Wayne County

Wayne County, Iowa — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau; primarily 2020 Decennial Census and 2018–2022 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population

• Total population: ~6,500 (2020 Census: 6,497)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~25%

Gender

• Male: ~49%
• Female: ~51%

Race and ethnicity

• White, non-Hispanic: ~95–96%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Black or African American: ~0.3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Asian: ~0.2%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1% or fewer

Households and families

• Households: ~2,800–2,900
• Average household size: ~2.25
• Average family size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~62% of households (married-couple ~50%)
• Households with own children under 18: ~24%
• Nonfamily households: ~38%; living alone ~34% (age 65+ living alone ~17%)
• Housing tenure: owner-occupied ~78%; renter-occupied ~22%

Key insights

• Small, aging, predominantly non-Hispanic White population with a modest Hispanic and multiracial presence
• Higher share of older adults and smaller household sizes than state/national averages
• High homeownership and a majority of married-couple/family households

• Estimated email users: ~4,600 residents (≈71% of Wayne County’s 6,497 people; 2020 Census), derived from adult internet/email adoption and local broadband availability.
• Age distribution (share of adult email users): 18–29: ~17%; 30–49: ~32%; 50–64: ~26%; 65+: ~25%.
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male, mirroring the county’s population profile.
• Digital access trends:
  • ~77% of households have a broadband subscription; ~89% have a computer (ACS 2018–2022 5‑year estimates, Wayne County, IA).
  • Email usage closely tracks internet availability: near‑universal among working‑age adults; adoption tapers in 65+ due to lower home broadband and device access, though growing via smartphones.
  • Mobile data and public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) help fill rural gaps; fixed wireless is a common alternative outside town centers.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈12 people per square mile across ~525 sq mi (very rural).
  • Fastest, most reliable wired service is concentrated in Corydon and other towns along primary corridors (IA‑2/US‑65); fiber/gigabit options become sparse in outlying areas, where DSL or fixed wireless predominates.

Mobile phone usage in Wayne County, Iowa — 2024 snapshot

Headline estimates

• Population and households: 6,497 residents (2020 Census), roughly 2,800 households. Adult (18+) population ≈ 5,050.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ≈ 92% of adults, about 4,650 users. This is a few points lower than Iowa overall (≈ 94–95%).
• Smartphone users: ≈ 84% of adults, about 4,250 users. Statewide Iowa is closer to ≈ 90%.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ≈ 87% (≈ 2,430–2,480 households), versus ≈ 92% statewide.
• Households relying on cellular as primary home internet (“cellular-only”): ≈ 23–26% in Wayne County, several points higher than the Iowa average (≈ 16–19%).
• Prepaid share of lines: modeled at ≈ 25–30% of active lines in the county, higher than Iowa’s ≈ 17–20%, reflecting income mix and rural plan preferences.
• 5G-capable handset adoption: ≈ 65–70% of smartphone users (lower than urban Iowa), with many still on low-band 5G or LTE devices.

What’s different from the state

• Lower smartphone penetration: County adoption (84%) trails Iowa (90%) primarily due to an older age profile and lower incomes.
• Greater cellular-only reliance: A notably higher share of households depend on mobile data for home internet, driven by patchier fixed broadband and the availability of unlimited/Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) plans.
• More prepaid and budget plans: A larger prepaid footprint and longer device replacement cycles than the state average.
• 5G availability and use: 5G is present in town centers and along major corridors, but contiguous mid-band 5G is thinner than in Iowa’s metros; LTE remains the workhorse technology.

Demographic breakdown of usage (modeled from ACS age structure and Pew ownership by age)

• Age-driven adoption (share with a smartphone, adults):
  • 18–29: ~95–97% (near state levels; small cohort size locally)
  • 30–49: ~92–95% (near state levels)
  • 50–64: ~82–85% (2–3 points below state due to income/education mix)
  • 65+: ~58–63% (well below younger cohorts; Wayne County has a larger 65+ share than Iowa) Older age mix pulls overall county adoption down by roughly 3–5 points versus state.
• Income effects:
  • Household incomes are lower than the Iowa median, lifting prepaid usage and Android share and increasing smartphone-only internet dependence in <$50k households.
• Education and digital skills:
  • A smaller share of residents have a bachelor’s degree compared with Iowa overall, correlating with lower adoption of advanced apps, mobile banking, and telehealth video; voice/SMS and Facebook remain dominant.
• Device and plan patterns:
  • More budget Android devices, fewer premium iPhones per capita than in urban Iowa; carrier promotions drive upgrades in bursts, not continuously.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: Verizon, AT&T (including FirstNet for public safety), UScellular, and T‑Mobile. MVNOs ride these networks but may have deprioritized data.
• 4G LTE is widespread; 5G low‑band covers population centers (Corydon, Humeston, Seymour, Lineville) and major routes (US‑65, IA‑2). Mid‑band 5G (T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz; Verizon/AT&T C‑band) is limited and more fragmented than in Iowa’s metros.
• Fixed alternatives: DSL and legacy cable are uneven; fiber is present in pockets via local/co‑op buildouts but not universal. This drives higher adoption of mobile hotspots and 5G/4G Home Internet.
• Public and institutional Wi‑Fi: Schools, libraries, and clinics act as key access points; usage spikes during school hours and evenings indicate offloading from mobile data in coverage/affordability gaps.

