Berrien County

Here are concise, high-level demographics for Berrien County, Michigan. Figures are rounded; sources include U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; ACS 2018–2022 5-year; 2023 Vintage Population Estimates).

• Population

  • ~153,000 (2023 est.)
  • 154,316 (2020 Census)

• Age

  • Median age: ~43
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18–64: ~58%
  • 65 and over: ~20–21%

• Gender

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (alone or in combination; Hispanic is any race)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~73–75%
  • Black/African American: ~15–16%
  • Hispanic/Latino: ~6–7%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • Other groups: <1% each

• Households

  • ~62,000–64,000 households
  • Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
  • Family households: ~60–62%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~74–76%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27–28%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 (5-year); Vintage 2023 County Population Estimates.

Berrien County, MI — email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: ~110k–125k residents use email. Based on ~155k population, ~120k adults, and ~90–95% adult email adoption; adding teens lifts the total slightly.
• Age distribution (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~95–99%
  • 30–49: ~95–98%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~75–85%
• Gender split: Roughly even; email adoption is similar for men and women, tracking the county’s near 50/50 population split.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet subscription roughly mid‑80s percent; most households can get fixed broadband, with gaps in rural townships.
  • Smartphone‑only home internet users: ~12–18% (higher in lower‑income areas), which can limit email attachment-heavy use.
  • Daily email use: about 60–75% of adults check email daily (national pattern applied locally).
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population ~155k across ~570 sq miles; mix of small cities (St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, Niles) and rural areas.
  • Best connectivity clusters around urban centers and major corridors (I‑94/US‑31); rural pockets show lower speeds/adoption.
  • Libraries and schools provide widespread public Wi‑Fi, supplementing home access.

Below is a concise county-level picture built from recent ACS/NTIA/Pew patterns and Berrien County’s demographics and land use. Figures are estimates intended to highlight how Berrien differs from Michigan overall.

Executive takeaways

• Berrien County relies on mobile more than Michigan overall, driven by lower median income, more rural territory, and seasonal tourism. Smartphone-only households are meaningfully higher than the state average.
• Overall smartphone adoption is slightly lower than Michigan’s, largely because Berrien is older than the state average.
• 5G is present in population centers (St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Niles, along I‑94/US‑31), but inland rural pockets still see 4G-only service and occasional gaps; summer lakeshore crowds create congestion not seen as acutely statewide.

User estimates (what share uses mobile, and how)

• Population baseline: ~153k residents, ~62k households. Adults (18+) ~118–122k.
• Smartphone users (individuals): 110k–125k
  • Method: Michigan adult smartphone adoption ~mid‑80s%. Berrien likely 2–4 points lower given older age structure; add teen users to reach total above.
• Households with a cellular data plan: ~72–76% (vs MI ~76–80%)
  • Many households have both fixed broadband and cellular plans; this measure captures “someone in the home uses a mobile data plan.”
• Smartphone-only (cellular-only) households: ~18–22% (vs MI ~13–16%)
  • This is the standout difference: a higher share of homes rely on phones/hotspots as their primary internet, especially outside city centers and in lower-income tracts.

Demographic patterns (how use differs within the county)

• Age
  • Berrien skews older than Michigan overall (65+ share several points higher), which pulls down countywide smartphone adoption and increases basic-phone use.
  • Among seniors, smartphone adoption lags the state average; however, when seniors are online, a larger fraction rely on mobile plans because fixed broadband availability/affordability is spottier inland.
• Income
  • Median household income trails the state average. Lower-income households are more likely to be smartphone-only, to use prepaid plans, and to hotspot for home connectivity.
  • Expect the smartphone-only share to exceed 25% in the lowest-income census tracts.
• Race/ethnicity
  • Benton Harbor and adjacent tracts (higher Black population shares) show higher mobile reliance and lower fixed-broadband subscription rates than county averages—consistent with statewide patterns, but the concentration makes the countywide mobile-reliance gap vs Michigan more pronounced.
• Geography (within-county)
  • Urban nodes (St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Niles, Buchanan) have higher 5G availability and lower smartphone-only rates.
  • Rural townships and lakeshore communities show more cellular-only households and more variability in speeds/coverage; seasonal employment also raises prepaid adoption.

