Lucas County

Lucas County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size and trend

• 8,634 (2020 Census); down 3.0% from 8,898 in 2010

Age structure (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

• Median age: ~44 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Sex (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and Hispanic origin (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~93–94%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~3,500–3,600
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~58%; average family size: ~2.9
• Living alone: ~35% of households; 65+ living alone: ~14–15%
• Owner-occupied: ~78%; renter-occupied: ~22%
• Total housing units: ~4,000; vacancy rate: ~10–11%

Key insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile.
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with a small but present Hispanic population.
• Smaller household sizes and high owner-occupancy typical of rural Iowa counties.

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

• Population and density: Lucas County had 8,634 residents in the 2020 Census, about 20 people per square mile (rural profile).
• Estimated email users: About 6,200 adult users. Method: 77.7% of residents are adults (6,710) and ~92% of U.S. adults use email, yielding ~6,170–6,200 users locally.
• Age distribution of email use (reflecting an older median age ~45):
  • 18–49: ~95% use email (near-universal).
  • 50–64: ~90%.
  • 65+: ~80–85%.
  • Given Lucas County’s older tilt, roughly half of email users are 50+.
• Gender split: Population is approximately even (slightly more female); email adoption is effectively equal by gender.
• Digital access and devices:
  • Household broadband subscription is roughly four in five, in line with rural Iowa, implying ~2,800–3,000 of ~3,500–3,700 households subscribe.
  • Computer/smartphone access is widespread; a notable minority rely on smartphone-only internet at home.
• Connectivity facts and trends:
  • Rural dispersion and low density raise last‑mile costs; fiber is present in/near Chariton with patchier coverage in outlying townships.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments (e.g., BEAD-era builds) are expanding fixed broadband and fiber reach, improving email reliability and access in underserved pockets.

Mobile phone usage in Lucas County, Iowa (2024 snapshot)

Population context

• Population: 8,634 (2020 Census); ~3,700 households. Older and more rural than Iowa overall, with a larger 65+ share than the state average. This drives slightly lower smartphone take-up and heavier reliance on cellular for home internet relative to Iowa overall.

User estimates

• Unique mobile phone users: ~7,300–7,700 residents (84–89% of the population).
• Smartphone users: ~6,600–7,100 residents (76–82%).
• Mobile-only home internet (households using cellular data/hotspots as primary connection): ~12–16% of households, higher than the statewide share (roughly high single digits to low teens).
• Prepaid share of mobile lines: materially higher than the Iowa average (local ~30–35% vs. statewide ~22–25%), reflecting income mix and rural coverage preferences.

Demographic breakdown (directional differences vs. Iowa)

• Age
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone adoption (>90–95%), broadly in line with Iowa.
  • 35–54: high adoption (~88–92%), slightly below Iowa’s urban counties.
  • 55–64: moderate–high adoption (~78–84%), a few points below the state average.
  • 65+: lower adoption (~68–74%), several points below Iowa’s senior adoption rate; seniors more likely to use basic/feature phones or shared devices.
• Income and plan type
  • Lower median household income than the state leads to higher prepaid and MVNO usage and tighter data caps; multi-line family plans are less prevalent than in metro Iowa.
• Household composition
  • Higher share of single-tenant and older-adult households correlates with more limited device counts per household and slower upgrade cycles than state urban averages.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • 4G LTE: near-universal outdoor coverage across the county from the national carriers plus UScellular; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in wooded or low-lying areas and in metal-roof structures.
  • 5G: broad low-band 5G coverage from all majors; mid-band 5G (fastest layer) is concentrated in/around Chariton and along primary corridors (e.g., US-34), with gaps in sparsely populated areas. This results in more variable 5G performance than in Iowa’s metro counties.
• Speeds (typical user experience)
  • LTE: ~10–40 Mbps down, 2–10 Mbps up in most areas.
  • 5G low-band: ~25–80 Mbps down; mid-band (where present): ~100–300+ Mbps down with noticeably better uplink and latency.
• Carrier landscape
  • All three nationwide carriers operate, with T-Mobile generally providing the broadest 5G footprint, Verizon offering strong rural LTE reliability, and AT&T/FirstNet prioritized where public-safety coverage is emphasized; UScellular remains relevant in fringe/rural spots. Co-location on shared towers is common.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Fiber backhaul follows highway/rail corridors; outside these, some sites still rely on microwave backhaul, contributing to capacity constraints versus Iowa’s metro areas. This limits widespread mid-band 5G density compared with state urban centers.
• Home internet substitution
  • 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) availability exists but is patchy away from corridors; take-up is higher than in cities among households lacking cable/fiber, reinforcing the county’s above-average mobile-only internet reliance.

