Wapello County

Wapello County, Iowa — key demographics

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

Population size and change

• Total population: 35,437 (2020 Census)
• 2010 to 2020 change: −0.5% (from 35,625)

Age

• Median age: ~38–39 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Age distribution: under 18 ~24%; 18–64 ~59%; 65+ ~17% (ACS 2019–2023)

Gender

• Male ~50%
• Female ~50% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American: ~2%
• Asian: ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0%
• Some other race: ~5%
• Two or more races: ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~13%
• Non-Hispanic White: ~75% (2020 Census/ACS 2019–2023)

Households and housing

• Households: ~14,000–14,500 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.4–2.5
• Family households: ~55%–60% of households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~65%–70% (ACS 2019–2023)

Insights

• Stable total population over the last decade with slight decline since 2010
• Age profile near the Iowa statewide median, with roughly one in six residents age 65+
• Notable Hispanic/Latino community (about one in eight residents)
• Majority owner-occupied housing with average household size consistent with state norms

• Population and density: ~35,000 residents; ~80 people per square mile (countywide), with most residents concentrated in Ottumwa.
• Estimated email users: ~26,000 people (≈75% of all residents; ~92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 12–17: 8%
  • 18–29: 20%
  • 30–49: 34%
  • 50–64: 22%
  • 65+: 16%
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors adult population).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~91% of households have a computer or smart device.
  • ~80% of households subscribe to fixed broadband; about 11% are smartphone‑only.
  • Email engagement is highest among 30–49 and 50–64 cohorts; seniors (65+) show slightly lower but steady growth as smartphone adoption rises.
  • Household broadband adoption and average speeds are highest in and around Ottumwa; rural tracts show more reliance on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Local connectivity facts:
  • Fixed 100/20 Mbps service is available to roughly 88% of addresses; 5G covers Ottumwa and primary corridors (US‑34/US‑63).
  • Public libraries and schools in Ottumwa provide free Wi‑Fi, mitigating access gaps for non‑subscribing households.

Mobile phone usage in Wapello County, IA — key facts and how it differs from the state

Market size and adoption

• Adult smartphone users (estimate): 23,800–24,500 adults, based on 2019–2023 ACS population structure and current smartphone adoption among adults. This equates to roughly 88–90% of adults using a smartphone, a touch below Iowa’s statewide adult adoption (90–92%).
• Household smartphone access: 91% of Wapello County households have a smartphone in the home (ACS 2019–2023, Table S2801). This is slightly under the Iowa average (93%).
• Cellular data plan penetration (households): ~72–73% in Wapello vs ~75–77% statewide (ACS S2801).
• Smartphone-only/Cellular-only internet households: ~17–18% in Wapello rely on a cellular data plan without a fixed broadband subscription, higher than Iowa’s ~12–13% (ACS S2801).
• Households with no home internet subscription: ~17–18% in Wapello vs ~12% statewide (ACS S2801), indicating heavier relative dependence on mobile when internet is present.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Income-linked mobile reliance: Median household income in Wapello is materially lower than the Iowa median (ACS S1901), contributing to higher smartphone-only reliance and greater use of prepaid and budget carriers. Households under $35,000 are disproportionately represented among cellular-only subscribers locally compared with the statewide mix.
• Age: Wapello has a slightly older age profile than Iowa overall (ACS S0101). Senior (65+) smartphone adoption is notably lower locally (upper 60s to low 70s percent), versus mid-70s percent statewide, which pulls down the county’s overall smartphone adoption a bit.
• Race/ethnicity: Wapello’s Hispanic/Latino share is above the state average, concentrated in and around Ottumwa. Consistent with national patterns, Hispanic households in the county show higher likelihood of mobile-first (or mobile-only) internet access compared with white, non-Hispanic households, reinforcing the county’s above-average cellular-only rate.
• Housing and family structure: A larger share of renters and working-class households increases use of smartphones as primary connectivity, especially among families with school-aged children who may cycle between mobile hotspots and public/anchor Wi‑Fi.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G availability: All three national networks (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G in and around Ottumwa, with mid-band 5G (fast, capacity‑rich) concentrated in the city and along US‑34/US‑63 corridors. Coverage transitions to LTE in outlying townships, yielding more variable speeds and indoor performance.
• Typical speeds:
  • Ottumwa and primary corridors: mid-band 5G often delivers 100–250 Mbps down; uploads 10–30 Mbps.
  • Rural areas: LTE commonly ranges 10–40 Mbps down; uploads 3–10 Mbps, with occasional sub‑10 Mbps pockets in low‑density zones and river valley topography.
• Reliability and gaps: Compared with the Iowa average, Wapello shows more pronounced speed and signal step‑downs outside the core city, and more addresses where indoor coverage depends on Wi‑Fi calling or external antennas. This aligns with the county’s higher cellular‑only share and lower fixed‑broadband penetration, making mobile networks carry a heavier share of total connectivity.
• Public safety and enterprise: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is present; agencies and healthcare facilities in Ottumwa leverage it for priority communications. Industrial users (logistics, manufacturing) along US‑34/US‑63 increasingly depend on private LTE routers and failover, driving demand for better macro capacity and fiber backhaul into tower sites.

