Franklin County

To ensure accuracy, do you want these figures from the 2020 Decennial Census (official counts) or the latest ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (most current estimates)? I can provide both if helpful.

Franklin County, IA snapshot (estimates)

• Population/context: ≈10,000 residents; rural density roughly 17–20 people per square mile. Service is strongest in towns (e.g., Hampton) with pockets of weaker fixed-broadband on farms; libraries/schools provide key public Wi‑Fi.
• Email users: About 7,500–8,000 residents use email at least monthly (roughly 75–80% of the population; higher among adults).
• Age patterns (share using email):
  • Ages 13–17: ~85–90%
  • 18–34: ~95%
  • 35–54: ~92–95%
  • 55–64: ~85–90%
  • 65+: ~65–75%
• Gender split: Approximately even (near 50/50 among users).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet subscription likely in the low-to-mid 80% range, consistent with rural Iowa ACS patterns; smartphone-only access around 10–15% and rising.
  • Fixed broadband (cable/fiber) covers most in-town addresses; many outlying areas rely on fixed wireless, 5G, or satellite. Mobile broadband coverage is generally strong along major roads, with occasional rural dead zones.
  • Gradual fiber expansion is increasing speeds/reliability in population centers, narrowing—but not eliminating—the urban/rural gap.

Notes: Figures are inferred from state/national adoption rates applied to Franklin County’s population and typical rural Iowa connectivity patterns; use as directional estimates.

Below is a concise, county-focused snapshot using the latest broadly available public indicators (ACS S2801, Pew Research, CDC NHIS wireless-only, and FCC broadband/5G disclosures through 2024), plus rural-Iowa patterns.

Key takeaways vs Iowa overall

• Smartphone adoption among adults is slightly lower than the Iowa average (older age mix), but reliance on mobile service as the primary home connection is higher outside town centers.
• Prepaid and budget Android share is higher than the state average; iPhone share and postpaid penetration are a bit lower.
• 5G low‑band coverage is common along highways and in towns; mid‑band 5G capacity is patchier than statewide norms, especially beyond Hampton/Sheffield. mmWave is effectively absent.
• Indoor coverage can be inconsistent in metal/ag buildings; mobile hotspots are used more frequently as a substitute for fixed broadband on farms and in scattered housing.
• Fewer carrier retail storefronts than urban Iowa; Walmart and independent dealers drive more prepaid and BYOD activations.

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude)

• Adult mobile phone ownership: very high (≈92–96% of adults), within a point or two of statewide.
• Smartphone ownership: roughly 82–88% of adults (likely 2–4 points below Iowa overall due to a larger 65+ share).
• Wireless‑only households (no landline): about 55–65% (statewide typically a bit higher); lower among seniors, higher among younger renters.
• Households relying primarily on cellular for home internet: roughly 15–25% countywide, higher outside Hampton/Sheffield; statewide benchmark is closer to 10–15%.
• Prepaid share of lines: noticeably higher than the state average (driven by cost sensitivity and retail channel mix).

Demographic patterns to note

• Seniors (65+): Smartphone adoption materially below average (often 55–70% range). More basic/voice‑first usage, larger share on simple or legacy devices, and more mixed cellular/wifi calling habits.
• Hispanic/Latino residents: High smartphone adoption, above‑average mobile‑only internet reliance; prepaid and family plans are common. Language support and international calling features influence carrier choice.
• Lower‑income households: The end of new ACP funding has pushed some households to prepaid or throttled plans; Lifeline remains but is narrower. Expect plan downgrades and intermittent service among the most price‑sensitive.
• Agriculture and field workers: Above‑average use of rugged phones and mobile hotspots; coverage challenges inside metal buildings; seasonality in data usage (equipment telemetry, mapping, and coordination).