Digital infrastructure notes (what the network looks like on the ground)

• Coverage and technology mix
  • 5G from major carriers is established along I‑94/US‑31 corridors and in the main cities; many inland areas remain 4G/LTE-first with band-limited capacity.
  • Terrain, tree cover, and lower tower density inland create small dead zones and weaker indoor coverage compared with Michigan’s metro counties.
• Seasonal load
  • Summer tourism (New Buffalo to Warren Dunes/Bridgman) produces marked weekend congestion and speed variability; this seasonal spike is a bigger planning factor in Berrien than for Michigan overall.
• Cross-border effects
  • Proximity to the South Bend–Mishawaka IN market means overlapping RF footprints and backhaul routes; network optimizations often follow interstate corridors more than county lines, contributing to inland gaps off the highways.
• Backhaul and buildout
  • Fiber backhaul is strongest along I‑94 and in cities; inland sites rely more on microwave or longer fiber laterals, limiting upgrade pace.
  • State/federal broadband grants (e.g., MIHI/BEAD/ROBIN-funded fiber builds) are underway; while aimed at fixed access, they typically improve cellular capacity where towers can tie into new fiber laterals.

How Berrien differs from the Michigan average

• Higher smartphone-only household share and a larger slice of prepaid users.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone adoption due to older population.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap; lakeshore seasonality intensifies congestion trends that are muted at the state level.
• 5G presence is patchier off-corridor, with greater dependence on LTE inland.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot. Figures are modeled for Berrien County using recent Pew Research U.S. platform adoption rates applied to the county’s age mix; exact local survey data are limited, so treat as directional ranges.

Headline user stats

• Population: ~153,000 residents; ~125,000 are age 13+
• Estimated social media users: 95,000–110,000 (about 75–88% of ages 13+; 62–72% of total population)
• Daily users (any platform): roughly 60–70% of ages 13+

Most‑used platforms (adult reach; teens noted separately)

• YouTube: 80–85% of adults; near‑universal among teens (~90%+)
• Facebook: 65–70% of adults; strong daily use among 30+
• Instagram: 45–50% of adults; 18–29 heavy users; teens ~60%
• TikTok: 30–35% of adults; teens ~60%+
• Pinterest: 28–33% of adults (strong among women, home/lifestyle)
• LinkedIn: 30–35% of adults (likely on the high end locally given Whirlpool HQ, healthcare, higher ed)
• Snapchat: 25–30% of adults; very high among teens/college
• X (Twitter): 20–23% of adults
• Reddit: 18–22% of adults
• Nextdoor: 15–20% of adults (concentrated in neighborhoods with active HOAs)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% of adults (pockets of use among international students and migrant/seasonal workers)

Age breakdown (share using any social; platform tendencies)

• 13–17: 90–95% use social; YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram dominant; Facebook secondary
• 18–29: 90–95%; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok primary; YouTube ubiquitous; Facebook used but not central
• 30–49: 80–85%; Facebook and YouTube anchor; Instagram meaningful; TikTok growing (30%+)
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest notable; some Nextdoor
• 65+: ~45–55%; Facebook first; YouTube for tutorials/news; limited Instagram/TikTok

Gender patterns (tendencies among adults)

• Women: More likely on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (Pinterest ~50%+ of women vs ~15–20% of men); strong usage for community groups, schools, lifestyle, local shopping
• Men: More likely on YouTube, Reddit, X; higher engagement with sports, tech, finance, and creator channels
• Overall adoption rates by gender are similar; the main differences are platform mix and content interests

Local behavioral trends to know

• Community + commerce: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central for school updates, local events, buy/sell/trade, and farm/yard sales—important in a county with both small towns and rural areas
• Tourism seasonality: Summer spikes in Instagram and TikTok content around beaches, wineries, and festivals; local businesses lean into Reels/shorts then
• Professional footprint: Above‑average LinkedIn engagement around St. Joseph/Benton Harbor (corporate, engineering, healthcare); recruiting and thought leadership perform well
• Youth + campuses: Andrews University and Lake Michigan College drive high Snapchat/Instagram/TikTok usage; short‑form video and DMs are primary communication channels
• News and alerts: Facebook remains the hub for local news, weather, school closings, and civic updates; YouTube used for long‑form city meetings and local sports
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous among adults; Snapchat DMs among teens/college; WhatsApp used within international and agricultural/migrant networks
• Content formats: Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) is the highest‑growth format across all ages; authentic, locally relevant clips outperform polished ads

Notes on method

• Built from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media adoption benchmarks, applied to Berrien County’s population and age mix; teen figures reflect Pew’s national teen survey
• Ranges reflect uncertainty at county level and expected local deviations (corporate/education presence, tourism, rural/suburban mix)