Mahaska County

Mahaska County, Iowa — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population size

• Total population: 22,190 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2023 population estimate: ~22.3K (Census Bureau Vintage 2023 estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~39 years (ACS 5-year)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender

• Female: ~50% of population
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (Census definitions)

• White alone: ~93%
• Black or African American alone: ~1.5–2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.3%
• Asian alone: ~1.3–1.6%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~91–92%

Households and housing

• Households: ~8.7K (ACS 5-year)
• Persons per household: ~2.5
• Family households: ~60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70–75%
• Housing units: ~9.5–10K

Notes

• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates; Vintage 2023 population estimates; QuickFacts.
• ACS figures are estimates and may include margins of error; race and Hispanic origin are measured separately.

Mahaska County, IA snapshot (2020 pop 22,190; ~39 people/sq mi; Oskaloosa ~11,500):

• Estimated email users: ~16,500 adults. Basis: ~17,300 adults (≈78% of population) × high rural email adoption (≈90%).
• Age distribution of email users (est.): 18–34 ≈25%, 35–64 ≈54%, 65+ ≈21% (older adults adopt email less than mid-age groups).
• Gender split: ~50% female, ~50% male among users, reflecting county demographics.
• Digital access:
  • Home broadband subscription: ~80–83% of households (ACS), leaving ~17–20% without home broadband; mobile-only internet users are common among the non-subscribed.
  • Smartphone ownership among adults: ~80% (rural Midwest norms), sustaining frequent email access even where home broadband is absent.
  • Connectivity is densest in and around Oskaloosa, which has citywide fiber from Mahaska Communication Group (gigabit-class service). Rural areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite; 4G is widespread and 5G is present in/near Oskaloosa and along major corridors. Trends: steady migration from DSL to fiber where available; rising mobile-only access; email remains near-universal among working-age adults, with continued growth among 65+ as smartphones and telehealth drive adoption.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Mahaska County, Iowa (current through 2024)

Key takeaways that differ from Iowa overall

• Reliance on mobile for home internet is higher than the state average, reflecting patchier fixed-broadband options in unincorporated areas.
• Adult smartphone adoption is a few points lower than Iowa overall, driven by an older age mix and lower household income than the state median.
• 5G population coverage and device uptake trail the statewide average; LTE coverage is effectively universal across populated areas.

User estimates and adoption

• Population baseline: 22,190 (2020 Census); ~8,900 households.
• Estimated unique smartphone users: ~16,500 (about 74–76% of residents). This is a point estimate derived from rural adoption benchmarks and Mahaska’s age mix; Iowa statewide is closer to ~79–81%.
• Households with a smartphone: 7,600–7,800 (85–88% of households), slightly below Iowa (~88–91%).
• Households primarily relying on a cellular data plan for home internet (smartphone-only/mobile-only): ~10–13% in Mahaska County vs ~8–10% statewide. Approx. 900–1,150 households in the county.
• Adults living in wireless-only (no landline) households: roughly two-thirds, in line with Iowa’s high wireless-only prevalence; county skew toward older residents keeps this a bit below the Iowa peak.

Demographic breakdown (estimates aligned to national age-specific smartphone adoption with Mahaska’s older age profile)

• Ages 18–29: ~92–95% use smartphones; ~3,300–3,600 users locally.
• Ages 30–49: ~90–92%; ~5,200–5,600 users.
• Ages 50–64: ~80–85%; ~3,800–4,200 users.
• Ages 65+: ~65–70%; ~2,300–2,600 users.
• Income and education: Smartphone ownership is near-universal at higher incomes but drops into the mid-to-upper 70s among lower-income, less-than–college households. Mahaska’s lower median household income than Iowa overall lifts the share of smartphone-only internet users compared with the state.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Network footprint
  • 4G LTE: Coverage from Verizon, AT&T, T‑Mobile, and UScellular is effectively ubiquitous across populated parts of the county, including Oskaloosa, New Sharon, Eddyville, and primary corridors (US‑63, IA‑92, IA‑23).
  • 5G: At least one carrier provides 5G across Oskaloosa and the US‑63 corridor, with patchier reach in outlying areas. Estimated population coverage is on the order of the mid‑70s to mid‑80s percent range—below Iowa’s statewide 5G population coverage, which approaches 90% in 2024.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical rural county mobile performance profile: median download speeds commonly 40–60 Mbps in town centers (higher on T‑Mobile mid‑band and Verizon/AT&T C‑band where available) and 10–25 Mbps on the fringes; uploads 5–12 Mbps; latency ~30–45 ms on 5G NSA/LTE. Iowa statewide medians are higher, reflecting stronger urban network densification.
  • Congestion: Evening and event‑time slowdowns are more pronounced around Oskaloosa and along US‑63; sparsely populated areas can see sector loading from long‑range sites, depressing throughput more than in metro Iowa.
• Coverage gaps and terrain effects
  • Low-lying river corridors and timbered ravines (e.g., along the Des Moines River and smaller tributaries) exhibit weaker indoor signal and more handoff drops than open farmland.
• Device mix and plan types
  • Share of 5G‑capable devices is rising but remains a few points lower than Iowa’s metro-heavy average; prepaid and value MVNO plans have a higher footprint than in Des Moines/Cedar Rapids, contributing to more conservative data usage and slower average upgrades.

