Linn County

Linn County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size

• 230,299 (2020 Census)
• Growth since 2010: +9.0% (2010: 211,226)

Age

• Median age: 38.7 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.1%
• 65 and over: 17.0%

Gender

• Female: 50.7%
• Male: 49.3%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: 86.1%
• Black or African American alone: 6.4%
• Asian alone: 2.7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 4.4%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 82.6% (ACS 2018–2022)

Household data

• Total households: ~94,700
• Persons per household (avg): 2.40
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 73.7%
• Average family size: 2.98 (ACS 2018–2022)

Insights

• Predominantly White with meaningful Black (6%) and growing multiracial and Hispanic populations.
• Age structure is balanced, with nearly one in six residents 65+ and just under a quarter under 18.
• Household size aligns with state/national norms; homeownership is high, reflecting a largely owner-occupied housing market.

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

Linn County, IA (pop. ~237,000) has an estimated ~182,000 email users age 13+ (≈77% of residents). Among adults, ~170,000 use email (≈92% of the 18+ population). User age mix (share of email users): 13–17: 6%; 18–34: 29%; 35–54: 32%; 55–64: 14%; 65+: 19%. Gender split is near parity (≈50.5% female, 49.5% male), with similar usage rates across genders.

Digital access and trends:

• ~90% of households subscribe to broadband; ~94% have a computer/smartphone at home (ACS-style measures).
• Mobile-only internet households are ~8–10%, supporting high on-the-go email use.
• Cedar Rapids/Marion have dense cable/fiber coverage (e.g., ImOn, Metronet, Mediacom) and growing 5G home internet (T-Mobile, Verizon) since 2022; rural townships lean more on fixed wireless/DSL.
• Population density is roughly 330 people/sq mi, concentrating high-speed options in the urban core; most addresses there have 100+ Mbps service, while a smaller rural share remains below 100 Mbps.

Insights: Email is effectively universal among working-age adults (18–54 ≈61% of users) and is strong among seniors, supported by high broadband subscription and multi-provider competition that sustain daily, multi-device email engagement countywide.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Linn County, Iowa (focus on contrasts with state-level)

How many users

• Population baseline: 230,299 (2020 Census). Adults are roughly 77% (~177,000).
• Modeled smartphone users: ~165,000–175,000 residents use a smartphone in Linn County as of 2023–2024. This estimate applies recent Pew Research adult and teen smartphone-ownership rates to the county’s age structure.
• Active mobile connections (phones, tablets, watches, IoT): on the order of 300,000–350,000 SIMs, applying recent U.S. per-capita connection ratios (CTIA) to the county population. This reflects multiple devices per person and enterprise/IoT lines.

Demographic breakdown (modeled from Pew ownership rates applied to county age mix; rounded)

• Teens (13–17): ~14,000 smartphone users. Ownership among teens is near universal.
• Young adults (18–34): ~48,000.
• Prime working age (35–54): ~55,000.
• Pre-retirement (55–64): ~23,000.
• Seniors (65+): ~27,000. Key differences from Iowa overall
• Higher smartphone penetration among older adults: Urban, higher-income, and better-connected Linn County seniors adopt smartphones at rates above the statewide average, narrowing the age gap that is more pronounced in rural Iowa.
• Greater share of multi-device users: More residents carry both a phone and a secondary cellular device (tablet/watch/hotspot), driven by stronger 5G capacity and employer-provided lines in the Cedar Rapids metro.
• Lower share of residents completely offline: County households are less likely than the Iowa average to have no internet access at all; where smartphone-only access exists, it is more often a cost choice rather than a coverage constraint.

Usage patterns and adoption drivers

• Enterprise influence: Cedar Rapids’ concentration of large employers (manufacturing, logistics, and professional services) elevates the density of corporate-liable and BYOD lines compared with many Iowa counties, boosting the total number of active lines and data consumption during business hours.
• Commuter corridors: The I‑380/Highway 30 corridors concentrate daytime population, supporting heavier on-network mobile traffic and denser site placement than the state average.

Digital infrastructure (what’s deployed and where Linn differs)

• 5G coverage and spectrum: All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) plus UScellular provide countywide 4G LTE and broad 5G in populated areas. Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz “n41”; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is widely available in Cedar Rapids/Marion/Hiawatha and along major corridors. This mid‑band depth is materially stronger than in many rural Iowa counties that rely more on low‑band 5G/LTE.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home are available across most of the urbanized area, with uptake aided by competitive pricing and adequate mid‑band capacity. FWA availability and performance are generally better here than in rural parts of the state.
• Wireline competition: ImOn (local fiber), Mediacom (cable DOCSIS), and Lumen/CenturyLink (select fiber/DSL) provide robust alternatives. The presence of dense fiber/cable reduces “coverage-driven” smartphone-only dependence compared with the state, where many rural homes still lack a wired high-speed option.
• Network hardening and densification: Post-2020 derecho investments improved backup power and site resiliency in the metro. Small-cell and sector densification along I‑380, downtown Cedar Rapids, and major commercial areas support higher median 5G speeds than the statewide median reported in 2023–2024 crowdsourced measurements.
• Public safety: AT&T FirstNet is active countywide, with prioritized service for first responders and good overlap with commercial 5G coverage.

