Cass County

Cass County, Iowa — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

• Total population: about 12,980 (2023 estimate); 13,127 (2020 Census)
• Age:
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 65 and over: ~26%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~50.4%
  • Male: ~49.6%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White alone: ~94.8%
  • Black or African American alone: ~0.8%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
  • Asian alone: ~0.2%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%
  • Two or more races: ~3.8%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2.5%
• Households:
  • Number of households: ~5,750 (2018–2022 ACS)
  • Average household size: ~2.25 persons
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~76%

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

Cass County, IA — estimated email usage snapshot

• Population and density: ~12.8K residents; ~23 people per square mile (sparse, rural). Largest hub: Atlantic near the I‑80 corridor, where connectivity is strongest.
• Estimated email users: 8.5K–9.5K residents. Method: ~78–80% adults x 85–90% adult email adoption (Pew Research, national) adjusted slightly downward for the county’s older age profile.
• Age distribution (adoption rates, est.):
  • 18–29: ~95%
  • 30–49: ~95%
  • 50–64: ~90%
  • 65+: ~75–80% The older-skewing population lowers the overall rate versus state averages.
• Gender split among users: roughly mirrors population (~49% male, ~51% female). Email adoption differences by gender are minimal in national and Iowa data.
• Digital access trends (ACS/FCC-informed, rural-Iowa comparable):
  • 80–85% of households have a broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer.
  • Smartphone ownership is high; 10–15% of adults are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Better fixed-broadband choice and speeds in Atlantic/along main corridors; fewer options and slower plans in outlying rural tracts, which can depress usage among seniors and low‑income households.

Notes: Figures are estimates derived from U.S. Census/ACS, FCC mapping patterns, and Pew Research email adoption benchmarks applied to Cass County’s demographics.

Mobile phone usage in Cass County, Iowa — summary

At-a-glance user estimates (2024, best-available estimates based on Census/ACS, Pew, and rural Iowa patterns)

• Population: about 13,000; adults (18+) roughly 10,000–10,500.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~9,600–10,100 adults (about 94–96% of adults).
• Smartphone users:
  • Adults: ~8,100–8,500 (about 78–82% of adults; slightly below state average).
  • Teens (13–17): ~800–950 additional smartphone users (very high adoption).
  • Total smartphones in use (all ages): roughly 8,900–9,500.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~4,900–5,100 (around 88–90% of ~5,600 households).
• Households relying on cellular as primary home internet (smartphone- or mobile hotspot–only): likely 18–25% (above the statewide share, which is closer to low-to-mid teens).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns (where Cass County diverges from Iowa overall)

• Older age structure: Cass County’s 65+ share is several points higher than Iowa’s average. Among seniors, smartphone adoption is notably lower (roughly 60–65%), which drags down countywide penetration versus the state.
• Income and education: Median household income and bachelor’s attainment run below state averages. This corresponds with:
  • More prepaid plans and cost-conscious device choices.
  • Longer device replacement cycles.
  • Higher likelihood of mobile-only internet access to avoid fixed broadband costs.
• Family/teen segment: Teens and working-age adults show adoption close to statewide norms; teen smartphone saturation offsets some of the senior gap.
• Rural work patterns: Agriculture, logistics, and field-based work increase reliance on voice/SMS and basic apps, and on highway/road-corridor coverage predictability.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier presence: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet), T-Mobile, and UScellular serve the area; roaming arrangements help fill gaps. If planned industry consolidation involving UScellular proceeds, coverage/roaming dynamics could change in 2025–2026.
• 5G footprint: Low-band 5G is common in and around towns and along I‑80; mid-band 5G (faster) appears concentrated near the interstate and larger towns (e.g., Atlantic) and is patchier elsewhere. Many users remain primarily on LTE outside corridors.
• Coverage variability: Signal quality drops off in low-density tracts and river/valley terrain, creating dead spots and speed swings that are more pronounced than statewide averages.
• Performance: Typical mobile speeds are lower and spikier than Iowa’s urban/suburban medians; capacity is strongest along I‑80 and weaker on rural secondaries.
• Fixed alternatives and mobile substitution:
  • Cable/fiber exist in town centers; DSL and fixed wireless remain common in outlying areas.
  • 5G/4G fixed wireless home internet (e.g., from national carriers) has expanded along I‑80 and in/near Atlantic, raising mobile network load but improving home broadband options where wireline is limited.

