Des Moines County

Here are current, high-level demographics for Des Moines County, Iowa (latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted):

• Population: about 38.5k
• Age:
  • Median age: ~43–44 years
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 18–64: ~59%
  • 65 and over: ~20%
• Sex:
  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%
• Race and Hispanic/Latino origin (share of total population):
  • White alone: ~85–86%
  • Black or African American alone: ~7–8%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.4%
  • Asian alone: ~0.8–0.9%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
  • Some other race alone: ~0.8–0.9%
  • Two or more races: ~4–5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%
  • White alone, not Hispanic: ~81–82%
• Households:
  • Total households: about 16.2k
  • Average household size: ~2.27
  • Average family size: ~2.9
  • Family households: ~60%
  • Married-couple families: ~44%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27%
  • Householder living alone: ~33% (about 14% age 65+ living alone)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates; 2020 Decennial Census for baseline population count.

Des Moines County, IA email usage (estimates)

• Estimated email users: 28–31k residents (≈92% of adults; ≈75–80% of total population ≈38k).
• By age (approximate users): • 13–17: ~2.1k • 18–34: ~7.4k • 35–64: ~14.4k • 65+: ~6.1k
• Gender split: roughly even (≈50/50).

Digital access trends:

• About 83–86% of households subscribe to home broadband; ~10–12% are smartphone‑only; ~3–5% report no internet at home.
• Email use is near‑universal for adults under 65; seniors lag but continue to gain adoption.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population density ≈90 people per square mile; connectivity is strongest in Burlington (the urban hub) and along US‑61/US‑34 corridors.
• Fixed broadband options are broad in Burlington; rural townships have sparser wired choices and lower top speeds, with mobile LTE/5G helping fill gaps.

Notes: Figures synthesize U.S. Census/ACS broadband subscription rates, Pew Research email adoption by age, and FCC availability patterns, applied to Des Moines County’s population. Estimates provide directional planning guidance rather than exact counts.

Mobile phone usage in Des Moines County, IA — 2025 snapshot with how it differs from Iowa overall

Quick estimates (modeled)

• Population base: roughly 38–39k residents, ~30k adults (ACS 2022–2023 range).
• Smartphone users: about 28k–31k people (roughly 86–90% of adults, 80–85% of total population). Method: Pew Research Center 2023 adoption rates by age applied to local age mix; teens have near-universal smartphone access.
• Active cellular lines: typically near population parity in similar counties; expect roughly 0.9–1.2 lines per resident when including watches/tablets/hotspots (≈34k–47k total lines).
• “Smartphone-only” internet households (no home broadband): likely 18–22% locally vs ~15–18% statewide, reflecting cost and rural gaps.

Demographic patterns shaping usage

• Older age structure: Des Moines County skews slightly older than Iowa overall. Because smartphone adoption among 65+ (nationally ~75–80%) lags younger groups, this pulls overall penetration a bit below the state average.
• Income mix: Median household income is slightly below the Iowa average, which typically translates into higher prepaid/MVNO use, more Android devices, and higher reliance on smartphones as the primary internet connection.
• Urban–rural split: Burlington/West Burlington drive higher data demand and better 5G availability; rural townships see more LTE fallback, more Wi‑Fi calling reliance, and higher smartphone-only dependence.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Carrier presence: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all operate in the county; UScellular historically had coverage and roaming in SE Iowa. FirstNet (AT&T) serves public safety. MVNOs ride the big three.
• 5G footprint: Low-band 5G is broadly available; mid-band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz, Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is concentrated in Burlington/West Burlington and along US‑61/US‑34 corridors. Rural edges more often fall back to LTE.
• Capacity and terrain: The Mississippi River valley, bluffs, and wooded ravines can create shadowed areas and indoor challenges in older brick buildings downtown—driving higher Wi‑Fi calling use and occasional external antennas in fringe zones.
• Sites and backhaul: Macro towers cluster along highways and on higher terrain; small-cell/DAS is limited and mainly in denser commercial pockets. Backhaul is adequate in the urban core; capacity can be constrained on rural sectors at peak times.
• Public access: Libraries, schools, and municipal buildings provide key Wi‑Fi nodes; school-issued hotspots remain common among low-income households post‑pandemic.
• Emergency services: Text‑to‑911 is supported statewide in Iowa; network priority/preemption available to public safety via FirstNet.

