Cerro Gordo County

Key demographics: Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

• Population: ~43,100 (2020 Census); roughly flat to slight decline since 2010.
• Age:
  • Median age: ~44 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18–64: ~58%
  • 65 and over: ~21%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%
• Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive):
  • Non-Hispanic White: ~88–90%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~6–7%
  • Black (Non-Hispanic): ~1–2%
  • Asian (Non-Hispanic): ~1%
  • Two or more races (Non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native and other (Non-Hispanic): <1%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~19,000
  • Average household size: ~2.2 persons
  • Family households: ~55% of households
  • Nonfamily households: ~45% (householder living alone ~35–36%; about 15–16% age 65+ living alone)
  • Households with children under 18: ~25%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year). Figures are rounded.

• Estimated email users: 30,000–35,000 residents. Basis: population ~43k; ~85–90% of adults (plus most teens) use email.
• Age profile (approximate share of users; adoption rate):
  • 13–29: 22–26% of users; 95%+ adoption
  • 30–49: 28–32%; ~95%
  • 50–64: 22–26%; ~90%
  • 65+: 20–24%; ~75–85%
• Gender split: ~49% male / 51% female in the county; email use is near-equal by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband: roughly low–mid 80% of households subscribe; about 10–15% lack home internet.
  • Smartphones: ~85–90% adult adoption; 10–20% of households are mobile-only for internet.
  • Access support: libraries, schools, and workplaces provide public Wi‑Fi and email access; pandemic-era shifts increased routine email use for services, health, and work.
• Local density/connectivity:
  • Population density ~76 people/sq mi; residents cluster in Mason City and Clear Lake, where speeds and subscription rates are higher.
  • Rural townships see more variability in fixed broadband, though ongoing fiber buildouts are narrowing gaps.

Notes: Figures are estimates synthesized from U.S./Iowa benchmarks (ACS S2801-type indicators, rural Iowa patterns) applied to Cerro Gordo County’s population profile.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

County snapshot

• Population and households: ~42–43k people; ~19k households. Roughly two-thirds live in Mason City/Clear Lake; the rest are rural.
• Age/income context: Older and slightly lower-income than Iowa overall, which shapes device adoption and reliance patterns.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: ~28k–31k (about 82–88% of adults), a few points below Iowa’s overall rate due to the county’s older age mix.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~16k–17k (about 85–90% of households).
• Households primarily using cellular/mobile hotspot for home internet (“mobile-only”): ~2.7k–3.2k (about 14–17% of households), likely higher than Iowa’s average by roughly 2–4 percentage points.
• Individuals without fixed broadband at home but with a smartphone: on the order of 6k–8k adults, concentrated in lower-income and rural areas.

Demographic breakdown and patterns

• Age:
  • 65+ share is higher than the state (about 21–22% vs ~18–19% statewide).
  • Smartphone adoption among seniors trails the state by several points; basic/voice-first usage is more common.
• Income/education:
  • Lower median incomes and lower bachelor’s attainment than Iowa overall correlate with higher mobile-only reliance and lower in-home broadband adoption.
• Urban vs rural:
  • Mason City/Clear Lake: near-state smartphone adoption, more 5G availability, and greater Wi‑Fi offload due to more public hotspots and cable/fiber options.
  • Rural townships: more cellular-only internet use, heavier dependence on fixed wireless and satellite for home connectivity, and greater sensitivity to coverage gaps/indoor signal.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Cellular networks:
  • All three national carriers provide countywide 4G LTE; 5G low-band is broadly available.
  • Mid-band 5G (higher capacity) is concentrated in Mason City/Clear Lake and along major corridors (I‑35/US‑18/US‑65); indoor coverage in farmsteads and metal buildings can be weak.
  • Seasonal congestion occurs around Clear Lake during peak tourism periods.
• Fixed broadband context (shapes mobile reliance):
  • Cable internet widely available in Mason City/Clear Lake; fiber present in pockets and expanding.
  • Rural areas rely more on DSL remnants, fixed wireless (including CBRS), and satellite. Where fixed options are slower or pricier, households lean on unlimited or high-cap mobile plans.
• Public and anchor connectivity:
  • Libraries, schools, and public facilities offer Wi‑Fi that supplements mobile data usage, especially for students and seniors.
• Policy tailwinds/headwinds:
  • The ACP wind‑down in 2024 likely increased mobile-only reliance among cost‑constrained households.
  • State/federal funding (e.g., BEAD, rural broadband grants) should reduce rural mobile-only dependence over the next 2–4 years as new fixed infrastructure lights up.

