Marshall County

Marshall County, Iowa — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• Total population: 40,105 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2023 population estimate: ~40,000 (Census Population Estimates Program)

Age structure (ACS 2019–2023, 5-year)

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~24–25%
• 18 to 64: ~58–59%
• 65 and over: ~17–18%

Sex (ACS 2019–2023)

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic is of any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~72%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~20%
• Black/African American: ~2%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~4%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~15,700
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~65% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45–47% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~35%
• Households with children under 18: ~29–30%
• Homeownership rate: ~68–70%

Insights

• Stable population near 40,000 with a balanced age profile and modest senior share.
• Notable diversity for Iowa: roughly 1 in 5 residents is Hispanic/Latino, with non-Hispanic White around seven in ten.
• Household size slightly above the Iowa state average, reflecting a solid share of family and child‑present households.

• Population and density: Marshall County had 40,105 residents in 2020, roughly 70 people per square mile. About 68.7% live in Marshalltown.
• Estimated email users: ≈28,000 adults use email (method: ~30,500 adults × 92% U.S. adult email adoption).
• Age distribution (usage rates applied to local age mix): 18–29 ≈99% use email; 30–49 ≈98%; 50–64 ≈92%; 65+ ≈84%. Thus, most email users are 18–64, with seniors well-represented but at lower adoption.
• Gender split: Near parity; men and women use email at essentially equal rates (~92% each), so local email users are roughly 50/50.
• Digital access and trends: About 83% of households have a broadband subscription and ~91% have a computer; ~11% have no home internet, and ~12% are smartphone‑only. Smartphone‑only reliance is rising modestly; fiber/cable coverage is strongest in Marshalltown, with rural areas relying more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Connectivity/density facts: Broadband availability and speeds are highest in the Marshalltown urban core; rural census blocks show fewer ≥100/20 Mbps options. Coverage at 25/3 Mbps is widespread, with robust LTE/5G along the US‑30 corridor, supporting dependable mobile email access.

Marshall County, IA mobile phone usage snapshot (2024, best-available data and modeled estimates)

Topline user estimates

• Population base: ~40,000 residents; ~31,000 adults 18+ (ACS 2018–2022 5-year; 2023 county estimates interpolated)
• Adult smartphone users: 26,000–27,000 (≈85% of adults), slightly below the Iowa adult average (88–90%)
• Total mobile phone users (all ages, incl. teens): ~33,500–34,000 (≈83–85% of residents)
• Active wireless subscriptions: ~47,000–50,000 lines in service (≈118–125 subscriptions per 100 residents; CTIA statewide ratios applied locally)

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: Very high smartphone adoption (~93–96%); heavier app-first behavior and mobile payments; aligns with state.
  • 35–64: High adoption (~85–90%); strong BYOD use among manufacturing and healthcare workers; similar to state.
  • 65+: Lower adoption (~60–68%, weighted by county’s older-rural mix), modestly below Iowa’s 65+ average; larger feature‑phone and basic‑plan segment than statewide.
• Income and plan mix
  • Median household income trails the Iowa median, correlating with higher prepaid share: prepaid lines ~28–30% of county mobile lines vs ~23–25% statewide.
  • Device turnover cycles are longer than state average; above‑average reliance on used/refurbished devices.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Hispanic/Latino population is materially above the state average (Marshall County ~20% vs Iowa ~7%); this cohort shows very high smartphone access and above‑average mobile‑only internet reliance, lifting the county’s overall mobile‑only rate.
• Home internet dependence on mobile
  • Smartphone/mobile‑only households: ~11–13% of households in the county vs ~8–10% statewide (ACS S2801 cellular‑only indicator pattern), driven by cost sensitivity and rental housing mix.
  • Hotspot use for homework and shift‑work comms is elevated relative to the state, especially in Marshalltown.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carrier presence and 5G
  • AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, and UScellular provide countywide LTE voice/data; 5G low‑band covers nearly all populated areas outdoors.
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz and C‑band) is concentrated in and around Marshalltown and along US‑30; rural townships more often fall back to low‑band 5G or LTE.
• Capacity and reliability patterns
  • Peak‑time capacity is strongest in Marshalltown’s commercial corridors and along US‑30; capacity constraints most evident in fringe rural sectors and river/wooded valleys where sites are sparse.
  • In‑building coverage challenges persist in metal‑clad industrial buildings and some farmsteads; external antennas or indoor small cells are commonly used mitigations.
• Fixed alternatives and mobile substitution
  • Marshalltown has robust cable/fiber options; rural areas rely more on fixed wireless access (FWA) and legacy DSL. Higher rural FWA uptake contributes to a higher share of households that use mobile or FWA as primary broadband compared with the Iowa average.
• Public safety and emergency services
  • NG911 and text‑to‑911 are available; WEA alerts function countywide. Priority services for first responders are provisioned by major carriers.

