Muscatine County

Muscatine County, Iowa – key demographics

Population size

• 43,235 (2020 Census); ~43.3k in 2023 population estimates

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and older: ~17%

Sex

• Female: ~49.5%
• Male: ~50.5%

Racial/ethnic composition (shares of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~73%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~20%
• Black or African American: ~2–3%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households

• Total households: ~16.9k
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~69% of households
• Married-couple households: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Homeownership rate: ~73%

Insights

• The county is notably diverse for Iowa, with roughly 1 in 5 residents identifying as Hispanic/Latino (West Liberty is majority Hispanic).
• Age structure is balanced, with a median age near 39 and roughly one-sixth 65+.
• Household sizes are slightly above the state average, reflecting a higher share of family households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year; Population Estimates Program 2023). Numbers rounded for clarity.

• Population and households: ≈43,200 residents; ≈16,900 households (ACS 2023).
• Estimated email users: ≈31,600 adults. Basis: ≈77% of residents are 18+ (≈33,300); ≈95% of adults use the internet (Pew 2024), and email is near‑universal among online adults.
• Age distribution and email adoption (estimates):
  • 18–34: ≈8,200 adults; ≈7,800 email users.
  • 35–64: ≈16,800 adults; ≈16,000 email users.
  • 65+: ≈7,800 adults; ≈6,600 email users (lower adoption among seniors).
• Gender split: ≈50% female, ≈50% male; email adoption is effectively parity by gender among adults.
• Digital access:
  • Households with any computer: ≈92% (ACS 2023).
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈87% (≈14,700 connected households); ≈13% lack home broadband.
  • Smartphone‑only connectivity: roughly high‑single digits of households, indicating some mobile‑dependent users.
• Density and connectivity facts:
  • Land area ≈439 sq mi; population density ≈98 people/sq mi, with much higher density in the City of Muscatine.
  • Fiber is widely available in the City of Muscatine via Muscatine Power & Water; rural areas rely more on cable/DSL/fixed wireless, contributing to an adoption gap outside the city despite broad baseline availability of 25/3 Mbps service.

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

Headline estimates

• Resident population: ~43,000 (ACS/Census-based).
• Adults (18+): ~32,700 (≈76% of population).
• Adult mobile phone users: ~31,700 (≈97% of adults; Pew Research 2023).
• Adult smartphone users: ~29,400 (≈90% of adults; Pew 2023).
• Teen smartphone users (ages 12–17): ~3,300 (≈95% adoption).
• Total smartphone users (12+): ~32,700.
• Adults who are mobile-only internet users (primarily rely on smartphones for home internet): ~6,500 (≈20%; higher in lower-income and Hispanic households, consistent with national patterns).

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: ~22–24% of population; near-universal smartphone adoption (>95%), heavy app-first behavior.
  • 35–64: ~36–38%; high adoption (>90%), strong BYOD use in manufacturing/logistics shift work.
  • 65+: ~18%; smartphone adoption ~60–65% (the remainder typically use basic phones or share family plans), below the statewide average due to a slightly older, more rural cohort.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~19% of county (vs ~7% statewide), a key differentiator. High smartphone adoption and above-average mobile-only internet dependence (≈25–30% of Hispanic adults), strong use of WhatsApp, Facebook, and international calling features; prepaid/MVNO penetration above state norms.
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~70–72%; adoption aligns with state averages, with rural residents more likely to retain basic phones or older LTE devices.
  • Black, Asian, multiracial, and other groups collectively ~9–10%; adoption rates broadly comparable to statewide urban cohorts.
• Income/affordability:
  • Median household income in the mid-$60Ks (below Iowa’s statewide median), correlating with higher price sensitivity, slower upgrade cycles, and greater use of MVNOs and prepaid plans than the state average.
• Work context:
  • Manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics drive strong demand for reliable coverage along plants, warehouses, fields, and transport corridors; push-to-talk, messaging, and time-clock apps see heavier use than in many Iowa counties.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G LTE: Near-ubiquitous in Muscatine city and along US‑61/IA‑22, with reliable corridor coverage to the Quad Cities and Iowa City. Rural western townships and Mississippi River bluffs can experience pockets of weaker indoor signal or capacity constraints during peak hours.
• 5G:
  • Low-band 5G: Countywide baseline from major carriers, improving reach and indoor coverage.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band): Live in and around Muscatine’s urban core, industrial sites, and primary corridors, delivering a step-up in capacity; spottier on the rural periphery.
• Backhaul and local broadband context:
  • Muscatine benefits from robust city-based fixed networks (including municipal/utility-provided broadband), which offload traffic via Wi‑Fi in town and support high-capacity backhaul for nearby macro and small cells.
  • Outside the city, fixed broadband is more variable (DSL/WISP/satellite), contributing to higher mobile-only reliance in some rural households.
• Public safety and enterprise:
  • First responder networks and enterprise private LTE/CBRS deployments support plants and logistics hubs; coverage planning emphasizes river-adjacent corridors and industrial campuses.

