Marion County

Marion County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size

• 33,414 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~94–95%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.5–1%
• Asian alone: ~0.8–1.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.2–0.4%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–4% (Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps race categories.)

Household data (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~13,400
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~65–68% of households
• With children under 18: ~28–31% of households
• Living alone: ~26–30% of households; 65+ living alone: ~10–12%
• Housing tenure: Owner-occupied ~76–80%; renter-occupied ~20–24%

Insights

• Population is stable relative to 2010 and 2020 counts, with a modestly older age profile than the U.S. overall.
• Demographics are predominantly non-Hispanic White with small but present Hispanic/Latino and other minority populations.
• Household structure shows high homeownership and smaller household sizes typical of rural/suburban Iowa.

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

Marion County, IA snapshot (2023 est.):

• Population: 33,300; population density about 60 residents per square mile.
• Estimated adult email users: 23,600 (≈92% of adults; ≈71% of total residents).

Age distribution of email users (est. share of email users):

• 18–29: 18%
• 30–49: 33%
• 50–64: 27%
• 65+: 22%

Gender split of email users:

• Female: 51%
• Male: 49%

Digital access and usage trends:

• Households with a computer: 93%.
• Households with a broadband subscription: 87%.
• Households with no home internet: 10%.
• Smartphone‑only internet access: 7–8%.
• Home broadband adoption has risen about 4–5 percentage points since 2019, indicating steadily increasing digital engagement and more mobile access for email.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Email and broadband use are most concentrated around Pella and Knoxville, which together account for roughly half of county residents and sit along the US‑163 corridor.
• Outlying rural areas show higher reliance on fixed‑wireless/DSL, but countywide access remains strong, supporting high email adoption across age groups.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Iowa — summary and county-vs-state differences

User estimates

• Population and households: About 33–34k residents and roughly 13k households. Adults (~18+) are approximately 25–26k.
• Smartphone presence in households: 92–95% of households report at least one smartphone (ACS 5-year estimates), translating to roughly 12,000–12,400 households.
• Cellular data plan at home: 72–80% of households subscribe to a cellular data plan for internet (smartphone or other mobile device), with 10–15% relying on cellular data only for home internet.
• Individual adoption (modeled from ACS and national adoption patterns):
  • Adult smartphone users: approximately 22.5k–23.5k (about 89–92% of adults).
  • Adult mobile phone users (any mobile, not just smartphones): approximately 24.3k–25k (about 95–97% of adults).

Demographic breakdown (household-level patterns from ACS categories; county-specific margins follow rural-suburban Iowa norms)

• Age:
  • Households headed by adults 18–44: near-universal smartphone presence (95–98%) and high home cellular data plan adoption (80%+).
  • Households headed by adults 65+: smartphone presence is lower (roughly 82–87%); cellular data plan adoption drops into the mid‑60s to low‑70s percent.
• Income:
  • <$20k: notably lower smartphone and broadband adoption (smartphone presence around the mid‑70s percent; many are “smartphone-dependent” for internet).
  • $20–75k: strong smartphone presence (upper‑80s to low‑90s percent) with mixed wired vs cellular broadband.
  • $75k+: near-universal smartphone presence (≈97–99%) and broadband of some kind; higher likelihood of multi-line and multi‑device households.
• Education: Households with a bachelor’s degree or higher report near‑universal smartphone presence and higher adoption of both wired broadband and supplemental cellular data plans.
• Urban vs rural within the county: Pella and Knoxville show higher device density per household, more 5G-capable devices, and more multi‑line plans; rural townships show slightly lower smartphone presence and higher smartphone‑only internet dependence.

Digital infrastructure points

• Carrier footprint: AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile, and UScellular all operate in the county. 4G LTE coverage is effectively countywide; low‑band 5G covers most populated areas, with mid‑band 5G clustered in and around Pella and Knoxville and along US‑163/IA‑14/IA‑5 corridors.
• Capacity and backhaul: Municipal/co-op fiber in Pella and cable/fiber in Knoxville improve mobile backhaul and peak capacity. Fixed‑wireless (notably 5G Home Internet) has expanded quickly along the US‑163 corridor and near towns.
• Terrain and dead zones: Signal attenuation is more common around Lake Red Rock shoreline, river valleys, and some low-lying rural pockets; highway corridors are better served than interior gravel roads.
• Event-driven demand: Large events (Tulip Time in Pella; Knoxville Raceway nationals) create short-term spikes in mobile traffic; operators typically augment capacity around venues and downtowns.

