Poweshiek County

Poweshiek County, Iowa — key demographics

Population size

• 18,662 residents (2020 Census), down about 1.3% from 2010.

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~40 years
• Under 18: ~20%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; Hispanic is any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~89%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~4%
• Black or African American: ~2%
• Asian: ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: <1% combined

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~7,900–8,100
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~57% of households; married-couple families: ~46%
• Nonfamily households: ~43%; living alone: ~34% (about 14% are 65+ living alone)
• Homeownership rate: ~74%

Key insights

• Population is largely non-Hispanic White with small but present racial/ethnic diversity.
• Age structure is balanced but older-leaning, with roughly one in five residents 65+.
• Household patterns reflect a rural/college-area mix: high homeownership and many married-couple families, alongside a sizable share of one-person households.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5‑year estimates).

Poweshiek County, IA (2020 Census population 18,662; density ≈32 people/sq mi) shows high email use typical of connected rural counties.

• Estimated email users: ≈14,800 residents (≈79% of total), modeled as ~85% internet adoption × ~93% of internet users using email.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users; ≈counts):
  • Under 18: 10% (~1,500)
  • 18–34: 25% (~3,700)
  • 35–64: 45% (~6,700)
  • 65+: 20% (~3,000)
• Gender split: Mirrors population (~51% female, 49% male); email usage is near-parity ⇒ ≈7,500 women and ≈7,300 men among users.

Digital access and connectivity:

• Household broadband subscription is in the low-to-mid 80% range, consistent with recent ACS trends for rural Iowa; computer ownership is near 90%+, and ~7–10% are smartphone-only internet households.
• Coverage: FCC maps indicate ≈95%+ of locations have at least 25/3 Mbps service; 100/20 Mbps and fiber are concentrated in and around Grinnell and along the I‑80 corridor, with fixed wireless common in outlying areas.
• Anchors: Grinnell College, healthcare facilities, and public libraries provide robust Wi‑Fi and backbone access, supporting strong email uptake across working-age adults and seniors.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Poweshiek County, Iowa

Population baseline

• Total residents: ~18,450 (2023 estimate; U.S. Census Bureau)
• Households: ~7,700
• Distinguishing context: The county combines a college hub (Grinnell) with predominantly rural townships. This produces a bimodal usage pattern (very high adoption among students and working-age adults; lower among older rural residents) that differs from the statewide average.

Estimated mobile users

• Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): ~15,500 residents, ~84% of total population
• Smartphone users: ~13,950 residents, ~76% of total population
• Adult smartphone ownership (18+): ~84% Method note: Counts are derived from the county’s age profile and recent national/regional adoption rates (Pew and CDC NHIS), adjusted for the college-age bulge in Grinnell. Figures are rounded.

Demographic breakdown (estimates)

• Ages 12–17: 1,050 smartphone users (95% of cohort)
• Ages 18–24: 2,150 smartphone users (97%) — elevated by Grinnell College relative to Iowa overall
• Ages 25–44: 4,200 smartphone users (95%)
• Ages 45–64: 4,080 smartphone users (85%)
• Ages 65+: 2,290 smartphone users (62%) — below state-level rates for seniors, reflecting rural composition
• Under 12: 180 smartphone users (8%)

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage footprint
  • Interstate 80 corridor (Grinnell and Brooklyn exits) has the strongest multi-carrier capacity and the broadest 5G availability.
  • Outlying townships and farm roads remain a mix of mid-band 5G and LTE; signal quality and indoor penetration drop on the county fringes.
• 5G status and typical experience ranges
  • T-Mobile and Verizon: mid-band 5G in and around Grinnell and along I-80; typical on-device throughput 100–400 Mbps when on mid-band, with LTE fallback often 5–50 Mbps in rural stretches.
  • AT&T: widespread low-band 5G, more variable mid-band capacity; typical on-device throughput 40–150 Mbps in covered areas; LTE fallback similar to above.
  • Rural dead spots still occur in low terrain and at section-line distances from towers; boosters and Wi‑Fi calling are common mitigation tools.
• Network capacity patterns
  • Peak loads: I-80 traffic waves, Grinnell College events, and fairgrounds activities create short, localized congestion spikes (most evident on weekends/holidays).
  • Backhaul: fiber-fed macro sites serve the interstate and town centers; some rural sites rely on constrained backhaul, limiting peak performance despite 5G radios.
• Offload and local broadband context
  • Grinnell: citywide cable and fiber reduce mobile data load via Wi‑Fi offload (Mediacom cable; MCG/other fiber in many neighborhoods; campus Wi‑Fi at Grinnell College).
  • Brooklyn and Montezuma: local telecom cooperatives have built fiber in town, aiding offload and supporting small-cell backhaul; surrounding rural areas still depend on DSL, fixed wireless, or cellular for home access.

