Warren County

Warren County, Iowa — Key Demographics

Population

• Total: 52,403 (2020 Decennial Census)
• 2010–2020 growth: +13.4% (46,225 → 52,403)

Age (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 18–24: ~7%
• 25–44: ~26%
• 45–64: ~28%
• 65+: ~14%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

• White alone (non-Hispanic): ~90–91%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Black or African American: ~1–2%
• Asian: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023 5-year)

• Households: ~20,500
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~72% of households
• Married-couple families: ~58% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~33%
• Homeownership rate: ~79%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

• Population ≈53,000; density ≈93 people/sq mi (Des Moines metro fringe).
• Adults (18+): ≈40,280. Estimated adult email users: ≈36,355.

Age distribution of email users (est.):

• 18–29: ~7,712 (97% of 7,950)
• 30–49: ~13,091 (95% of 13,780)
• 50–64: ~8,109 (90% of 9,010)
• 65+: ~7,443 (78% of 9,540)

Gender split:

• Population ≈50.4% female, 49.6% male; email users mirror this (~18.3k women, ~18.1k men).

Digital access and trends:

• ~89% of households have a broadband subscription.
• 100+ Mbps via cable/fiber reaches ≈85–90% of homes (Mediacom; Indianola Municipal Utilities municipal fiber in Indianola; Kinetic by Windstream fiber expansions). Remaining areas use DSL or fixed wireless.
• ~90% adult smartphone ownership; ~9–10% are smartphone‑only internet users.
• 5G from major carriers blankets population centers; coverage thins in far‑rural tracts.
• Email is the default channel for schools, employers, and county services; usage remains above pre‑2020 levels. Senior adoption is rising, but rural dead zones and cost sensitivity still depress use.

Total email users including teens (13+): roughly 40,000.

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

Executive summary

• Warren County, a fast-growing Des Moines–metro suburban county, exhibits higher smartphone adoption, heavier 5G usage, faster median mobile speeds, and fewer “smartphone-only” households than Iowa overall. Coverage is strong along the I‑35/US‑65/69 corridors and in Norwalk/Indianola, with a few rural pockets in the southeast and around Lake Ahquabi where service falls back to LTE.

User estimates (people and lines)

• Population base: ~54–56k residents.
• Unique mobile users: ~44–46k residents carry a mobile phone (roughly 80–85% of total population), reflecting 95%+ adult mobile-phone ownership and high teen adoption.
• Smartphone users: ~38–41k residents (about 70–75% of total population; 88–90% of adults).
• Active mobile subscriptions (lines): ~65–70k (roughly 120–130 lines per 100 residents), consistent with U.S. multi-line norms for wearables, tablets, hotspots, and work lines.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: ~97–99% mobile ownership; ~95%+ smartphone.
  • 35–64: ~96–98% mobile; ~90–93% smartphone.
  • 65+: ~92–95% mobile; ~78–82% smartphone.
  • Compared with Iowa overall, seniors in Warren County are a few points more likely to use smartphones, reflecting higher incomes and proximity to metro retail/support.
• Income and plan type
  • Postpaid share is higher (≈80–85% of lines) than the Iowa average (≈75–80%), with lower prepaid penetration, consistent with suburban, employer-subsidized plans and multi-line family accounts.
• Platform split
  • iPhone and Android are close to parity, with iPhone modestly ahead (≈50–55% iOS vs 45–50% Android), a few points more iOS-heavy than the Iowa average.
• “Smartphone-only” households
  • Households that rely on smartphones/cellular data as their only internet: ~10–12% in Warren County versus ~15–17% statewide. Fixed broadband availability (cable/fiber) and higher incomes reduce mobile-only reliance.
• Data consumption
  • Average smartphone mobile data use: ~22–26 GB/month, several GB above Iowa’s statewide average (≈18–22 GB), driven by strong mid-band 5G coverage and commuter streaming.
• Mobility/commuting effect
  • Daytime demand shifts toward Polk County towers along I‑35 and into Des Moines/West Des Moines job centers; evening peaks concentrate around Norwalk, Indianola, and the US‑65/69 corridor.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 4G LTE coverage
  • Near-universal outdoor LTE coverage across the county; indoor coverage is robust in towns and along highways, with occasional weak spots in low-lying rural areas southeast of Indianola and near Lake Ahquabi.
• 5G footprint (population coverage, outdoor)
  • T‑Mobile: ≈95–98% of population covered with low-band plus broad mid-band (n41) across Norwalk, Indianola, and the I‑35 corridor.
  • Verizon: ≈85–92% population 5G coverage; C‑Band concentrated along I‑35/Cumming/Norwalk and north toward the Des Moines core, with DSS/low-band elsewhere.
  • AT&T: ≈80–88% population 5G coverage; low-band countywide with growing mid-band (3.45 GHz/C‑Band) spillover from the Des Moines market into Norwalk and Indianola.
• Speeds (typical user experience)
  • Built-up areas (Norwalk, Indianola, I‑35 interchanges): median 5G downloads commonly 120–250 Mbps; uploads 15–35 Mbps.
  • Rural southeast/western fringes: LTE or low-band 5G at ~10–50 Mbps down; 3–10 Mbps up.
  • Warren County medians trend higher than Iowa statewide medians due to denser mid-band 5G and better backhaul near the metro.
• Tower density and backhaul
  • Dozens of macro sites line I‑35, US‑65/69, and town perimeters; small cells and upgraded sectors are concentrated in Norwalk and along major commuter routes.
  • Strong fiber backhaul from multiple providers (municipal and private) supporting 5G upgrades: Indianola Municipal Utilities fiber, Mediacom, Windstream Kinetic, Lumen/Level 3, and statewide carriers (e.g., Aureon).
• Reliability and public safety
  • VoLTE and 5G SA/NSA widely enabled; 3G fully sunset.
  • NG911/E911 location, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and interoperability with Iowa’s ISICS support resilient emergency communications.