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet Band 14), Verizon, T‑Mobile, and UScellular have macro coverage; roaming fills some fringe gaps. Town centers and highway corridors see the strongest signal.
• 5G profile: Low‑band 5G is widespread where 4G existed; mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile n41, Verizon/AT&T C‑band) clusters in and near Hampton/Sheffield and along primary routes; coverage and capacity drop off quickly in rural blocks. mmWave is essentially not a factor.
• Tower density: Sparse rural macro grid with clusters along US‑65 and IA‑3, plus spillover from the I‑35 corridor to the west; “dozens” of macro sites across the county. In‑building coverage can be weak in metal structures without repeaters.
• Capacity constraints: Rural sectors can saturate during events or peak seasons; mid‑band upgrades alleviate this in towns but remain limited across farmland.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable/fiber are concentrated in town footprints; outside that, older DSL/WISP and some co‑op fiber pockets lead to higher dependence on mobile hotspots compared with the state average.
• Public safety: FirstNet has improved AT&T rural resilience; still, device provisioning and in‑building coverage remain frequent pain points for EMS/fire in outlying areas.
• Retail and distribution: Limited carrier‑owned stores; activations often run through big‑box and independent dealers, skewing toward prepaid/BYOD and affecting device mix and upgrade cadence.

How Franklin County differs most from Iowa overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration (age‑driven), but higher mobile‑as‑primary‑internet outside towns.
• Higher prepaid share and Android mix; lower presence of premium iPhone tiers and add‑on services.
• More coverage variability indoors and at section‑line distances from highways; fewer mid‑band 5G carriers per location.
• Greater use of mobile hotspots due to patchy fixed broadband beyond municipal boundaries.

Here’s a concise, localized estimate for social media use in Franklin County, Iowa. Exact county-level platform stats aren’t published; figures below are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. usage patterns, rural-Midwest skews, and ACS population/broadband data for similar Iowa counties.

County snapshot

• Population: roughly 10,000 residents; about 8,000–8,500 are age 13+.
• Internet/smartphone access: 75–82% of households have broadband; ~85–90% of adults own a smartphone.
• Social media reach (13+): about 6,200–6,800 residents (72–80%) use at least one platform.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of residents 13+)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 70–75% (strongest single network for daily local info)
• Facebook Messenger: 65–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 35–40%
• Snapchat: 30–35% (concentrated among teens/20s)
• Pinterest: 25–30% (skews female)
• X/Twitter: 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 12–18% (lower in rural labor mix)
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (less relevant than Facebook Groups in small towns)

Age-group patterns (share using any social + platform lean)

• Teens (13–17): 90%+ on social; heavy Snapchat (70–75%), TikTok (65–70%), Instagram (60–65%); YouTube ~95%.
• 18–29: 95%+ on social; YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~75%, TikTok ~60%, Snapchat ~60–65%, Facebook ~65–70%.
• 30–49: 85–90% on social; Facebook ~80–85%, YouTube ~90%, Instagram ~50–55%, TikTok ~35–40%, Pinterest ~35% (women).
• 50–64: 70–75% on social; Facebook ~75–80%, YouTube ~80%, Instagram ~25–35%, TikTok ~18–25%.
• 65+: 55–60% on social; Facebook ~65–70%, YouTube ~60–65%; others much lower.

Gender breakdown (directional)

• Overall user split: roughly 51% women, 49% men (reflects county demographics).
• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.
• Approx female usage rates: Facebook ~75–78%, Instagram ~50–55%, TikTok ~35–40%, Pinterest ~40–45%.
• Approx male usage rates: Facebook ~70–73%, Instagram ~40–45%, TikTok ~30–35%, Reddit ~15–20%.

Behavioral trends (what people actually do)

• Community and local info: Facebook Pages/Groups are primary for school updates, sports, county fair, churches, weather alerts, lost-and-found, and buy/sell via Marketplace.
• Ag and trades content: Strong YouTube consumption for equipment repair, DIY, seed/chem reviews, precision ag tips; Facebook Groups for farm classifieds and local services.
• Events and booster culture: High engagement with photos/highlights of high school sports and band; Instagram for visuals, Facebook for reach.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the de facto DM tool; Snapchat dominates teen/college-age messaging; WhatsApp pockets may exist among Spanish-speaking residents.
• Shopping and recommendations: Facebook Marketplace first; local “ISO” posts common; Pinterest used for home, crafts, recipes.
• News and weather: Facebook and YouTube for regional TV/radio clips; quick-check behavior spikes during storms and school closings.
• Timing: Morning (6–8am) and evening (7–10pm) peaks; weekday lunch bump; during planting/harvest, late-night YouTube and Facebook spikes.

Notes and sources

• Basis: Pew Research Center social media use (2023–2024); ACS population/broadband patterns for rural Iowa; typical rural–urban platform skews. Figures are modeled ranges, not platform-reported counts.