Johnson County

Johnson County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size

• 152,854 (2020 Census)

Age structure (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~30.1 years
• Under 18: ~18.5%
• 18–24: ~22.8%
• 25–44: ~29.6%
• 45–64: ~17.0%
• 65+: ~12.1%

Sex

• Male: ~50.3%
• Female: ~49.7%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race is non-Hispanic unless noted)

• White: ~74.9%
• Black or African American: ~5.9%
• Asian: ~7.9%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6.5%
• Two or more races: ~3.9%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~63,200
• Average household size: ~2.36
• Family households: ~51% of households
• Married-couple households: ~38% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%

Insights

• A large university presence yields a low median age and high share of 18–24 residents.
• More racially/ethnically diverse than Iowa overall.
• High share of nonfamily households reflects substantial student/roommate living arrangements.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Johnson County, IA email usage snapshot

• Population: ~157,000 (2023 ACS est.); density ~250 residents/sq mi.
• Estimated email users: 126,000 residents. Method: Apply U.S. adult email adoption (92%) to the county’s adult population and add teens with high adoption.

Age distribution of email users (approximate):

• 18–24: ~38k (near‑universal adoption; university-driven)
• 25–44: ~41k
• 45–64: ~30k
• 65+: ~17k

Gender split among users: ~50% female, ~50% male, mirroring the population; email adoption is essentially parity by gender.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Households with a computer: ~96% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Households with a broadband subscription: ~91% (ACS 2018–2022).
• Access is most robust in the Iowa City–Coralville–North Liberty corridor, where cable/fiber coverage and fastest fixed speeds are concentrated; rural townships rely more on fixed wireless.
• Mobile access is widespread; most households combine fixed broadband with smartphones, supporting always‑on email.

Insights:

• Young adult concentration keeps email adoption near-universal under 45.
• Seniors are highly connected but form most remaining nonusers.
• High broadband and computer access rates sustain county‑wide email penetration of roughly 80% of total residents and well over 90% of adults.

Johnson County, IA mobile phone usage summary (with county–vs–state contrasts)

County profile relevant to mobile demand

• Population: ~157,000 (2023 Census estimate), anchored by Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty; University of Iowa enrollment ~30,000.
• Age/education skew: One of Iowa’s youngest, most educated counties. Median age is roughly a full 8–9 years younger than the Iowa median, with a much larger 18–24 cohort than the state average. This reliably raises smartphone adoption, mobile-only reliance, and 5G uptake versus statewide norms.

User estimates and adoption

• Estimated smartphone users: 125,000–135,000 county residents, reflecting adult ownership in the mid-90% range in this college-centric market plus high teen adoption.
• 5G-capable devices: Roughly 85,000–95,000 active 5G smartphones (about two-thirds to three-quarters of the smartphone base), ahead of Iowa’s overall mix given the county’s younger profile.
• Wireless-only telephony: About 80–85% of adults live in wireless-only households in Johnson County, several points higher than Iowa overall (roughly mid-70s), driven by renters and students who forgo landlines.
• Mobile-only/home internet via fixed wireless (5G home internet): Estimated 9–14% of households in the urbanized area use mobile fixed wireless as primary home internet, versus a lower statewide share (roughly high single digits). Adoption is strongest among renters in Iowa City/Coralville and new subdivisions in Tiffin/North Liberty.

Demographic breakdown (how Johnson County differs from Iowa statewide)