How Warren County differs from Iowa overall

• Higher smartphone penetration (by ~3–5 percentage points), especially among seniors.
• More iPhone-leaning user base and a higher share of postpaid, multi-line family/employer plans.
• Fewer smartphone-only households due to strong cable/fiber availability and higher incomes.
• Heavier 5G usage and higher median mobile speeds in population centers, driven by dense mid-band deployments from the Des Moines market.
• Coverage gaps are more localized (parks/valleys and far-southeast rural areas) versus broader rural dead zones elsewhere in the state.

Key takeaways

• Warren County’s mobile market behaves like a metro-adjacent suburban area: high adoption, fast 5G in towns and along highways, and robust fiber-fed backhaul.
• Residents rely on mobile data more than the state average but are less likely to be mobile-only because fixed broadband is widely available and used.
• The county’s ongoing growth along the I‑35/US‑65/69 spine favors continuing 5G densification, small-cell infill, and capacity gains that will further widen the performance gap with much of rural Iowa.

Warren County, Iowa — Social Media Usage Snapshot (2025)

Baseline

• Population: ~53,000 residents; ~40,000 adults (ACS 2019–2023).
• Overall usage: 83% of adults use at least one social platform (≈33,000 people), consistent with U.S. adult adoption.

User mix by age (share of total adult social media users)

• 18–29: 21%
• 30–49: 38%
• 50–64: 24%
• 65+: 17%

Gender breakdown

• Female: ~51% of users
• Male: ~49% of users Note: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Nextdoor; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Most-used platforms (adult reach; estimated county penetration)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Reddit: 23%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Nextdoor: 19%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook anchors local life: highest reach among 30+, strong engagement in community groups, school/district updates, events, buy/sell/trade, and local news.
• Video-first consumption: short-form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the default for under-35; 30–49 increasingly consumes Reels and YouTube how‑to/local content.
• Private/ephemeral messaging: Snapchat (teens/college) and Instagram DMs (18–34) dominate one-to-one and small-group sharing; Facebook Messenger common for 30+.
• Nextdoor for neighborhoods: adoption concentrated among homeowners 35+, used for safety alerts, services, and HOA/community coordination.
• Platform-by-age tendencies:
  • Under 30: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat daily; lower Facebook posting, but many still keep accounts for events/groups.
  • 30–49: Facebook and YouTube daily; Instagram growing; TikTok consumption rising via Reels cross-posts.
  • 50–64: Facebook is primary; YouTube for tutorials and local interests.
  • 65+: Facebook for family/community; YouTube for news and how‑to.
• Peak engagement windows: evenings (7–9 pm) and early mornings on weekdays; weekend mid‑mornings perform well for community/event content.
• Content that overperforms locally: school and youth sports highlights, weather and road updates, local events (e.g., county fair), municipal/safety posts, and small‑business promotions tied to community groups.

Notes on method and sources

• Statistics are modeled for Warren County by applying 2024 Pew Research Center U.S. platform adoption rates to the county’s age/sex structure from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2019–2023). Figures are rounded to whole percentages.