How Poweshiek differs from Iowa overall

• Higher 18–24 penetration and usage intensity: The college presence pushes smartphone adoption and mobile data use above statewide levels for young adults, with heavier app and hotspot usage and faster 5G upgrade cycles.
• Lower senior smartphone adoption: The rural share keeps 65+ smartphone ownership several points below the statewide rate, sustaining a noticeable base of basic-phone users.
• Greater corridor-versus-interior divide: Performance and 5G availability are more polarized than Iowa’s average, with excellent I-80/town coverage but sharper drop-offs a few miles into agricultural areas.
• More mobile substitution in rural households: A higher share of out-of-town households rely on cellular or fixed wireless as primary internet compared with the state average, driving above-average mobile data per user outside Grinnell.
• Event-driven volatility: Traffic surges tied to college and interstate travel produce more pronounced, short-duration congestion than observed in many non-college Iowa counties.

Implications and actionable insights

• Capacity planning: Prioritize mid-band 5G sectors and additional carriers’ spectrum on sectors facing I-80, Grinnell campus, and fairgrounds; add or upgrade rural backhaul on the busiest LTE-only sites.
• Senior adoption gap: Targeted plans, simplified devices, and in-home coverage solutions (signal boosters, Wi‑Fi calling setup) can close usability gaps in rural senior households.
• Rural reliability: Small infill sites or multi-operator small cells along key county roads would reduce dead zones that remain despite radio upgrades.
• Offload partnerships: Continued coordination with local fiber and campus networks in Grinnell sustains strong indoor experience and frees macro capacity during peak periods.

Poweshiek County, IA — social media snapshot (2024)

Topline size and adoption

• Population: 18,662 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): ≈14,600.
• Adult social media users (any platform): ≈10,400 (≈71% of adults), reflecting rural adoption levels with a lift from the Grinnell College population.
• Teens (13–17): ≈1,120 residents; ≈1,060 use at least one social platform (≈95%).

Age-group profile (adult users)

• 18–29: ≈2,455 users (≈24% of adult users). Adoption ≈84%.
• 30–49: ≈3,550 users (≈34%). Adoption ≈81%.
• 50–64: ≈2,880 users (≈28%). Adoption ≈73%.
• 65+: ≈1,510 users (≈15%). Adoption ≈45%.
• Teens (13–17) platform mix: YouTube ≈95%, TikTok ≈67%, Instagram ≈62%, Snapchat ≈59%, Facebook ≈32%.

Gender breakdown (adult users)

• Female: ≈54% of users (≈5,600), driven by higher engagement on Facebook and Pinterest.
• Male: ≈46% of users (≈4,800), with relatively higher participation on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Most-used platforms among adults in Poweshiek County (share of adults; multi-platform use is common)

• YouTube: ≈80% (≈11,700 adults)
• Facebook: ≈70% (≈10,200)
• Instagram: ≈40% (≈5,800)
• Snapchat: ≈30% (≈4,400)
• TikTok: ≈28% (≈4,100)
• Pinterest: ≈32% (≈4,700)
• LinkedIn: ≈20% (≈2,900)
• X (Twitter): ≈20% (≈2,900)
• Reddit: ≈18% (≈2,600)
• Nextdoor: ≈8% (≈1,200)

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Facebook as the local hub: County news, school/sports updates, emergency notices, buy–sell–trade, and event promotion primarily run through Facebook Pages and Groups. Engagement peaks evenings and weekends.
• Video-first consumption: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) is now a primary discovery format across under-40s; cross-posted video to YouTube reaches all ages.
• College-driven youth activity: Grinnell College students push above-average usage of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; Stories and DMs are preferred over public posts.
• Community commerce: High interaction with local business specials, service providers, seasonal events, and job postings; Facebook Marketplace and Groups outperform stand-alone websites for discovery.
• Messaging over feeds: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are key for private, local coordination; WhatsApp usage remains comparatively low.
• Women 25–54 skew: Strong engagement with Facebook and Pinterest for home, school, and community content; save/share behavior is common.
• Older residents (50+): Heavily Facebook-focused; consistent engagement with local news, weather, obituaries, and civic content; lower but growing YouTube use.
• Cross-posting works: The same local story or event performs best when adapted across Facebook (community reach), Instagram (visuals), and YouTube (evergreen or longer video).

Notes on method

• Figures are 2024 estimates derived by applying recent U.S. social media adoption rates (Pew Research Center, 2023–2024) to Poweshiek County’s population structure (U.S. Census/ACS), with rural adjustments and a local uplift for the college-age segment. Percentages are of the adult population unless specified.