Howard County

Howard County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 9,469 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ACS 5-year estimate (2018–2022): ~9.3k

Age

• Median age: 43.6 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.1%
• 18 to 64: 55.1%
• 65 and over: 21.8%

Gender

• Female: 50.4%
• Male: 49.6% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: 94.6%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): 2.7%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 1.8%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 0.2%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: 0.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0.3%
• Other races: 0.2%

Households and housing (ACS 2018–2022 unless noted)

• Households (occupied housing units): ~4,030
• Average household size: 2.32
• Average family size: 2.92
• Family households: 61% of households; married-couple families: 49%
• Households with children under 18: 27%
• Nonfamily households: 39%; living alone: 33% (65+ living alone: 14%)
• Tenure: 81% owner-occupied; 19% renter-occupied

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DP tables) and American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates (DP02/DP03/DP04).

Howard County, IA snapshot (2020 Census): population 9,469; land area ≈473 sq mi; density ≈20 people/sq mi.

Estimated email users (adults 18+)

• Method: applied Pew Research email-use rates by age to county population.
• Total adult email users ≈6,600 (≈89% of adults).

Age distribution of email users (approximate counts, share of users)

• 18–34: ≈1,640 (25%)
• 35–54: ≈2,160 (33%)
• 55–64: ≈1,310 (20%)
• 65+: ≈1,490 (23%) Insight: Near-universal use among working-age adults; seniors lag but still majority users.

Gender split

• Email use is essentially parity by gender; mirroring the county’s population, ≈50% female and 50% male (~3,300 each).

Digital access and connectivity

• Iowa benchmark (ACS 2022): 84% of households have a broadband subscription and ~92% have a computer; smartphone-only internet ~12%. Given Howard County’s low density, local broadband subscription is typically a few points below the state average but rising.
• Access tends to be strongest in and around Cresco and along main corridors, with public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) supplementing coverage in outlying townships.

Overall: Email penetration is high (≈7 in 8 adults), evenly split by gender, with age the primary differentiator; rural density influences—but no longer prevents—broadband-backed email use.

Mobile phone usage in Howard County, Iowa — 2024 snapshot

Context and scale

• Population: 9,469 (2020 Census), spread across roughly 473 square miles (about 20 residents per square mile), with an older-than-state-average age profile and predominantly rural settlement patterns.

User estimates (modeled from 2020 Census age structure and 2023 Pew age-specific adoption rates)

• Mobile phone users (any type): ~8,300 residents (≈88% of the population).
• Smartphone users: ~7,400 residents (≈78%).
• Feature-phone–only users: ~900 residents (≈10%), concentrated among residents 65+.
• Teens (13–17) with smartphones: ~540 of ~570 teens (≈95%).
• Adults 65+ with smartphones: ~1,550 of ~1,990 seniors (≈78%); seniors without smartphones remain the largest non-adopting segment.

Household-level device and access profile (estimates)

• Households: ≈4,100 (implied by population and typical rural household size).
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~3,570 (≈87%), a few points below the Iowa average.
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data plan but no home fixed broadband): ~650 households (≈16%), a higher share than Iowa overall.
• Fixed wireless (cellular-based home internet) adoption: 7–9% of households, reflecting uptake of LTE/5G home internet where wired options are limited.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: The county’s older age structure pulls down overall smartphone penetration 2–4 percentage points versus Iowa’s average, primarily due to lower adoption among 65+.
• Income and housing: A higher share of lower-density, owner-occupied housing correlates with:
  • More feature-phone retention in 65+ households.
  • More smartphone-only and cellular home-internet reliance where wired broadband is scarce or costly to install.
• Plan mix and data use: Prepaid participation is elevated relative to state urban areas, and average mobile data use per smartphone skews slightly lower than Iowa’s metro average, with more off-peak and fixed-wireless substitution.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage: 4G LTE is broadly available across towns and primary corridors (e.g., US‑63, IA‑9), with typical rural fringe variability in metal-sided buildings and lowland areas. Low-band 5G (e.g., n71/n5) covers population centers and main roads; mid-band 5G remains spotty outside Cresco and key corridors.
• Speeds (typical, not peak):
  • 4G LTE: ~10–50 Mbps down in rural fringe, 30–80 Mbps in town.
  • Low-band 5G: ~30–120 Mbps where signal is strong.
  • Mid-band 5G (where present): routinely 150–300+ Mbps, but coverage is limited compared with Iowa’s larger metros.
• Carriers: Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile, and UScellular all operate in-county; UScellular’s macro grid remains important in more rural sections. FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) presence improves public-safety device coverage on select sites.
• Backhaul: Most macro sites along state routes and near towns appear to have fiber backhaul, supporting stable LTE and low-band 5G; deeper rural sectors can show sector congestion at evening peaks when fixed-wireless traffic is high.

