Harrison County

Harrison County, Iowa — key demographics

Population

• 14,582 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: 43.9 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.0%
• 65 and over: 21.2%

Gender

• Female: 50.1%
• Male: 49.9%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: 94.6%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 2.9%
• Two or more races: 1.8%
• Black or African American: 0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.2%
• Asian: 0.2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.0%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: 6,091
• Average household size: 2.39
• Family households: 62.1% of households
• Average family size: 2.93

Insights

• Older age profile than the U.S. overall, with about one in five residents 65+
• Population is overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White, with a small but present Hispanic community
• Household sizes are modest and roughly three in five households are family households

• Scope and size: Harrison County, IA population ≈14.6k (2020). Adults (18+) ≈12.0k. Estimated adult email users ≈10.8k (≈92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate counts; adoption rate in parentheses):
  • 18–29: ≈1.74k (97%)
  • 30–49: ≈3.64k (95%)
  • 50–64: ≈2.83k (91%)
  • 65+: ≈2.59k (≈80%)
• Gender split: Email usage is effectively even by gender; county population is roughly half female/half male, so email users are ≈5.4k female and ≈5.4k male.
• Digital access and usage trends:
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈80–83% (ACS-style measure), with additional households relying on mobile data.
  • Smartphone-only internet access: ≈10–12%, supporting strong mobile email use; mobile opens likely exceed 60% locally.
  • Fiber and fixed‑wireless footprints have expanded around towns; adoption among older adults is rising but still trails younger groups.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈21 people per square mile across ~700 sq mi; service quality is highest in and around Missouri Valley, Logan, and Woodbine.
  • I‑29 corridor exhibits strong LTE/5G; Loess Hills terrain creates pockets of weaker signal in valleys, where fixed wireless or satellite fills gaps.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Harrison County, Iowa

Headline estimates (2024)

• Population: ~14,600; adults (18+): ~11,400
• Adults with any mobile phone: ~10,800 (≈95% of adults)
• Adults with a smartphone: ~9,600 (≈84% of adults)
• Households: ~6,000; “cellular data only” internet households: ~800–900 (≈13–15%)

How these were derived

• Demographics and household counts align with recent Census/ACS figures for Harrison County (5‑year ACS through 2022) and typical rural age structure in western Iowa.
• Adoption rates reflect recent Pew Research Center findings for rural adults (mobile phone ≈95–97%; smartphone ≈80–85%), adjusted slightly upward for younger cohorts and downward for seniors to fit the county’s older age profile.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• By age
  • 18–34 (≈17% of residents, ~2,500 adults): smartphone adoption ≈95% → ~2,360 users
  • 35–64 (≈41% of residents, ~6,000 adults): smartphone adoption ≈88% → ~5,270 users
  • 65+ (≈20% of residents, ~2,900 adults): smartphone adoption ≈65–70% → ~1,950–2,050 users
  • Feature‑phone use persists mainly among 65+, where any‑mobile adoption remains high (≈90%) but smartphone gaps are widest
• By income
  • Lower‑income households (under ~$35k) are notably more likely to be “smartphone‑only” for home internet; in Harrison County this group accounts for roughly one in four “cellular data only” households
• By geography
  • Town centers (Missouri Valley, Logan, Woodbine, Dunlap) show near‑urban smartphone penetration and 5G access
  • Loess Hills interior and river valleys exhibit higher rates of basic phone use, more device downgrades to conserve battery/signal, and greater reliance on text/voice

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: population coverage effectively universal in towns and along highways, with intermittent gaps in the Loess Hills and along lesser county roads
  • 5G: low‑band (coverage‑oriented) from the national carriers blankets town cores and corridors; mid‑band 5G is present along I‑29 and in/near larger towns, tapering quickly outside these areas
• Carriers and networks
  • All three national carriers operate in the county; UScellular provides important rural coverage and roaming in fringe areas
  • AT&T FirstNet Band 14 coverage is established on primary corridors (I‑29, US‑30), aiding public safety and spillover consumer capacity
• Backhaul and tower siting
  • Tower clusters follow I‑29 and US‑30; spacing is wider in the Loess Hills, which contributes to dead zones and slower handoff performance
  • Fiber backhaul is robust in towns; between towns, carriers increasingly use microwave and CBRS backhaul to fill gaps
• Alternatives
  • Fixed wireless access (including CBRS) and satellite (notably Starlink) are common fallbacks outside fiber/DSL footprints, reducing pressure on mobile networks in the most remote areas