How Des Moines County differs from the Iowa state picture

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration driven by an older population share and income mix.
• Higher prepaid/MVNO share and higher likelihood of smartphone-only households (cost sensitivity plus patchier fixed broadband in rural tracts).
• More uneven 5G mid-band density: urban core comparable to state averages; rural sectors lag and rely on LTE more often.
• Median mobile speeds tend to trail state medians outside Burlington due to fewer mid-band sectors and lower site density; in-town performance is comparable to statewide.
• Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters in fringe/river-bluff areas than in flatter, more uniformly covered Iowa counties.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• User estimates are modeled from ACS population/age structure and Pew 2023 smartphone adoption by age; figures are ranges, not exact counts.
• Infrastructure observations reflect common carrier rollouts in SE Iowa through 2024 and typical terrain effects along the Mississippi corridor.
• For planning-grade precision (e.g., by census tract), pair this with the latest FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile maps, carrier 5G mid-band maps, and a local drive test.

Here’s a concise, locally tuned snapshot for Des Moines County, IA. Figures are modeled from 2020–2023 ACS demographics and 2023–2024 Pew Research platform adoption, adjusted for a small Midwestern county. Treat as directional estimates, not exact counts.

Population baseline (approx.)

• Total residents: ~38.5–39k
• Adults 18+: ~30k
• Teens 13–17: ~2.3–2.5k
• Gender: ~51% female, 49% male

Overall social media penetration

• Adults (18+): 78–82% use at least one platform (~23–25k people)
• Teens (13–17): 95% use at least one platform (2.2–2.4k)

Most-used platforms (adult 18+, estimated share who use)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75% (strongest overall, especially 30+)
• Instagram: 40–45%
• Pinterest: 30–40% (skews female 25–54)
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30% (younger adults)
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 18–22% (pockets in manufacturing/healthcare admin/education)
• WhatsApp: 12–16% (lower than national average)
• Reddit: 15–20%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (limited neighborhood coverage)

Most-used platforms (teens 13–17, estimated share who use)

• YouTube: 90–95%
• TikTok: 60–70%
• Snapchat: 60–70%
• Instagram: 60–65%
• Facebook: 20–30%
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• Reddit: 15–25%

Age patterns (usage rates and tendencies)

• 18–29: ~90–95% use; heavier on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube daily.
• 30–49: ~85–90%; Facebook is the hub; Instagram and YouTube secondary; rising TikTok.
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook + YouTube dominate; Pinterest common.
• 65+: ~50–55%; primarily Facebook; YouTube for tutorials/news.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: Slightly higher overall usage; over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; active in local FB groups/buy-sell pages.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X; strong engagement with sports, outdoors, autos, local news/video.

Behavioral trends on the ground

• Facebook is the community backbone: local news, school updates, buy/sell/trade, lost & found pets, events, county services, church and youth sports. Messenger is the default DM; WhatsApp remains niche.
• Weather and emergencies drive spikes: strong followings for local TV/radio pages and storm spotters; peak engagement around severe weather.
• Small business marketing: Facebook Pages and Groups plus short Reels; Instagram for boutiques, salons, and eateries; TikTok growing for restaurants and local creators.
• Teen behavior: Snapchat for daily communication; TikTok and YouTube for entertainment; Instagram for friends/sports highlights.
• Event-driven engagement: county fair, athletics, races, festivals perform best with short video and boosted FB/IG posts geo-targeted within ~20–30 miles of Burlington.
• Timing norms: Local peaks early morning (commute/school runs) and late evening; weekends outperform for events and retail; teens skew after-school to late evening.
• Civic and issues: High engagement on Facebook for school board, local ballot measures, public works updates; comments and shares drive reach more than follows.

Notes and caveats

• Percentages are estimates derived from national Pew adoption rates, adjusted for a small, older-leaning Midwestern county profile and ACS demographics. Local platform shares can vary by town/neighborhood and over time.