Delaware County

Delaware County, Iowa — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

• Population: 17,488 (2020 Census); ~17.4k in 2019–2023 ACS.
• Age: median ~43 years; under 18 ~22%; 18–64 ~57%; 65+ ~21%.
• Sex: ~50% female, ~50% male.
• Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023):
  • White alone ~95–96%
  • Black or African American alone ~0.4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone ~0.2%
  • Asian alone ~0.2%
  • Two or more races ~2%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race) ~2–3%
• Households (ACS 2019–2023):
  • ~7,200 households
  • Average household size ~2.4
  • Family households ~67% (married-couple families ~55–56%)
  • Owner-occupied housing units ~80%

Delaware County, IA email snapshot (estimates)

• Users: 12,500–14,000 residents use email regularly. Basis: ~17.5k population, ~77% adults, ~90–95% email adoption among connected adults; most teens also maintain an email.
• Age distribution of users:
  • 13–17: ~6–8%
  • 18–29: ~14–18%
  • 30–49: ~25–30%
  • 50–64: ~22–26%
  • 65+: ~18–22% (lower adoption than younger cohorts, but rising)
• Gender split: ~50% female, 50% male; email use is essentially even by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Broadband subscription: roughly 80–85% of households (≈5,500–6,000 of ~7,000 households).
  • Smartphone ownership: ~80–90% of adults; smartphone‑only internet households ~12–15%.
  • Fiber is expanding from the hub city of Manchester (≈5,300 residents) outward; many rural addresses still rely on fixed‑wireless or legacy DSL, though speeds and reliability are improving year over year due to state/federal buildouts.
• Local density/connectivity context: Low population density (~30 people per square mile) makes last‑mile deployment costly, contributing to patchier high‑speed options outside Manchester and along main corridors.

Notes: Figures synthesized from recent ACS/Pew/Census benchmarks applied to Delaware County’s size and rural profile.

Here’s a concise, decision-ready picture of mobile phone usage in Delaware County, Iowa, with estimates, demographics, and infrastructure—and how it differs from statewide patterns.

Headline snapshot

• Population base: About 17–18k residents (2020–2023 range). Older-than-Iowa age mix and highly rural.
• Estimated mobile users (any phone): 13.5–14.5k residents.
• Estimated smartphone users: 12–13k residents.
• Notable differences vs Iowa overall: slightly lower smartphone penetration (especially 65+), more LTE-only areas, heavier reliance on UScellular/Verizon in fringe areas, and faster growth in fixed‑wireless/5G Home Internet as a complement to limited rural wireline options.

How the estimates were built (high level)

• Population by age approximated from recent Census/ACS patterns; rural counties like Delaware skew older than Iowa overall.
• Smartphone adoption assumptions by age use recent Pew findings adjusted slightly downward for rural seniors: 18–34 (97%), 35–64 (90%), 65+ (65–70%), teens 13–17 (95%).
• Resulting county estimates:
  • Smartphone users: roughly 12.0–12.8k.
  • Any mobile phone (feature + smartphone): roughly 13.5–14.5k.
  • OS mix: Android modestly ahead of iOS (about 55/45), more Android than statewide due to cost sensitivity and older user base.

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Age structure: Higher share 65+ than the Iowa average. This drives:
  • Lower smartphone penetration and app adoption.
  • Higher persistence of basic phones and voice/SMS-first behavior.
• Income and plan type: Household incomes slightly below Iowa median translate to:
  • Above-average use of prepaid/MVNO plans (Straight Talk/Tracfone, Visible, Cricket, UScellular prepaid).
  • Strong family-plan anchoring among postpaid users to manage costs.
• Education/occupation mix: Agriculture and skilled trades footprint means more:
  • Device durability preferences (rugged/entry Androids), hotspot/tethering on the go, and boosters in metal buildings.
• Racial/ethnic mix: County is predominantly White non-Hispanic with a small but growing Hispanic population; language-access needs are rising but still below urban Iowa levels.
• Household composition: More single-line senior accounts; fewer multi-line student accounts than university counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence: Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile, and UScellular all operate; UScellular remains influential in rural NE Iowa. MVNOs are widely used but can see deprioritized speeds.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G is common in and around towns (Manchester, Edgewood, Delhi, Hopkinton, Earlville) and along major corridors (US‑20, IA‑13).
  • Mid-band 5G (fast 5G) is more limited—concentrated near Manchester and primary routes. Many outlying farm areas are still LTE‑only much of the time.
  • mmWave is effectively absent.
• Capacity and indoor experience:
  • Macro sites cover highways and towns; spacing in rural areas leads to dead zones in river valleys and behind terrain/trees, with indoor reliance on Wi‑Fi Calling or signal boosters.
  • Congestion spikes during events and at busy highway segments; MVNO users feel slowdowns first.
• Backhaul/fiber underpinnings:
  • Fiber is solid in town centers and select rural pockets (co-ops/independents), but not ubiquitous. This constrains some tower backhaul and mid-band expansions off main corridors.
• Home internet crossover:
  • Fixed wireless (LTE/5G Home Internet) adoption is rising faster than statewide averages in rural parts due to patchy cable/DSL. It also anchors mobile plan bundling and drives higher data usage on cellular networks in evenings.