How Harrison County differs from Iowa statewide

• Adoption level
  • Smartphone adoption among adults in Harrison County (~84%) trails the Iowa average by roughly 5–7 percentage points, reflecting an older population share and more rural settlement
• Internet substitution
  • “Cellular data only” households are higher in the county (13–15%) than the statewide share (9–10%), indicating greater mobile reliance for home connectivity
• Age effect
  • The county’s larger 65+ share depresses smartphone uptake and app usage intensity versus the state average; basic phone and limited‑data plans are more prevalent
• Coverage quality
  • Terrain‑driven variability (Loess Hills, river bluffs) creates more dead zones and signal attenuation than is typical across much of Iowa’s flatter counties; this widens the urban‑rural performance gap within the county relative to statewide averages
• Network performance
  • Median mobile speeds in Harrison County’s rural tracts are typically lower than state medians, with pockets frequently falling to single‑digit Mbps during congestion or in terrain‑shielded valleys; town cores perform closer to state averages when mid‑band 5G is available

Actionable insights

• Closing the gap with Iowa averages will hinge on expanding mid‑band 5G beyond town cores, adding infill sites in the Loess Hills, and continuing fiber backhaul extensions
• Targeted digital literacy and device upgrade programs for seniors would lift overall smartphone adoption and reduce the county’s usage gap with the state
• Support for fixed wireless and satellite as complementary last‑mile options can reduce mobile network congestion and improve reliability for smartphone‑only households

Social media usage in Harrison County, Iowa (2025 snapshot)

Context

• Population: 14,582 (U.S. Census 2020). Rural, older-leaning profile typical of western Iowa.
• Figures below are county-level estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted for rural patterns; rounded to whole percentages for planning use.

Most-used platforms (share of adult residents using)

• YouTube: 81%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 38%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 22%
• WhatsApp: 18%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• LinkedIn: 17%
• Reddit: 15%
• Nextdoor: 10%

User stats and habits

• Multi-platform use: Typical adult uses about 3 platforms; Facebook + YouTube are the default pair.
• Frequency: Facebook and YouTube see the highest daily reach; Instagram/TikTok daily among younger adults; Snapchat daily among teens/early 20s.
• Local utility: Facebook Groups, Marketplace, Events, and Messenger are core for community coordination, buy/sell/trade, school and church updates, youth sports, county fair/4‑H/FFA, and severe weather or road updates.
• Content formats: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) growing for small businesses, real estate, and community event promotion; how‑to and equipment content common on YouTube.

Age-group patterns (platform reach among local adults, using Pew 2024 age splits applied locally)

• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~75–80%; Snapchat ~70%; TikTok ~60%+; Facebook ~30–40%.
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%+; Facebook ~70%+; Instagram ~50%; TikTok ~35–40%; Snapchat ~30%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~65–70%; YouTube ~80%+; Instagram ~25–30%; TikTok ~10–15%.
• 65+: Facebook ~55–60%; YouTube ~65–70%; Instagram ~10–20%; TikTok ~5–10%.
• Implication: Reach older adults via Facebook; reach under‑35 via Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; use YouTube for how‑to, repairs, ag/equipment, and long‑tail search.

Gender breakdown (directional skews consistent with Pew 2024)

• More female-skewing: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Pinterest (strong).
• More male-skewing: YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), LinkedIn.
• Near parity: TikTok, WhatsApp, Snapchat.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Iowa communities applicable to Harrison County

• Facebook Groups are the primary “public square” (town pages, school/booster clubs, volunteer fire/EMS, churches, county departments).
• Marketplace is a top local commerce channel (farm/ranch gear, vehicles, furniture, rentals).
• Event discovery/planning largely runs through Facebook Events; cross-posted to Instagram.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for families/community; Snapchat for teens/young adults; WhatsApp used in specific work/social circles.
• Posting cadence peaks evenings (7–9 pm CT) and weekends; daytime engagement spikes during severe weather and local incidents.
• Video-first creative (Reels/TikTok) improves reach; many local businesses cross-post short video to Facebook and Instagram for coverage beyond TikTok’s smaller rural base.

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census) for population baseline.
• Pew Research Center, 2024 Social Media Use among U.S. adults (platform adoption, age/gender splits), with rural adjustments based on Pew’s urban–suburban–rural differentials. Percentages reflect estimated share of Harrison County adults and are suitable for targeting and channel planning.