How Cass County differs from Iowa overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by a larger senior share.
• Higher reliance on cellular-only home internet and mobile hotspots (cost and availability factors).
• More LTE-centric usage outside corridors; slower 5G transition than state average.
• Greater variability in coverage and speeds across short distances.
• Higher prevalence of prepaid plans and extended device lifecycles.

Notes on method

• Estimates synthesize: county population/age structure (Census/ACS), device and smartphone adoption by age and rurality (Pew Research), and FCC/carrier deployment patterns in rural Iowa. Where county-specific figures are unavailable, ranges reflect rural-county adjustments from Iowa statewide benchmarks.

Cass County, IA social media snapshot (modeled estimates; no official county-level dataset exists)

Population context

• Total population ≈12.5–13.5k; adults (18+) ≈10–11k.

Overall usage

• Adults using any social media: 68–73% (≈6.8k–8.0k adults).
• Daily users among users: ~70–75%.

Age groups (share using any platform)

• 13–17: ~95% (heavy Snapchat/TikTok).
• 18–29: ~92–96%.
• 30–49: ~85–90%.
• 50–64: ~65–75%.
• 65+: ~45–55%.

Gender notes

• Women are slightly more likely to use Facebook and Pinterest; men slightly more on YouTube and X/Reddit.
• Expected user split roughly mirrors population (women ≈51–52% of adults), with a small female tilt among active Facebook users.

Most-used platforms among adult social media users (use at least occasionally)

• YouTube: 75–80%.
• Facebook: 70–75% (Groups/Marketplace are core).
• Instagram: 30–35%.
• Pinterest: 30–35% (mostly women, DIY/recipes).
• TikTok: 25–30% (growing via Reels cross-posts).
• Snapchat: 20–28% (concentrated <30).
• X/Twitter: 12–18% (sports/politics watchers).
• LinkedIn: 12–18% (educators, healthcare, managers).
• WhatsApp: 8–15% (family/extended networks).
• Nextdoor: 3–8% (limited; Facebook Groups fill the niche).

Behavioral trends

• Local-first engagement: Strong reliance on Facebook Groups/Pages for community news, school updates/closings, obituaries, severe weather/road conditions, lost/found pets, events, and buy-sell-trade/Marketplace.
• Video habits: Short vertical video (Facebook Reels/TikTok) earns high reach; YouTube used for how-to (home, auto, farm), local sports highlights, and product research.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for adults; Snapchat messaging is dominant for teens/20s.
• Timing: Peaks around 6:30–8:30 a.m. (weather/news) and 7–10 p.m.; weekend morning browsing; ag workers often check pre-dawn/lunch.
• Trust signals: Posts from known locals (coaches, school staff, pastors, business owners, first responders) outperform brand voices; photo-heavy posts with recognizable people/places do best.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a primary channel for used goods, vehicles, tools, and farm-related items; local service providers rely on boosted posts with tight geofencing (Atlantic/Anita/Griswold).
• Content norms: High engagement for youth sports, school achievements, community fundraisers, harvest scenes, road/construction updates; political content spikes near elections but X/Twitter use remains low.
• Connectivity: Patchy broadband in some pockets leads to more consumption than posting during fieldwork/peak seasons; short, lightweight content performs better.

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for rural demographics and age distribution typical of Cass County (ACS). Expect ±5–8 percentage-point uncertainty by platform/age.