Fremont County

Here are key, high-level demographics for Fremont County, Iowa. Figures are the most recent available from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5‑year). Values are rounded.

Population

• Total population: 6,605 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18 to 64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~22%

Sex

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin (2020 Census)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~91%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Black or African American: <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Asian: <1%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~2,800
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~62% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–77%
• Median household income: roughly $60–65k

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5‑year estimates.

Fremont County, IA snapshot (estimates based on Census/ACS and Pew benchmarks)

• Population: ~6,600 (very rural; ~13 people per sq. mile).
• Email users: ~4.7–5.0k adults use email regularly; including teens, ~5.2–5.4k total users.

Age pattern (share using email):

• 18–29: ~95–99%
• 30–49: ~97–99%
• 50–64: ~94–97%
• 65+: ~80–90% Older adults are the main non-users.

Gender split:

• Roughly even; users mirror the population (~50% women / ~50% men).

Digital access trends:

• Home broadband subscription is likely ~75–80% of households; ~10–15% are smartphone‑only; ~8–12% lack home internet. Subscription rates trail availability, reflecting cost and limited provider choice.
• Connectivity is strongest in/near towns (e.g., Sidney, Hamburg, Tabor) and along major corridors; service options and speeds drop in sparsely populated farm areas and river bottoms.
• Mobile coverage generally adequate on primary roads; gaps persist in low‑density and hilly/bluff terrain.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Low residential density and long last‑mile runs increase infrastructure costs, which suppresses competition and adoption compared with Iowa’s urban counties. Ongoing state/federal rural broadband programs are gradually improving coverage and speeds.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Fremont County, Iowa (focus on what differs from Iowa overall)

Context and method

• Small, rural county in far southwest Iowa (population roughly 6.5–6.7k; about 2.7–2.9k households). Estimates below combine recent census-age structure for rural Iowa with typical rural smartphone adoption and carrier coverage patterns; ranges are provided where exact local counts are unavailable.

Estimated user base

• People using any mobile phone: roughly 4,800–5,400 residents (about 72–82% of total population, including teens). This share is a bit lower than Iowa’s overall rate, largely due to an older age mix and more limited coverage in some rural pockets.
• Smartphone users: roughly 3,900–4,600 (about 60–70% of total population; 75–85% of adults). That is a few percentage points below the state average for adults.
• Households that are mobile-only (no landline/VoIP): high in towns, moderate in the countryside; overall likely below the state’s urbanized counties but above historical rural levels. A notable minority of households rely on mobile data or hotspots for home internet because fixed broadband can be limited outside town limits.
• Plan types: prepaid/MVNO usage is higher than the state average, reflecting cost sensitivity and the need to try different carriers for coverage. Postpaid family plans remain common in town centers.

Demographic patterns behind usage

• Age:
  • 18–44: near-urban smartphone adoption (≈90–95%); heavy app, navigation, and social use.
  • 45–64: high adoption (≈80–90%) but with more conservative data use and longer device replacement cycles.
  • 65+: meaningfully lower adoption (≈60–75%); more basic voice/text users remain than at the state level. Seniors increasingly use telehealth and messaging, but coverage and affordability affect uptake.
• Income and cost: Median household incomes trail the state average, which correlates with:
  • More prepaid, refurbished, or budget Android devices; slower upgrade cadence.
  • Greater sensitivity to plan prices after the end of the federal ACP subsidy, with some households shifting to lower-cost MVNOs or sharing data plans.
• Work patterns: Agriculture, transportation along I‑29, and small‑shop services drive needs for wide‑area coverage, in‑vehicle use, hotspots on machines/trucks, and signal boosters in metal buildings.
• Language/culture: Predominantly White non‑Hispanic, with a small but important Hispanic community; emergency alerts and school communications increasingly support bilingual messaging.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate in the county; coverage is strong in towns (Sidney, Hamburg, Tabor, Farragut) and along I‑29, with weaker pockets in the Loess Hills, river bottoms, and wooded ravines (e.g., near Waubonsie State Park, Riverton WMA).
• 5G status:
  • Low‑band 5G from all three carriers is common near highways and towns.
  • Mid‑band 5G (fastest everyday 5G) is spotty—most likely along I‑29 and near town centers; elsewhere users often fall back to LTE/low‑band 5G. No practical mmWave.
• Speeds and reliability: In‑town speeds are generally good; outside town, speeds and indoor penetration drop, and handoffs between towers can be abrupt. Farmsteads often need external antennas or boosters.
• Towers and backhaul: A relatively sparse tower grid compared with metro Iowa. Fiber backhaul follows the I‑29 corridor and town exchanges; storm/flood events along the Missouri River have historically stressed both power and backhaul, prompting resilience upgrades.
• Public safety and alerts: Wireless Emergency Alerts are used for severe weather and flooding; text‑to‑911 is supported in Iowa. Seasonal congestion can occur during storms, detours, events, or harvest.
• Substitution for home internet: Fixed wireless and phone‑based hotspots are more common than in most Iowa metro counties, especially beyond town limits where cable/fiber options thin out.