How Marshall County differs from the Iowa state pattern

• Slightly lower overall adult smartphone penetration due to a larger rural/older share than the state average.
• Higher prepaid plan usage and longer device replacement cycles than statewide norms, reflecting income mix and a sizable shift‑work labor base.
• Meaningfully higher mobile‑only home internet reliance, driven by cost, rental housing, and a larger Hispanic/Latino community with strong mobile‑first behavior.
• Coverage quality bifurcates more sharply than statewide: very good 5G capacity in Marshalltown/US‑30 versus quicker drop‑off to low‑band 5G/LTE in outer townships.
• Above‑average use of hotspots and FWA for work, schooling, and telehealth relative to the Iowa average.

Source notes

• Estimates synthesize ACS 2018–2022 5‑year county demographics and device/internet indicators (table S2801), Pew Research 2023 smartphone adoption by age, CTIA statewide subscriptions per 100 residents (apportioned to county population), and FCC Broadband Data Collection coverage patterns as of 2024. Figures are rounded to reflect the precision of underlying datasets.

Social media usage in Marshall County, IA (best-available, 2024–2025 modeled from Pew Research national/rural splits applied to local demographics)

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: 72–78%
• Daily users: 60–65% of adults
• Primary device: mobile-first (>90% of usage)

Most-used platforms (adult reach)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 40–50%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• TikTok: 28–35%
• Snapchat: 22–30%
• LinkedIn: 25–30%
• X (Twitter): 18–22%
• Reddit: 18–22%
• Nextdoor: 8–12%
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger 60–70%; WhatsApp 20–28% (notably higher among Spanish-speaking/Latino households)

Age group patterns (share of adults in each age band using the platform)

• 18–29: YouTube 90–95%, Instagram 70–80%, TikTok 60–70%, Snapchat 60–70%, Facebook 35–45%
• 30–49: YouTube 85–90%, Facebook 75–80%, Instagram 50–60%, TikTok 35–45%, Snapchat 25–35%
• 50–64: Facebook 75–80%, YouTube 70–80%, Pinterest 40–45%, Instagram 30–35%, TikTok 20–25%
• 65+: Facebook 70–75%, YouTube 50–60%, Pinterest 20–25%, Instagram 15–20%

Gender breakdown (adult reach)

• Women: Facebook 70–75%, Instagram 50–55%, Pinterest 45–55%, Snapchat 25–35%, TikTok 30–35%
• Men: YouTube 85–90%, Facebook 60–65%, Reddit 25–30%, X (Twitter) 20–25%, LinkedIn 30–35%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups for schools, local sports, faith groups, city updates, garage sales, and storm/road alerts; Marketplace is widely used.
• YouTube dominates for DIY/home/farm repair, hunting/outdoors, equipment reviews, and local sports streams/highlights.
• Instagram is strongest for local boutiques, restaurants, youth sports, and event promotion; Stories/Reels outperform feed posts.
• TikTok skews younger; local food, retail, and “things to do” content travels quickly via short videos; creator collaborations drive reach.
• Snapchat is an everyday messaging/coordination tool for teens and 20-somethings; ad impact is strongest around school calendars and events.
• Pinterest influences home, crafts, weddings, and seasonal shopping among women 25–54.
• WhatsApp usage is meaningful in bilingual/Latino households for family networks and local business communication; Spanish-language content performs above average.
• Peak engagement windows: weekdays 6–8 a.m. and 7–10 p.m.; weekend late mornings; weather events and school/sports news spike real-time engagement.
• Content that performs: severe weather and closures, local sports, civic notices, giveaways, behind-the-scenes from local businesses, and short-form vertical video.

Notes

• Figures are modeled estimates using Pew Research Center Social Media Use (2024) with rural adjustments and applied to Marshall County’s age/ethnic profile from recent ACS data. Expect platform shares to be accurate within roughly ±5–10 percentage points.