Behavioral usage notes

• Voice and text still see higher relative use among seniors vs statewide averages.
• App mix leans practical: weather, farm/market data, navigation, banking, telehealth; less food-delivery/gig-app penetration than urban Iowa.
• Device replacement cycles are longer than statewide (cost-conscious, less spec-driven upgrades).

How Delaware County differs from Iowa overall

• Coverage profile: More LTE reliance and patchier mid-band 5G outside towns; statewide, urban corridors have broader mid-band 5G.
• Adoption: Slightly lower smartphone penetration, especially among 65+, and a higher share of basic phones.
• Plans and carriers: More prepaid/MVNO and UScellular presence; Verizon strong in fringe areas; T‑Mobile improving but still uneven off-corridor compared to metros.
• Home connectivity: Faster growth of cellular-based home internet as primary or backup compared with urban Iowa.
• Indoor reliability: Greater dependence on Wi‑Fi Calling/boosters in metal buildings and farmhouses than statewide norms.

Notes on data confidence

• Counts are modeled from Census/ACS population, Pew smartphone adoption by age, rural Iowa carrier footprints, FCC coverage filings, and carrier disclosures as of 2024.

Here’s a concise, planning‑ready snapshot for Delaware County, Iowa. Figures are estimates modeled from Pew Research Center 2023–2024 U.S. usage, adjusted toward rural patterns; use platform ad tools for exact local reach.

Population baseline

• County pop: ~17.5–18k; adults ~13.5–14k.
• Social media users (adults): ~9.6k–10.4k (≈70–76% of adults).
• Daily use: ~60–70% of adults; average 3–4 platforms per user.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults; multi‑platform usage means totals exceed 100%)

• YouTube: 72–76% (highest overall; strong across ages)
• Facebook: 65–70% (dominant for 30+; community/activity hub)
• Instagram: 28–35% (younger skew; Reels growth)
• TikTok: 22–28% (18–34 core; short‑form video)
• Pinterest: 25–32% (female‑skewed; home, food, crafts)
• Snapchat: 18–24% overall; 60–75% among 13–24
• X (Twitter): 12–18% (news/sports niche)
• Reddit: 12–17% (male under‑35 skew)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (professionals/commuters)
• Nextdoor: <5% (limited presence)

Age patterns (who’s active where)

• 13–17: YouTube 90%+; Snapchat 60–70%; TikTok 60–65%; Instagram ~55–60%; Facebook <30%.
• 18–29: YouTube 85%+; Instagram ~70%; Snapchat ~60%; TikTok ~55%; Facebook ~55–60%.
• 30–49: YouTube ~80%; Facebook ~70%; Instagram ~40%; TikTok ~30–35%; Pinterest strong among women.
• 50–64: Facebook ~70–75%; YouTube ~65%; Instagram ~20–25%; TikTok ~15–20%; Pinterest moderate.
• 65+: Facebook ~60–65%; YouTube ~55–60%; others low.

Gender breakdown (skews, not absolutes)

• Overall social users: roughly even, slight female majority (~52–55%).
• Female‑skewed: Facebook (esp. 35+), Pinterest (heavily), Instagram (slight).
• Male‑skewed: YouTube (slight), Reddit (strong), X (moderate).

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the local town square: school and athletics updates, churches, service clubs, county fair, festivals, road closures/weather, buy/sell via Marketplace, and very active community groups.
• Video rules: YouTube for how‑to, ag equipment, DIY, hunting/fishing; Reels/shorts on Facebook/Instagram gaining attention among 18–44; TikTok growing for farm/rural humor, DIY, fitness, and local creators.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for 30+; Snapchat is the default DM for teens/20s. WhatsApp use is low.
• Timing: Peaks 6–8 am, lunch, and 7–10 pm; Sunday afternoons strong. Brief but frequent checks during planting/harvest; longer evening sessions in winter.
• Content that performs: Local faces and places, school sports highlights, event promos, giveaways/coupons, before‑and‑after projects, short vertical video with captions. Organic reach strongest via groups; Pages benefit from event posts and Reels.
• Geo reality: Most engagement clusters around Manchester, plus nearby towns (Edgewood, Earlville, Delhi, Hopkinton, Colesburg, Ryan). Effective paid reach often within a 15–25‑mile radius.
• News trust flows through local outlets’ Facebook pages (radio/newspaper) and word‑of‑mouth in groups; weather and school closings drive spikes.

Notes

• Use platform ad planners (Facebook/Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube) with geo set to Delaware County to refine these ranges for campaigns.
• If including teens in planning (schools, youth sports), weight Snapchat/TikTok/YouTube higher than Facebook/Instagram.