily (short‑form video)
• Facebook: ~65–70% daily (groups, Marketplace, local news)
• Instagram: ~55–60% daily (Stories/Reels)
• YouTube: ~45–50% daily (how‑to, sports, music)

Behavioral trends to know

• Local-first on Facebook: Community groups (buy/sell, school athletics, youth sports, churches, events), city/county pages, and Marketplace drive the highest engagement. Event RSVPs and photo albums perform well.
• Video everywhere: Short‑form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is rising for local businesses, athletics highlights, and community updates; simple, authentic clips outperform polished ads.
• Messaging shift by age: Snapchat DMs for teens/college; Facebook Messenger for adults; SMS still common. WhatsApp adoption is comparatively low.
• Shopping and services: Facebook Marketplace is a key channel for used goods, farm/ranch items, and local services; Instagram is growing for boutiques and salons; TikTok favors discovery for food, fitness, and campus‑adjacent spots.
• Timing: Peaks around 6–8 am (commute/school prep), lunch hours, and 7–9 pm. Weekends see strong event and sports engagement.
• Trust and reach: Content from schools, local government, first responders, and well‑known community figures spreads fastest; local endorsements matter more than polished brand creative.
• Youth patterns: 13–24 heavily on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram; Facebook mostly for groups/notifications. Cross‑posting school announcements to Instagram and Snapchat improves reach.
• Older adults: Facebook is default; YouTube for tutorials, home improvement, and church/faith content.

Notes on method

• These are county‑level estimates derived by applying recent Pew Research Center U.S. platform rates (2023–2024) and rural Midwest adjustments to Bremer County’s demographics. Precise county survey data are limited; use these figures as planning benchmarks rather than exact counts.