• 18–24: Near-universal smartphone ownership (upper 90s%), heavy mobile data dependence, and higher use of prepaid/MVNO and eSIM plans; markedly higher share of mobile-only home internet than the Iowa average for this age.
• 25–44: Very high smartphone adoption and 5G handset share; family plans common; above-state uptake of mobile wallet, rideshare, and campus/health apps.
• 45–64: High adoption with strong 5G upgrade rates due to work connectivity needs; fewer landlines than statewide peers.
• 65+: Smartphone adoption materially higher than the Iowa average for seniors (helped by education and proximity to health systems), with growing usage of telehealth and messaging; still below younger cohorts in 5G adoption but closing the gap faster than the state.
• Income and housing: Lower-income renters and student households are more likely to be smartphone-only for internet access than the state average; homeowners in suburban buildout areas show early adoption of 5G home internet as an alternative to cable/DSL.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet), T-Mobile, Verizon, and UScellular operate in the county. Mid-band 5G (T-Mobile n41, Verizon/AT&T C-band n77) is widely available across Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty, with low-band 5G/LTE extending into rural townships.
• Performance pattern: Urban core (campus/downtown and I‑80/I‑380 corridors) shows noticeably higher median mobile speeds and capacity than the Iowa statewide median, reflecting denser site grids, mid-band spectrum, and small-cell infill. Rural fringes still experience capacity drops and occasional coverage gaps, though generally better than many rural Iowa counties.
• Densification drivers: University of Iowa venues and hospitals, Kinnick Stadium event traffic, and I‑80/I‑380 logistics drive capacity upgrades and small-cell deployments not seen at the same intensity statewide.
• Backhaul/fiber underpinnings: Recent and ongoing fiber builds by providers such as ImOn, South Slope Cooperative, Mediacom, and regional carriers improve mobile backhaul in the metro, supporting higher mid-band 5G performance than typical for Iowa’s rural counties.
• Fixed wireless footprint: T-Mobile 5G Home is broadly available in the urbanized area; Verizon 5G Home is present in select zones. Availability and performance taper in more sparsely populated parts of the county.

Key trends that diverge from the Iowa state picture

• Higher smartphone penetration and 5G handset share due to a large student/young-professional base.
• Higher prevalence of wireless-only households and smartphone-only internet access among renters and students.
• Faster 5G adoption and better median mobile speeds in the urban core, supported by denser sites, mid-band spectrum, and strong fiber backhaul.
• Above-state uptake of 5G fixed wireless as primary home internet in city/suburban neighborhoods, substituting for cable/DSL.
• More seasonal churn and eSIM/MVNO usage tied to the academic calendar and international student population.

Bottom line Johnson County’s mobile ecosystem is denser, faster, and more mobile-first than Iowa overall. A young, tech-forward population and strong mid-band 5G coverage around Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty push smartphone ownership into the mid-90% of adults, wireless-only living into the low-80s percent of adults, and 5G device and fixed wireless adoption ahead of statewide levels, while rural edges still lag the urban core in capacity and coverage.

Social media usage in Johnson County, IA (modeled, 2023–2024)

Scope and method

• Figures are modeled for Johnson County’s population using 2023 ACS demographics and Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption rates, adjusted for the county’s younger profile (University of Iowa). Percentages are rounded.

Headline user statistics

• Population baseline: ≈157,000 (ACS 2023 est.)
• Social media users (13+): ≈116,000
• Adult users (18+): ≈107,000
• Overall penetration (18+): ≈85% use at least one platform
• Gender breakdown (users): ≈51% female, 49% male

Users by age group (share of all social media users)

• 13–17: 6%
• 18–24: 26%
• 25–34: 20%
• 35–54: 28%
• 55–64: 11%
• 65+: 9%

Most-used platforms in Johnson County (adults 18+, modeled local reach)

• YouTube: 85%
• Facebook: 66%
• Instagram: 54%
• TikTok: 40%
• Snapchat: 33%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 31%
• Reddit: 24%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 22%
• Nextdoor: 15%

Behavioral trends

• Student-driven activity: High daily use of short-form video (YouTube, TikTok, Reels). Snapchat is a primary messaging and stories channel for 18–24.
• Local discovery: Instagram and TikTok power “what to do/eat” searches in Iowa City/Coralville; creators and student micro-influencers influence dining, coffee, fitness, and nightlife.
• Community and information: Facebook Groups and Pages remain central for city updates, local news, Marketplace, and buy/sell/trade; Nextdoor usage is stronger in Coralville and North Liberty neighborhoods than in campus-heavy areas.
• Events and sports spikes: Hawkeyes athletics and university events reliably lift engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
• Professional and recruiting: LinkedIn over-indexes relative to similar-size counties due to the university, UI Health Care, and research roles; effective for healthcare, education, and tech recruiting.
• Messaging ecosystems: Snapchat dominates among students; WhatsApp adoption is notable among international students and research staff; Discord is common for campus clubs and gaming.
• Time-of-day patterns: Peaks in late afternoon and evening; a secondary late-night spike during the academic year. Weekend brunch and game days see elevated local content and check-ins.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 1-year estimates (Johnson County, IA demographics)
• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2023–2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults) and Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 (teen usage)