Clinton County

Clinton County, Michigan – key demographics

Population

• 79,128 (2020 Census)
• ~80,500 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age (ACS 2019–2023)

• Median age: ~41 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~17%

Gender (ACS 2019–2023)

• Female: ~50.4%
• Male: ~49.6%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic can be of any race)

• White alone: ~90%
• Black or African American: ~3%
• Asian: ~1.5%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
• Two or more races: ~3.5%
• Some other race: ~1%
• Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~5–6%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• ~31,000 households
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Family households: ~70% of all households
• Married-couple households: ~54% of all households
• With children under 18: ~30%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~80–82%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year; Population Estimates Program 2023). Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

• Estimated email users: 60–65k of ~80k residents. Based on ~92% adoption among adults plus partial teen usage.
• Age distribution (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~95–98%
  • 30–49: ~95–97%
  • 50–64: ~90–95%
  • 65+: ~80–88%
• Gender split: Nearly even; differences typically within 1–2%.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband: ~85–88% (ACS-like rates for similar MI counties).
  • Smartphone-only internet: ~10–15%, growing; many residents check email primarily on phones.
  • Rural last‑mile gaps persist; suburban/metro-adjacent areas see higher speeds and reliability.
  • Libraries and schools offer public Wi‑Fi/computers that support email access.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ~140 people per sq. mile; mix of suburban (Lansing metro edge) and rural townships.
  • Cable/fiber widely available in and around DeWitt, Bath, and St. Johns; fixed‑wireless and satellite fill rural gaps.
  • 4G/5G coverage along US‑127 and I‑69 corridors is common; performance drops in sparsely populated areas.

Note: Figures are estimates derived from national email adoption patterns and typical Michigan county broadband metrics applied to Clinton County’s size and settlement pattern.

Below is a county-level snapshot built from recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, FCC/National Broadband Map coverage, Pew/CTIA adoption benchmarks, and county demographics. Figures are presented as cautious estimates; county-specific, publishable stats for mobile usage are limited, so values are given as ranges and compared to Michigan overall.

Quick context

• Population: ~79–80K (about three-quarters adult), largely suburban/exurban in the Lansing–East Lansing metro with rural townships to the north and west.
• Socioeconomics: Higher income and education than the Michigan average; poverty and ACP enrollment rates are lower than the state average.

User estimates

• Smartphone users: 52K–58K adults (roughly 86–92% of adults), a few points above the Michigan average.
• Total mobile subscriptions: ~90K–105K active lines (110–130 lines per 100 residents), consistent with or slightly above state norms due to multi-line households and wearables.
• Mobile-only home internet: About 8–12% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan (lower than Michigan’s ~12–15%), reflecting better fixed-broadband availability in the suburban core.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: Skews more postpaid than state average (prepaid share likely a few points lower) given higher household incomes and family plans.
• Multi-device use: Tablet hotspots, watches, and vehicle connectivity are somewhat higher than the state average in suburban corridors.

Demographic breakdown (directional)

• Age:
  • 18–34: Near-saturation smartphone ownership (~95–99%).
  • 35–64: Very high ownership (~90–96%); heavy work, navigation, and family-plan usage.
  • 65+: High but lagging others (~78–88%); slightly higher than the statewide 65+ adoption, helped by income/education and proximity to care/services in the Lansing metro.
• Income and education: Ownership and data consumption rise with income and degree attainment; Clinton County’s profile lifts overall penetration and reduces prepaid and mobile-only reliance versus the state.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is less diverse than Michigan overall; gaps in adoption by race/ethnicity are likely narrower here simply because smaller groups are a smaller share of the population. Where present, disparities track income and rural residence more than race.
• Urban/suburban vs. rural within the county: Suburban DeWitt/Bath/Township areas show near-ubiquitous smartphone use and higher 5G utilization; northern/western rural townships see slightly lower adoption and more LTE reliance.

Digital infrastructure

• Cellular networks: All three national carriers provide countywide LTE; low-band 5G is broadly available, with mid-band 5G concentrated in and around DeWitt, Bath, St. Johns, and along I‑69/US‑127. Rural fringes lean more on low-band 5G/LTE with lower peak speeds.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Verizon and T-Mobile FWA are widely marketable in suburban ZIPs and selectively in rural blocks; uptake is meaningful where cable/DSL is weak.
• Wireline context: Cable (and some fiber) is common in the suburban core; legacy DSL and co-op fiber expansion serve rural areas. New builds funded by state/federal programs are targeted at remaining unserved/underserved pockets through 2026–2027.
• Public safety and institutions: FirstNet coverage is strong along corridors and town centers; schools, libraries, and municipal buildings are wired via regional fiber backbones, providing community Wi‑Fi anchors.
• Performance pattern: Best median speeds occur along the US‑127/I‑69 corridors and population centers; agricultural zones have greater variability and occasional signal quality issues, especially indoors.

