Ringgold County

Ringgold County, Iowa – key demographics

Population size

• 4,663 (2020 Census)

Age

• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~26%
• Median age: ~47 years (Source: ACS 2018–2022)

Gender

• Female: ~50% (Source: ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~96–97%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2%
• Black or African American: ~0.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
• Asian: ~0.2% (Note: Hispanic can be of any race; shares from ACS 2018–2022)

Household data

• Households: ~2,000
• Persons per household: ~2.2–2.3
• Family households: ~60% of households; nonfamily: ~40% (Source: ACS 2018–2022)

Insights

• Small, declining population with an older age profile (about one-quarter 65+).
• Racial composition is overwhelmingly non-Hispanic White; other groups each comprise well under 5%.
• Household sizes are modest, consistent with rural, aging communities.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Ringgold County, Iowa snapshot

• Population ≈4,700 across ≈2,100 households; very rural density ≈8.7 people/sq mi, concentrated around Mount Ayr.
• Estimated adult email users: ≈3,250 (about 89% of adults), reflecting near-universal email use among internet users and rural broadband adoption levels.

Email adoption by age (adults)

• 18–34: ≈92% use email (≈865 users)
• 35–54: ≈91% (≈1,025 users)
• 55–64: ≈86% (≈525 users)
• 65+: ≈79% (≈835 users) Email usage is strongest among working-age adults and solid among seniors but limited by access and comfort.

Gender split among users

• ≈51% female, 49% male, mirroring the county’s slightly older, more female-heavy age structure.

Digital access and trends

• Broadband subscription: about three-quarters of households (≈75–80%), with ongoing fiber buildouts improving town-core service and fixed wireless/satellite filling rural gaps.
• Device profile: ≈80–85% of households have a computer; ≈12–15% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• Cellular/data coverage is adequate near towns but variable on sparsely populated farm roads; public/library Wi‑Fi remains an important access point.

Insight: Email penetration is high despite rural constraints; growth hinges on continued fiber expansion and affordability for older and remote households.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Ringgold County, Iowa

Snapshot

• Population baseline: approximately 4,700 residents (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate range), making it one of Iowa’s least populous counties. Population density is roughly 9 people per square mile, far below the statewide average.
• Older age profile than Iowa overall, which directly affects smartphone take-up and data usage patterns.

Estimated mobile users and adoption

• Unique mobile phone users (age 13+): about 4,040 residents, or roughly 86% of the total population.
• Smartphone users (age 13+): about 3,480 residents.
• Feature-phone-only users (age 13+): about 560 residents.

Demographic breakdown and inferred adoption by age

• Age mix (rounded):
  • Under 18: 20% (~940)
    • 13–17 subset: 6% (280) with smartphone ownership ~95% → ~270 teen smartphone users
  • 18–29: 11% (~520) with smartphone ownership ~96% → ~500 users
  • 30–49: 22% (~1,030) with smartphone ownership ~94% → ~970 users
  • 50–64: 20% (~940) with smartphone ownership ~88% → ~830 users
  • 65+: 27% (~1,270) with smartphone ownership ~72% → ~910 users
• Net effect: A larger 65+ share than the state suppresses overall smartphone penetration despite very high adoption among working-age adults and teens.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular serve the area, with MVNOs riding these networks.
• 4G LTE coverage: broadly available along primary corridors and in towns; usable but inconsistent in the most sparsely populated areas and inside some metal-built structures.
• 5G availability:
  • Low-band 5G from national carriers is present and improves coverage range but only modestly boosts speeds.
  • Mid-band 5G capacity is concentrated around Mount Ayr and key highway corridors; coverage is far more fragmented than in Iowa’s metros.
• Typical speed experience:
  • LTE: roughly 5–25 Mbps in rural stretches, higher near towns.
  • Low-band 5G: generally 30–80 Mbps.
  • Mid-band 5G pockets: often 150–300+ Mbps where signal is strong.
• Tower spacing and terrain: wide inter-site distances and rolling terrain lead to variable indoor reception. Many households lean on Wi‑Fi calling, signal boosters, or external antennas, especially on farms and along less-traveled roads.
• Cross-border behavior: proximity to Missouri can trigger network selection and roaming behavior near the southern edge of the county.