How Lucas County differs from Iowa overall

• Slightly lower per-capita smartphone adoption due to older age structure and income mix.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and mobile-only home internet solutions.
• More uneven 5G mid-band availability and capacity; speed and indoor coverage vary more across short distances than in metro counties.
• Upgrade cycles are longer and device turnover slower, particularly among 55+ users, which dampens advanced-5G feature adoption versus the state’s urban counties.

Operational implications

• Operators that expand mid-band 5G and fiber backhaul beyond Chariton and highway corridors will see outsized gains in user experience metrics.
• Plans with strong rural coverage, Wi‑Fi calling, and signal-boosting support (CPE, femtocells) have higher practical value locally than in Iowa’s metros.
• Digital inclusion efforts targeting seniors (device training, affordable plans) can close the remaining adoption gap more effectively here than at the state level.

Lucas County, IA — Social Media Usage Snapshot (2024)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~8.7k; adults (18+): ~6.8k

Overall user stats

• Social media users (13+): ~5.3k people
• Adult penetration (18+): ~70% of adults
• Teen penetration (13–17): ~95%

Age breakdown (share of all social media users)

• 13–17: 9% (very high daily use; heavy on Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube)
• 18–29: 18% (multi‑platform; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok prominent)
• 30–44: 24% (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; rising Reels/shorts use)
• 45–64: 31% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; Marketplace and Groups)
• 65+: 18% (Facebook primary; YouTube for tutorials/news)

Gender breakdown

• Users: ~52% female, ~48% male
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook slightly female‑skewed; YouTube and Reddit male‑skewed; Instagram and TikTok near balanced but younger‑leaning

Most‑used platforms in Lucas County (share of social media users)

• Facebook: 78%
• YouTube: 76%
• Facebook Messenger: 68%
• Instagram: 38%
• Snapchat: 30%
• TikTok: 28%
• Pinterest: 27%
• LinkedIn: 15%
• X (Twitter): 12%
• Reddit: 10%

Behavioral trends

• Community‑first usage: Facebook Groups (schools, local gov, sports, buy/sell) and Marketplace are central; event discovery happens on Facebook more than dedicated event sites.
• Messaging over posting: High reliance on Facebook Messenger for one‑to‑one and small‑group communication; public posting frequency is moderate.
• Practical video consumption: YouTube heavily used for DIY, agriculture, equipment repair, hunting/fishing, and product reviews; Shorts consumption growing.
• Short‑form growth among under‑35: Instagram Reels and TikTok used for entertainment, trends, and local business content; cross‑posting is common.
• Time‑of‑day peaks: Evenings (7–9 pm) and weekend mornings show the highest engagement; mobile‑first usage dominates.
• Commerce and recommendations: Facebook Marketplace is the default for local buying/selling; neighborhood recommendations travel through Groups more than review sites.
• Platform avoidance: Limited Twitter/X use outside of news/sports; WhatsApp adoption remains low compared with Messenger.

Notes on methodology: Figures are 2024 county‑level estimates derived by weighting Lucas County’s age/gender profile against recent national and rural social media adoption benchmarks; numbers are rounded for clarity.