Key ways Fremont County differs from Iowa statewide trends

• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption, driven by an older population and patchier rural coverage.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and signal‑boosting gear; more frequent carrier changes to find a workable signal at a given home or field.
• Greater share of households using mobile data or hotspots as a primary or backup home internet connection.
• 5G is available but more often low‑band; mid‑band 5G capacity is less ubiquitous than in metro corridors (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs/Omaha), so LTE fallback is common.
• Cross‑border dynamics: Proximity to Nebraska and Missouri means devices sometimes prefer out‑of‑state towers near the river, which can affect performance and, for some plans, roaming behavior.
• More pronounced indoor coverage issues in metal buildings and basements; boosters and Wi‑Fi calling are used more often than in urban areas.

What this means for planning

• For residents: Check all three carriers at your address; consider external antennas/boosters and Wi‑Fi calling. Prepaid/MVNO plans can be cost‑effective if they prioritize the carrier that works best at your location.
• For stakeholders: Target mid‑band 5G infill and fiber backhaul to town edges and known dead zones; continue emergency‑alert outreach and bilingual messaging; support digital inclusion for seniors as devices and care services move online.

Fremont County, IA social media snapshot (estimates)

Overall user stats

• Population baseline: ~6,600 residents; older-than-average age profile.
• Residents using at least one social platform (age 13+): about 4,400–4,800 people.
• Share using any social platform by age:
  • 13–17: 90–95%
  • 18–29: 88–92%
  • 30–49: 80–86%
  • 50–64: 70–76%
  • 65+: 55–65%

Gender breakdown (of social media users)

• Overall: ~52–56% women, ~44–48% men.
• Platform skews:
  • More women: Facebook (≈55–60% women), Instagram (55% women), Pinterest (70% women).
  • More men: X/Twitter and Reddit (~60–70% men).
  • Near-balanced: YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat (slight female tilt for TikTok/Snapchat).

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated penetration)

• YouTube: 78–84%
• Facebook: 66–74%
• Instagram: 32–38%
• TikTok: 26–34%
• Pinterest: 28–34%
• Snapchat: 22–30% (heavily concentrated under age 30)
• X/Twitter: 10–15%
• Reddit: 10–14%
• LinkedIn: 9–14%
• WhatsApp: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: 4–8% (limited to larger towns; Facebook Groups fill this role)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-centric Facebook use: high reliance on Facebook Groups and Pages for school activities, youth sports, church/civic groups, buy/sell/garage-sale swaps, lost-and-found pets, and event promotion. Facebook Marketplace is a key local commerce channel.
• Local info and safety: County and city pages (emergency management, sheriffs, road/utility updates) drive spikes during severe weather, flooding, road closures, and school announcements.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Reels see steady growth for local events, small-business promos, and ag/rural lifestyle content; usage skews younger but is spreading to 30–49.
• Youth messaging-first: Teens and college-age residents communicate via Snapchat (Stories + DMs) and TikTok; Facebook is mainly for family connection and groups.
• YouTube is ubiquitous: Used for DIY, equipment repair, hunting/fishing, weather briefings, and high school athletics highlights; OTT/CTV viewing bleeding into local ad targeting.
• Regional following: Many residents also follow Omaha/Council Bluffs media, retailers, and event accounts, influencing ad reach and content preferences.
• Seasonality: Engagement spikes around severe-weather season, harvest and planting periods, school-year milestones, and major local festivals.

Notes on method

• County-level platform stats are rarely published; figures above are estimates that apply recent U.S. and Iowa/rural usage benchmarks (e.g., Pew Research) to Fremont County’s older age mix and rural context. Percentages reflect adults unless noted and are meant as directional ranges rather than exact counts.