How Marion County differs from Iowa overall

• Slightly higher smartphone penetration at the household level than the state average, driven by Pella/Knoxville’s employment base, college presence, and commuter ties to the Des Moines metro.
• Higher uptake of mobile/cellular-based home internet than the state average, due to strong fixed‑wireless 5G signal near US‑163 and practical use of cellular as primary or backup broadband in rural areas.
• More pronounced event-driven capacity swings than typical for a county of its size in Iowa, prompting temporary densification around venues.
• Within-county inequality is sharper: very high device and broadband adoption in Pella/Knoxville contrasts with noticeably lower adoption and more smartphone-only access in rural townships.
• Senior households in Marion County show slightly better smartphone adoption than the statewide rural-senior pattern, but they still trail younger cohorts by a wide margin.

Key takeaways

• Smartphones are effectively ubiquitous in Marion County households; roughly 9 in 10 adults carry a smartphone.
• Mobile networks are robust along major corridors and in towns, with low‑band 5G broadly available and mid‑band 5G concentrated near population centers.
• Cellular-based home internet is an important complement—and for a measurable minority, a substitute—for wired broadband, more so than statewide averages.
• Usage patterns are shaped by local institutions and events, creating higher-than-typical peaks and a stronger emphasis on capacity in Pella and Knoxville relative to rural townships.

Social media usage in Marion County, Iowa (2025 snapshot)

Scope and method

• Population baseline: 33,414 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ≈26,000. Percentages below use Pew Research Center’s “Social Media Use in 2024” adult adoption rates, applied to the county’s adult population to produce county-level estimates.

Most-used platforms (adult adoption; county-modeled counts in parentheses)

• YouTube: 83% (≈21,600 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (≈17,700)
• Instagram: 47% (≈12,200)
• Pinterest: 35% (≈9,100)
• TikTok: 33% (≈8,600)
• Snapchat: 30% (≈7,800)
• LinkedIn: 30% (≈7,800)
• WhatsApp: 26% (≈6,800)
• X (Twitter): 22% (≈5,700)
• Reddit: 22% (≈5,700)

Age-group patterns (adults)

• 18–29: Very heavy video and visually led use. Nationally: YouTube ≈93%, Instagram ≈78%, Snapchat ≈65%, TikTok ≈62%. Facebook is present but secondary for many in this cohort.
• 30–49: Near-universal YouTube; Facebook remains a core utility (events, school, youth sports). Instagram and TikTok are mid-tier; Snapchat use persists among parents of teens.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest strong among women. TikTok/Instagram are smaller but growing via short-form video and creator content.
• 65+: Facebook is the default network for news, groups, churches, and civic info; YouTube used for how‑to and local news clips. Limited use of TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat.

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Overall user base is roughly even by gender, consistent with the county’s population.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; Snapchat skews female among younger users; TikTok skews slightly female; Reddit and X skew male; LinkedIn skews slightly male; Facebook is broadly balanced; YouTube skews slightly male.

Behavioral trends observed/expected locally

• Facebook as the community hub: Heavy reliance on Groups (buy/sell, school, churches, youth sports, emergency management) and Events; Marketplace is a primary local commerce channel.
• Event-driven spikes: Strong surges in posting and video around marquee happenings (e.g., Pella’s Tulip Time, Knoxville Raceway/Nationals), with Instagram/TikTok/YouTube short-form and reels performing best during event windows.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for DIY, home/ag equipment, motorsports, and local news highlights; Facebook and Instagram Reels/TikTok for snackable local clips.
• Local news and civic info: County and city pages, school districts, and local media primarily activate via Facebook; engagement peaks during weather events and public notices.
• Messaging norms: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous among adults; Snapchat is the dominant private channel for teens/younger adults. WhatsApp exists but is smaller than on the coasts.
• Timing: Engagement commonly peaks evenings (approximately 6–10 pm CT) and weekends; event weeks drive all-day mobile activity.

Source notes

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (Marion County, IA).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (applied to county adult population to produce modeled local counts).