How Wapello differs from the Iowa statewide picture

• More mobile-dependent households: Cellular‑only internet use is several points higher than the state average (roughly 17–18% vs 12–13%).
• Slightly lower overall smartphone access: Household smartphone presence and adult adoption trail the state by about 1–2 percentage points, largely due to income and age.
• Bigger urban–rural performance gap: Speed and indoor coverage drop off more sharply outside the Ottumwa core than in many Iowa metros and larger counties, elevating the importance of signal boosters and Wi‑Fi offload.
• Affordability-driven carrier mix: A higher share of prepaid/budget plans and Android devices than the state average, consistent with the county’s income distribution, which shapes network traffic patterns (more data‑capped plans, hotspot reliance).

Strategic takeaways

• Expanding mid‑band 5G beyond Ottumwa into outlying census tracts would yield outsized benefits, given the county’s elevated cellular‑only dependence.
• Targeted affordability programs (ACP successors, low‑cost plans, device financing) and digital skills support for seniors can narrow the local adoption gap with the state.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) using mid‑band 5G has strong fit in Wapello: it addresses lower fixed‑broadband penetration while leveraging existing macro sites and can meaningfully reduce the share of cellular‑only households.
• Anchor institutions (schools, libraries, clinics) continue to be critical for off‑peak Wi‑Fi and device support; coordinated upgrades to campus Wi‑Fi and community hotspot programs will disproportionately help Wapello compared with the Iowa average.

Sources and notes

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5‑year, Table S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), S0101 (Age), S1901 (Income).
• Pew Research Center, smartphone adoption among U.S. adults (2023) used to calibrate adult user estimates to ACS population structure.
• FCC and carrier public coverage maps (2024) for 5G footprint characterization; Ookla/RootMetrics statewide performance trends used to contextualize urban–rural speed differentials. Figures for speeds are typical observed ranges; subscription and ownership figures are from ACS.

Social media usage in Wapello County, IA (2025 snapshot)

Overall usage

• Estimated monthly social media penetration: 73–78% of residents (≈80–86% of those age 13+), equating to roughly 24,000–27,000 active users.
• Average platforms per user: 2.8–3.4; daily social time: ~1.7–2.2 hours.

Most-used platforms (share of residents age 13+ using monthly)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 38–45%
• TikTok: 28–35%
• Pinterest: 28–35% (female-skewed)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (concentrated under age 30)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 15–20%
• Reddit: 12–18%
• Nextdoor: 8–12% (homeowners, Ottumwa neighborhoods)

Age mix of active users

• 13–17: 8–10% (Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram first; minimal Facebook)
• 18–24: 12–14% (Instagram/TikTok core; Snapchat daily)
• 25–34: 18–20% (Facebook + Instagram + YouTube; Marketplace heavy)
• 35–44: 17–19% (Facebook/YouTube; Instagram and Pinterest secondary)
• 45–54: 15–17% (Facebook/YouTube lead; Pinterest utility)
• 55–64: 14–16% (Facebook primary; YouTube how‑to/news)
• 65+: 12–14% (Facebook for community; YouTube streaming)

Gender breakdown of active users

• Women: 52–55% overall; over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; solid on Instagram and TikTok.
• Men: 45–48% overall; over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X; steady on Facebook.

Behavioral trends and use cases

• Community and information: Facebook Groups dominate for schools, youth sports, churches, local government, and buy/sell; Events drive attendance and volunteerism.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace is a top channel for secondhand goods and small-business discovery; Instagram Reels expands reach for boutiques, salons, and food service.
• Video habits: YouTube is the default for how‑to, home/auto repair, DIY, agriculture, and local sports/church streams; TikTok use is entertainment-first with high evening scrolling and creator cross-posting from Reels.
• Youth communication: Snapchat is the primary messaging layer for teens/young adults; location features used around school and sports schedules.
• Lifestyle planning: Pinterest strong for home projects, recipes, weddings/prom, and seasonal décor; weekend planning spikes.
• News and discourse: Facebook pages/groups carry most local news reach; X and Reddit are niche, skewing to national sports/politics and tech.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous across ages; WhatsApp adoption present within immigrant communities.
• Engagement timing: Peak engagement 7–9 pm on weekdays; secondary noon hour spike; Sunday evenings perform well for event posts and fundraising calls-to-action.
• Ad performance notes: Facebook/Instagram deliver the broadest reach for ages 25+; TikTok efficient for 16–34 awareness; YouTube skippable in‑stream effective for countywide reach; Nextdoor works for hyperlocal services (home, lawn, trades).

Notes on methodology

• Figures are modeled for Wapello County using recent US/Iowa platform benchmarks (Pew/DataReportal) adjusted for the county’s age mix and rural Midwestern usage patterns. Percentages denote monthly reach of residents age 13+; ranges reflect uncertainty at sub-state granularity.