How Muscatine County differs from Iowa overall

• Higher Hispanic share drives:
  • More bilingual usage and reliance on OTT messaging (WhatsApp) and international calling features.
  • Higher prepaid/MVNO and mobile-only internet rates than the statewide average.
• Income and rural mix:
  • Slightly lower median income and a meaningful rural footprint translate to slower device refresh cycles and a larger residual base of LTE-only and budget 5G devices versus state urban centers.
• Infrastructure skew:
  • Proximity to the Quad Cities and Iowa City corridors yields earlier, stronger mid-band 5G availability in the city/US‑61 corridor than many rural Iowa counties, but terrain and low-density areas create below-average indoor coverage consistency in outlying townships.
• Usage profile:
  • Above-average daytime network load near manufacturing and logistics sites versus the education/office-centered traffic patterns common in larger Iowa metros.

Implications

• Addressable smartphone market is ~33,000 residents (12+), with ~6,500 adults relying primarily on mobile for home connectivity—an attractive segment for competitively priced, high-data prepaid and fixed wireless access offers.
• The clearest growth levers versus state averages are bilingual marketing, prepaid/MVNO expansion, and fixed wireless access targeted to rural edges and lower-income city neighborhoods.
• Network optimization should prioritize mid-band 5G densification along US‑61/IA‑22, industrial parks, and river-adjacent areas to alleviate capacity hotspots and shore up indoor coverage where building materials and terrain dampen signal.

Social media usage in Muscatine County, IA — concise snapshot (2025)

Population and composition

• Total population: about 43,000 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimate)
• Age mix (share of residents):
  • 13–17: ~6–7%
  • 18–29: ~17–19%
  • 30–49: ~26–28%
  • 50–64: ~20–22%
  • 65+: ~18–20%
• Gender: ~50–51% female, ~49–50% male
• Notable local factor: sizable Hispanic/Latino community (~1 in 5 residents), which lifts Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube usage and increases demand for bilingual content

Estimated platform reach in Muscatine County (adults) Note: Modeled by applying 2024 Pew U.S. platform adoption rates to Muscatine County’s age mix. Ranges reflect county-level variation typical of small Midwestern counties.

• YouTube: 80–85% of adults
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female, 25–54)
• Snapchat: 20–25% (heavy under 30)
• WhatsApp: 20–25% (notably higher among Hispanic/Latino residents and families with cross-border ties)
• LinkedIn: 20–25% (professional/white‑collar segment; HR/manufacturing hiring)
• X (Twitter): 15–20% Top five by adult reach: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok

Teens (13–17) platform pattern

• Near-universal YouTube usage; TikTok and Snapchat are co-dominant daily apps
• Instagram strong; Facebook limited to family/teams/groups
• Expected teen usage share (modeled from national teen data): YouTube >90%; TikTok ~60–70%; Snapchat ~60–65%; Instagram ~60%; Facebook <30%; X ~20%

Gender and platform skew

• Female-leaning: Pinterest (strong), Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight)
• Male-leaning: Reddit and X (smaller bases), YouTube slightly male-heavy
• Neutral to mixed: TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook Groups

Behavioral trends observed/expected locally

• Community-first usage: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups for schools, youth sports, local government, festivals, and storm/closure updates; Marketplace is a daily driver for buy/sell/trade.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok drive discovery for local eateries, events, and small retailers; under‑35s favor vertical video over static posts.
• Event-driven spikes: County fairs, cultural festivals, and school calendars create sharp peaks in engagement and sharing.
• Messaging layer: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are key for organizing family, church, and team activities; bilingual threads are common.
• Trust and proof points: Photos/video of real people, behind-the-scenes from employers, and visible community involvement outperform polished corporate creative.
• Timing: Engagement concentrates on weeknights (7–10 p.m.) and weekend mornings; lunch-hour scroll (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.) is a secondary window.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups dominate casual resale; Instagram Shops usage is modest but rising among 18–34.

Key takeaways

• To reach most adults quickly, prioritize Facebook + YouTube; add Instagram for under‑45 reach and TikTok for under‑35 growth.
• Use Groups- and community-based distribution; lean into short-form video and bilingual posts where relevant.
• For hiring and B2B in the county’s manufacturing/logistics base, layer LinkedIn plus YouTube video spotlights of roles and people.

Method notes and sources

• Population, age, and gender: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2023).
• Platform reach and teen patterns: Pew Research Center Social Media Use (latest published through 2024), applied to the county’s demographic profile to produce the percentage ranges above.