How Clinton County differs from Michigan overall

• Slightly higher smartphone penetration (+1–3 percentage points), driven by income/education and metro adjacency.
• Lower share of mobile-only home internet (by roughly 3–5 points), because more households maintain cable/fiber plus mobile.
• More postpaid and multi-line plans; lower prepaid share than the state average.
• 5G mid-band access is denser than in many rural Michigan counties, lifting typical speeds in the populated belt; the county still shows a pronounced corridor-versus-rural performance gap.
• The end of the federal ACP has a smaller relative impact locally than statewide, though rural low-income pockets remain vulnerable.
• Higher adoption of ancillary mobile devices (watches, in-car, tablets) than the state average, reflecting multi-device households and commuting patterns.

Method notes and caveats

• Adoption ranges triangulate ACS S2801-style metrics (household smartphone/cellular-plan presence), national smartphone ownership rates, and local demographics; they are not a substitute for a county survey.
• Coverage/performance notes synthesize FCC coverage filings and typical mid-Michigan buildouts as of 2024–2025; street-level conditions vary by carrier, device, and terrain.
• For planning or grant use, pair this overview with the latest ACS 5‑year tables, Michigan’s High-Speed Internet Office maps, and carrier-specific 5G/FWA eligibility checkers.

Clinton County, MI — social media snapshot (short)

Headline numbers

• Population: roughly 80,000 (2023 estimate). Adults 18+: about 62,000.
• Estimated social media users: 57,000–60,000 (about 72–75% of total population; based on U.S. penetration).

Most‑used platforms (apply U.S. adult usage rates to Clinton County’s ~62k adults; overlapping audiences, rounded)

• YouTube: ~83% of adults → ~51k users
• Facebook: ~68% → ~42k
• Instagram: ~47% → ~29k
• Pinterest: ~35% → ~22k
• TikTok: ~33% → ~20k
• LinkedIn: ~30% → ~19k
• Snapchat: ~30% → ~19k
• X (Twitter): ~22% → ~14k
• Reddit: ~20% → ~12k
• Nextdoor: ~19% → ~12k Note: Percentages are U.S. averages (Pew), used as a proxy for local adoption.

Age-group patterns (percentages are typical U.S. usage; expect similar local patterns)

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram strong; Facebook minimal except for school/sports groups.
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~70%.
• 30–49: YouTube ~92%; Facebook ~77%; Instagram ~49%; TikTok ~39%; Snapchat ~25%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~73%; YouTube ~83%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~15–20%.
• 65+: Facebook ~50%; YouTube ~49%; Instagram/TikTok each ~10–15%.

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base likely mirrors county population (roughly half female, half male).
• Platform skews (U.S. patterns):
  • Pinterest: strongly female (women about 2–3x more likely than men to use).
  • Reddit and X/Twitter: skew male (men about 2–3x more likely than women to use Reddit; smaller male tilt on X).
  • Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: small gender gaps (generally within 5–10 percentage points).

Local behavioral trends to expect

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups for schools, youth sports, township info, road closures, and buy/sell/Marketplace; event discovery is common.
• Short‑form video is rising: local businesses, realtors, and organizations cross‑post Reels/TikToks; how‑to and hyperlocal updates perform well on YouTube Shorts and Reels.
• Nextdoor usage clusters in subdivisions; used for safety alerts, lost/found, contractor referrals.
• Commute/professional spillover from Lansing drives solid LinkedIn use (state government, healthcare, higher ed, engineering).
• Peak engagement times: weekday evenings and weekend mornings; weather and school‑related posts spike interaction.
• Youth attention is fragmented across Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram; DMs and Stories often outperform public posts for engagement.
• Marketplace and local services discovery are significant conversion paths for small businesses.
• Trust leans toward “known local” voices: city/county pages, school districts, chambers, and established community admins.

Notes on method and sources

• County population from recent Census/ACS estimates; social platform percentages from Pew Research Center (2023–2024) and national digital reports. Local counts are estimates created by applying U.S. usage rates to the county’s adult population; actuals will vary slightly. For precise targeting, supplement with platform ad‑audience tools (Facebook/Instagram, TikTok Ads, Snapchat Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Manager).