Trends that set Linn County apart from the Iowa average

• Faster 5G on average: More mid‑band spectrum on air and denser urban site grids yield higher typical 5G speeds and capacity than the Iowa statewide median, especially in the Cedar Rapids–Marion core.
• Higher multi-line penetration: More users carry a smartphone plus a connected watch/tablet, and more businesses provision mobile lines, lifting connections per capita above many Iowa counties.
• Lower coverage gaps: Outdoor LTE/5G coverage is effectively universal across populated areas, with fewer dead zones than in rural counties; indoor performance is generally strong in the urban core due to denser cells.
• More competitive home broadband market: Strong fiber/cable competition gives residents more options; where households choose smartphone-only internet, it skews toward affordability preferences rather than lack of alternatives, unlike in coverage-limited rural tracts.

Sources and method notes

• Population and household context: U.S. Census (2020) and ACS.
• Ownership and dependency rates: Pew Research Center (2023–2024) applied to local age mix for modeled counts.
• Network availability: Carrier coverage disclosures (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, UScellular) and FCC deployment filings through 2024.
• Connections per capita: CTIA national connection ratios used to scale county estimates.

Key implications

• Marketing and network planning should prioritize capacity (mid‑band 5G, small cells) in the Cedar Rapids–Marion core and along I‑380/US‑30 rather than pure coverage build-out.
• Device bundling (phones + watches/tablets) and enterprise plans have above-average headroom for growth relative to the state.
• Digital inclusion efforts should target affordability for low-income urban households rather than access, which is the dominant barrier in many rural Iowa counties.

Social media usage in Linn County, IA – short breakdown

Most-used platforms (adult adoption; apply these U.S. 2024 rates for local planning)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Reddit: 23%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Nextdoor: ~20% Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024. In urban Iowa counties like Linn, adoption patterns closely mirror national rates.

Age-group patterns

• 13–17: Snapchat and TikTok dominate daily use; Instagram strong; YouTube near-universal. Facebook is used mainly for groups/events, not posting.
• 18–29: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat are primary; Facebook is secondary but still widely used for marketplace/groups.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube are core; Instagram meaningful; TikTok growing; LinkedIn notable for professionals.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest is common for projects, food, and home; Instagram moderate; TikTok adoption rising but still below younger cohorts.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube remain the top two; Nextdoor stands out among homeowners; Instagram/TikTok usage is comparatively low.

Gender breakdown (how platforms skew among U.S. adults; similar skews locally)

• Pinterest: heavily female (roughly half of women vs about one-in-five men use it).
• Instagram and TikTok: slightly female-skewed.
• Snapchat: female-skewed.
• Facebook and YouTube: broadly even by gender.
• LinkedIn: slight male skew (and strongly tied to education/income).
• Reddit and X: male-skewed.

Behavioral trends observed/expected in Linn County (Cedar Rapids metro context)

• Community info flows through Facebook: local news, school updates, storm and road conditions, events, and Facebook Groups drive high engagement. Facebook Marketplace is widely used for buying/selling.
• Neighborhood coordination on Nextdoor: home services, public safety notes, lost-and-found pets, and city notices perform well; effective channel for hyperlocal outreach.
• Short‑form video discovery: TikTok and Instagram Reels used to find local restaurants, coffee shops, live music, festivals, trails/parks, and “things to do”; content featuring recognizable landmarks and local creators over-indexes.
• Youth messaging and ephemeral sharing: Snapchat is the default for high school/college-aged residents; story ad formats and AR lenses outperform static placements for this segment.
• Professional networking and recruiting: LinkedIn usage is material given the area’s professional employers; job posts, industry news, and employee‑brand content see strongest weekday, morning/lunch engagement.
• How‑to and DIY on YouTube: strong consumption for home improvement, automotive, tech/how‑to, and civic content (city/county meetings and explainers).
• Seasonal and weather-driven spikes: storm coverage, derecho/winter weather prep, and school closings generate outsized reach on Facebook and local news pages; timely, utility-focused posts outperform brand messages during events.

Practical implications

• To reach most adults 25–64: prioritize Facebook and YouTube; add Instagram for visual storytelling.
• To reach 18–34: emphasize Instagram + TikTok; add Snapchat for 13–24.
• For homeowners and neighborhood services: include Nextdoor alongside Facebook.
• For talent acquisition/B2B: include LinkedIn; schedule weekday mornings and midday.
• Creative that is local, useful, and timely (events, weather, how‑to, and community impact) consistently outperforms overt promotion.

Data notes

• Platform percentages: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults). Local adoption in Linn County generally tracks these national rates.
• Demographic tendencies (age/gender skews) reflect Pew 2024 breakouts; local behaviors align with patterns seen in comparable Midwestern metros.