How Howard County differs from Iowa overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: Overall smartphone adoption is a few points below the state average, driven by the county’s older age profile.
• Higher reliance on phones for home internet: Smartphone-only internet and cellular fixed-wireless use are both higher than statewide shares, reflecting sparser wired infrastructure.
• 5G composition: Low-band 5G is common, but mid-band 5G availability lags state urban counties; real-world median speeds are consequently lower than state metro medians.
• Feature-phone persistence: A notably larger 65+ feature-phone segment remains, compared with Iowa’s urban counties.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and budget MVNO plans occupy a larger share of active lines than in metro Iowa, consistent with rural adoption patterns.

Notes on method

• County user and household figures are 2024 modeled estimates derived from the 2020 Census population/age mix and recent national age-specific mobile adoption research (e.g., Pew), calibrated to rural-Iowa patterns and ACS Computer and Internet Use benchmarks. State comparisons reflect Iowa-wide averages from the same sources and recent carrier deployment patterns.

Howard County, IA social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Method note: Figures below are county-level estimates modeled from the county’s age/sex mix (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023) and the latest U.S. platform adoption rates and demographics (Pew Research Center 2024). Percentages are shares of adults (18+) unless stated; counts are approximations.

Most-used platforms (adults, share and approx. users)

• YouTube: 80% (5,900 adults)
• Facebook: 72% (5,300)
• Instagram: 41% (3,000)
• Pinterest: 38% (2,800)
• TikTok: 28% (2,100)
• Snapchat: 25% (1,900)
• Also notable: WhatsApp ~22%, LinkedIn ~24%, X (Twitter) ~18%, Reddit ~17%, Nextdoor ~12%

Age-group patterns (platforms and behavior)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy Snapchat and TikTok use; Instagram strong; Facebook minimal except for school events. Daily short-form video, direct messaging, and group chats drive engagement.
• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are primary; Facebook used for local ties and Marketplace. High daily video and Stories/Reels consumption; DM-first communication.
• 30–49: Facebook is the hub (Groups, school/sports updates, Marketplace); YouTube for how‑to, DIY, and product research; Instagram secondary; TikTok growing for entertainment and recipes. Peak engagement evenings.
• 50–64: Facebook dominant for local news, churches, community groups; YouTube for tutorials and regional news; Pinterest for projects/recipes. Engagement tied to events and seasonal activities.
• 65+: Facebook for community updates and public service info; YouTube for news and how‑to. Lower use of Instagram/TikTok; prefer posts with clear text and local relevance.

Gender breakdown (approximate share of users by platform)

• More women: Pinterest (75% female), Facebook (56% female), Instagram (55% female), TikTok (58% female), Snapchat (~59% female)
• More men: YouTube (54% male), LinkedIn (56% male), X/Twitter (63% male), Reddit (66% male)

Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwestern counties like Howard (applicable locally)

• Facebook Groups are the backbone for local communication: school and youth sports, fairs, churches, volunteer drives, road closures, and municipal notices.
• Facebook Marketplace is a primary commerce channel for vehicles, farm and lawn equipment, furniture, and rentals; listings with multiple local photos and clear pickup details perform best.
• Video leads: YouTube for farm/repair how‑tos, hunting/fishing, DIY, and product comparisons; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) draws quick attention but works best when tied to local faces, places, or events.
• Messaging over public posting among younger residents: Snapchat and Instagram DMs coordinate meetups and buying/selling before deals hit public feeds.
• Timing: Highest engagement typically in the evening (roughly 7–10 pm) and secondary peaks around early morning and lunch; weekends outperform weekdays for events and Marketplace.
• Trust and relevance: Posts from recognizable local institutions (schools, county/city pages, sheriff/fire) get strong reach; clear, utility-focused updates outperform generic brand content.
• Event- and season-driven spikes: Weather alerts, harvest and county-fair seasons, school calendars, and hunting seasons drive sharp, short bursts of attention.
• Cross-posting works if adapted: Native video on each platform, local imagery, and concise captions yield better completion and click-through than identical reposts.

Scale assumptions used for counts

• Adult (18+) population baseline ≈ 7,400. Applying national platform usage by age/sex to Howard County’s demographic mix yields the adoption estimates above. Margin of error typically ±3–5 percentage points at this scale.