How Mahaska differs from the state

• Adoption: Total smartphone adoption and senior (65+) smartphone use are both a few percentage points lower than Iowa overall.
• Access mode: Smartphone/mobile-only home internet use is clearly higher than the state average, substituting where fiber/cable options are limited or costly outside Oskaloosa.
• Network: LTE is comprehensive; 5G is present but less ubiquitous than statewide, with more variability at the edges of coverage.
• Performance: Speeds and consistency trail statewide medians due to sparser tower density and less mid‑band 5G saturation, though town centers perform well.

Notes on methods

• Figures above synthesize the 2020 Census population/household counts, 2018–2022 ACS computer and internet-use patterns for rural Iowa counties, 2023–2024 national smartphone adoption by age (Pew), and FCC mobile coverage disclosures through 2024. County-specific values are provided as point estimates consistent with those datasets and Mahaska’s demographic profile.

Social media snapshot: Mahaska County, Iowa (best-available localized estimates, 2025)

Population context

• Total population: ≈22,000
• Residents age 13+: ≈19,000
• Social-media users (13+): 15,000–16,200 (≈78–85% use at least one platform monthly)
• Daily users: ≈60–65% of social-media users access at least once per day

Most-used platforms (share of county social-media users, monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 72–78% (Marketplace/Groups use among Facebook users: 80–85%)
• Instagram: 38–45%
• Snapchat: 30–36%
• TikTok: 28–35%
• Pinterest: 28–34%
• LinkedIn: 18–22%
• X (Twitter): 14–18%
• Reddit: 11–15%
• Nextdoor: 6–8%

User mix by age (share of active users)

• 13–17: 6–8% (heavy Snapchat/TikTok; near-universal YouTube)
• 18–29: 18–22% (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook for events/marketplace)
• 30–44: 24–27% (Facebook, YouTube; growing Instagram Reels usage)
• 45–64: 28–31% (Facebook dominant; YouTube; some Pinterest)
• 65+: 17–20% (Facebook and YouTube; limited on newer apps)

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: roughly even, slight female tilt (women 52–55%, men 45–48%)
• Platform skews:
  • More women: Pinterest (75% women), Facebook (54% women), Instagram (55% women), TikTok (58% women)
  • More men: YouTube (57% men), X/Twitter (60% men), Reddit (~67% men)
  • LinkedIn: near-even to slight male lean

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Facebook as the community hub: heavy use of Groups for schools, churches, youth sports, farm/rural swap, and city/county info; Marketplace is a top driver of daily logins.
• YouTube for practical content: DIY, home/auto/ag equipment repair, hunting/fishing, local music/church services; growing connected TV viewing of YouTube on smart TVs.
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels expanding among 18–34 for trades, crafts, hometown humor, local sports; creators often cross-post between platforms.
• Teen/young adult messaging: Snapchat is the default for high school and college (William Penn University) cohorts; Snap Map used for meetups and events.
• Visual planning and seasonal peaks: Pinterest sees surges around graduations, weddings, fair season, and holidays; strong interest in recipes, home projects, and crafts.
• Local commerce and events: Facebook Events and Group posts strongly influence attendance and same-day store traffic; “open hours” and weather-driven posts see above-average engagement.
• Trust and authenticity: Unpolished, face-forward local videos outperform polished ads; user comments often drive reach in town-issue threads—active moderation is common.
• Timing patterns: Evening activity (7–10 pm) is highest; weekend mornings strong for buy/sell posts; school-calendar milestones (games, concerts, fairs) create engagement spikes.

Notes on method and reliability

• County-specific platform metrics are not directly published; figures above are modeled from Pew Research Center’s latest U.S. social media adoption rates, adjusted for rural/Midwest patterns and Mahaska County’s age profile from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS). These provide decision-grade local estimates rather than platform-reported counts.