How Ringgold differs from Iowa overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration: The county’s high share of residents 65+ drives down the countywide smartphone share compared with Iowa’s statewide adult average, which is closer to the national norm.
• More coverage variability: Signal quality and 5G mid-band availability are markedly less consistent than in Iowa’s urban and suburban counties; users see greater reliance on LTE and low-band 5G.
• Heavier reliance on voice/SMS and Wi‑Fi calling: Older demographics and sparser mid-band 5G produce more traditional calling and messaging usage and more dependence on Wi‑Fi calling indoors than the statewide pattern.
• Slower average mobile data speeds: Median experiences lean lower than the state’s metro-driven averages, with fewer locations achieving sustained mid-band 5G performance.
• Greater use of cost-sensitive plans and MVNOs: Lower population density and incomes relative to metro Iowa correlate with a higher share of prepaid and MVNO subscriptions than the state average.

Method notes

• Population and age structure reflect ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates for Ringgold County.
• Smartphone ownership rates by age apply Pew Research Center 2023 figures with rural adjustments commonly observed in low‑density counties.
• Coverage and performance reflect FCC Broadband Data Collection filings and widely reported carrier footprints through 2024, combined with typical rural speed ranges observed across Iowa’s least‑dense counties.

Social media usage in Ringgold County, IA (2025, modeled local estimates)

How this was built

• Based on Ringgold County’s rural, older-leaning demographics from recent ACS data and platform adoption patterns from Pew Research Center (2023–2024). Values below translate those national patterns to the county’s age/gender mix. They are best-available local estimates.

User stats

• Adult social media penetration: ~70% of adults use at least one platform
• Daily use: ~70% of users access social platforms daily
• Multi-platform behavior: Median of 2 platforms per user; ~60% of users are active on 2+ platforms

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: ~74%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~32%
• Pinterest: ~31%
• TikTok: ~22%
• Snapchat: ~18%
• X (Twitter): ~17%
• LinkedIn: ~16%
• WhatsApp: ~10%
• Nextdoor: ~4%

Age groups (estimated share using at least one social platform)

• Teens 13–17: 92–96% (heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram strong; Facebook limited)
• 18–29: 90–94% (Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok lead; Facebook secondary)
• 30–49: 80–85% (Facebook and YouTube anchor; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing)
• 50–64: 65–70% (Facebook and YouTube dominant; limited Instagram/TikTok)
• 65+: 50–55% (primarily Facebook and YouTube; minimal on others)

Gender breakdown (share of users and platform skews)

• Overall user mix: ~53% women, ~47% men (older age structure slightly lifts women’s share)
• Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; Instagram modestly higher vs men
• Men over-index on YouTube, X, and Reddit; LinkedIn modestly higher among men in working-age cohorts

Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: school sports, churches, county fair updates, local news groups, and Facebook Marketplace dominate local information exchange and buy/sell activity
• YouTube is utility-first: how-to/DIY, farm and equipment content, home repair, product research, and local government/civic videos
• Visual discovery for commerce: Pinterest (recipes, crafts, home, seasonal events) and Instagram (local boutiques, salons, eateries) drive browsing-to-store visits
• Short-form entertainment growing but age-gated: TikTok use is concentrated under 40; cross-posting to Reels/Shorts broadens reach to older residents
• Messaging gravity: Facebook Messenger is the default for many households; Snapchat messaging central for teens/young adults; WhatsApp niche
• Time-of-day peaks: early morning (commute/school prep), lunch, and evenings; weekend spikes around local events and sports
• Trust flows locally: content from known neighbors, schools, churches, and county pages outperforms brand/celebrity content; group posts and recommendations carry outsized influence
• Advertising efficiency: Facebook/Instagram location-radius targeting and Marketplace listings produce the most reliable local reach; video (YouTube/Shorts/Reels) increases recall for service businesses

Notes and sources

• Estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 social media adoption data by age and gender and applied to Ringgold County’s rural, older demographic profile from recent ACS 5-year data. Platform-specific shares reflect national adoption adjusted downward for youth-skewed apps and upward for Facebook/Pinterest in older cohorts.