How Cerro Gordo differs from Iowa overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption driven by a larger 65+ population.
• Noticeably higher share of mobile-only households, especially outside Mason City/Clear Lake.
• Greater day-to-day dependence on cellular data as a substitute for fixed broadband in rural areas.
• More uneven mid-band 5G capacity than in Iowa’s metro counties; service quality varies more by micro‑location and building type.
• More pronounced seasonal traffic spikes (Clear Lake tourism) compared with most Iowa counties.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are estimates synthesized from recent Census/ACS computer and internet indicators, statewide adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew), and typical rural vs micropolitan patterns in Iowa, adjusted for Cerro Gordo’s age/income mix and infrastructure profile. For exact point-in-time metrics, pull ACS S2801 at the county level and FCC mobile/fixed availability layers.

Below is a concise, county-tailored picture using the best available U.S. benchmarks (Pew Research Center, 2024) adjusted for Cerro Gordo County’s older, small‑city/rural profile. Figures are estimates, not official counts.

Snapshot

• Population: ≈43,000; adults (18+): ≈34,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~24,000–27,000 (≈70–80% of adults)

Most‑used platforms (adults, estimated share)

• YouTube: 75–82%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 38–45%
• Pinterest: 32–38% (skews female)
• TikTok: 25–30% (younger adults heavy)
• Snapchat: 22–28% (concentrated under 30)
• LinkedIn: 20–25% (largest among healthcare, education, public sector, manufacturing)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% (news, sports, weather)
• Reddit: 12–18% (niche, more male)
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (mainly Mason City/Clear Lake neighborhoods)

Age patterns (penetration of any social platform)

• 18–29: 85–95% use; gravitate to YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook used for events/groups, less for posting
• 30–49: 80–90%; strongest on Facebook and YouTube; Instagram growing; TikTok used for entertainment and local food/event discovery
• 50–64: 65–75%; Facebook dominant for community, Marketplace; YouTube for how‑to, news clips; Pinterest for projects/recipes
• 65+: 45–55%; Facebook first; YouTube for tutorials, music, church content; limited TikTok/Snapchat

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base roughly mirrors population (~51% women, 49% men)
• Pinterest heavily female; Instagram slightly female‑leaning; Reddit and X skew male; Facebook and YouTube near parity

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first Facebook: High engagement with local news, schools, churches, city/county pages, buy/sell/trade, storm updates, high‑school sports, and Clear Lake event pages; private groups drive much of the activity
• Video everywhere: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the fastest‑rising content type; cross‑posting is common
• YouTube as utility: DIY, home and farm equipment maintenance, hunting/fishing, recipe and travel content; also local music/history (e.g., Surf Ballroom) and high‑school sports highlights
• Marketplace mentality: Strong Facebook Marketplace use for vehicles, farm/outdoor gear, furniture; peaks on weekends
• Weather and sports spikes: X and Facebook see surges during severe weather, road closures, and big prep sports moments; Iowa DOT and local media updates are widely reshared
• Seasonal Pinterest: Home/garden, crafts, and holiday planning drive cyclical spikes (spring/summer, November–December)
• Nextdoor is neighborhood‑specific: Used for recommendations, lost pets, nuisance reports; adoption varies by subdivision
• Timing: Morning (6–9 a.m.), lunch (11–1), and evening (7–10 p.m.) are peak windows; Sunday night planning posts perform well

Notes on method

• Shares are inferred from Pew’s 2024 U.S. adult platform usage, adjusted downward for rural/older demographics and upward for platforms popular in small‑city communities. Adult population based on recent Census estimates for Cerro Gordo County. For precise targeting, validate against your own page insights/ad platform reach in Mason City, Clear Lake, and nearby ZIPs.