Usage behaviors

• Data use: Lower median mobile data consumption per line than in Iowa’s metros, with pronounced off‑peak and Wi‑Fi offload patterns. Video is throttled more frequently on prepaid and hotspot plans.
• Communication: Voice and SMS remain relatively more important; OTT messaging and video calling are less dominant among seniors.
• Upgrade cycles: 3.5–4.5 years on average (longer than the state), with upgrades clustering around carrier discount events and tax refund season.

Key takeaways

• Wayne County’s mobile landscape is defined by strong overall mobile adoption but a clear gap with the Iowa average on smartphones, 5G handset uptake, and mid‑band 5G availability.
• Residents lean more on mobile data as a primary internet connection than the state average because fixed broadband is patchier and often slower.
• Age and income structure explain most of the delta with state‑level usage: more seniors, more prepaid, longer device lifecycles, and heavier reliance on LTE.

Sources and methodology

• Population, household, age, income, and education: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5‑year profiles for Wayne County, IA and Iowa.
• Smartphone ownership by age and rural/urban differences: Pew Research Center (latest national tech adoption series).
• Cellular‑only household reliance and household smartphone presence: ACS S2801 (Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions), county vs. state; small‑area margins of error considered.
• Network availability: FCC mobile coverage filings and carrier public coverage maps; rural Iowa deployment patterns for low‑band vs. mid‑band 5G.
• Figures labeled “modeled” combine ACS county demographics with Pew adoption rates and rural plan mix to produce county‑specific estimates; ranges reflect reasonable uncertainty for a small, rural county.

Wayne County, IA social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Population and user base

• Population: ~6,450 (2023 estimate). Adults 18+: ~5,150.
• Adult social media users (any platform, at least monthly): ~4,150 (≈80% of adults). Including teens 13–17, total active users locally are roughly 4,600–4,800.

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated % of 18+ and approximate users)

• YouTube: 80% (~4,120 adults)
• Facebook: 72% (~3,710)
• Instagram: 36% (~1,850)
• TikTok: 26% (~1,340)
• Snapchat: 20% (~1,030)
• Pinterest: 29% (~1,495)
• X (Twitter): 16% (~825)
• LinkedIn: 13% (~670)
• Reddit: 12% (~620)
• Nextdoor: 4% (~210)

Age mix of adult social media users (share of local adult social users)

• 18–29: ~18%
• 30–49: ~33%
• 50–64: ~26%
• 65+: ~23%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors county population).
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Pinterest (75% F), TikTok (58% F), Facebook (54% F), Instagram (52% F), Snapchat (~55% F).
  • More male: Reddit (70% M), X (60% M), YouTube (55% M), LinkedIn (56% M).

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Iowa counties and expected locally

• Facebook as the community hub: heavy use of local groups (schools, churches, volunteer fire/EMS, buy–sell–trade, events) and Facebook Marketplace for classifieds and farm/ranch items.
• Video-first habits: YouTube for ag/equipment repair, hunting/outdoors, DIY; short-form (Reels/TikTok) growing among 18–34 and cross-posted to Facebook for reach.
• Messaging reliance: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat for family/friend coordination; lower public posting among 50+ compared with private sharing.
• Local news and alerts: High engagement with county agencies, school districts, weather and road updates; event-driven spikes around the county fair and high school sports.
• Content style: Photos and short videos outperform text-only posts; authenticity (faces, local landmarks) drives comments and shares more than polished creative.
• Timing: Engagement strongest evenings (about 7–9 pm) and early mornings; weekends outperform weekdays for community and marketplace posts.
• Ads and reach: Small businesses use boosted posts with tight geo-targeting (15–25 miles). Facebook/Instagram deliver the most efficient local reach; LinkedIn and X underperform except for niche professional audiences.
• Access realities: Some smartphone-only and patchy broadband users; captions on videos and concise copy improve completion rates across age groups.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are county-specific estimates derived by applying recent Pew Research Center platform adoption rates (2023–2024) to Wayne County’s age structure from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census/2023 estimates) and adjusting for rural usage patterns documented by Pew (rural adoption slightly lower overall, Facebook relatively higher). Percentages represent share of adults (18+) using each platform at least monthly.