Gogebic County

Here are key demographics for Gogebic County, Michigan. Figures are the latest available from the U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates).

Population size

• Total population: about 14,000 (2023 estimate; 2020 Census count was 14,380)

Age

• Median age: ~50 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (ACS categories)

• White alone: ~92%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~3%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–2%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2% Note: Hispanic is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Households

• Total households: ~6,700
• Average household size: ~2.1
• Family households: ~56% of households
• Married-couple households: ~45% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~20%
• Nonfamily households: ~44%
• Householder living alone: ~36% (about ~17% age 65+ living alone)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (DP05, S0101, S1101).

Gogebic County, MI snapshot (estimates)

• Population/density: ~14,000 residents; low density ≈13 people per sq. mile. Service is strongest in/near Ironwood, Bessemer, and Wakefield; coverage drops in outlying forested/lakeshore areas.
• Estimated email users: 8,500–10,500 residents (primarily adults), based on rural broadband adoption and national email-use benchmarks.
• Age distribution of email use:
  • 18–34: ~93–97% use email.
  • 35–64: ~88–92%.
  • 65+: ~70–80% (usage rises with smartphone ownership; more weekly than daily checking).
• Gender split: Roughly even; men and women show similar email adoption (gap typically <2 percentage points).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household internet subscription likely ~70–80%, with town centers on cable/DSL and rural areas relying more on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: roughly 10–15%.
  • Public libraries/schools provide key Wi‑Fi/computer access points.
  • Ongoing state/federal broadband investments in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are gradually expanding fiber and fixed wireless, suggesting incremental growth in email access over the next 1–3 years.

Notes: Figures are synthesized from ACS-like rural connectivity patterns and Pew email adoption benchmarks; local conditions can vary by township and provider footprint.

Below is a concise, county-specific snapshot built from recent public datasets and rural Upper Peninsula patterns. Figures are rounded estimates intended for planning; local validation is recommended.

Headline

• Gogebic County’s mobile use is high but more constrained by age, income, terrain, and sparse infrastructure than Michigan overall. Expect slightly lower smartphone adoption, more prepaid and hotspot/FWA reliance, and patchier mid-band 5G.

User estimates

• Population base: ~14.2k residents; ~11.5–12k adults.
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~12.5–13.3k people (≈88–92% of residents), a few points lower than Michigan’s urbanized average.
• Smartphone users: ~9.0–10.5k people (adult ownership ~75–80%; teens push totals up; seniors pull them down).
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid likely 28–35% of lines (vs. roughly 20–25% statewide), reflecting lower incomes, coverage variability, and seasonal/temporary users.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): about 55–62% of households (vs. ~65–75% statewide). Older household heads keep landlines more often than elsewhere in Michigan.
• Mobile as primary home internet (phone hotspot or carrier fixed‑wireless): roughly 18–28% of households outside town centers (vs. ~10–15% statewide), driven by limited wireline options beyond Ironwood/Bessemer/Wakefield.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: County skews older. Seniors’ lower smartphone and app use depress overall adoption; voice/SMS remain relatively important for this group.
• Income and education: Below state medians; correlates with higher prepaid/MVNO uptake, longer device replacement cycles, and more shared/family plans.
• Work patterns: Outdoor, resource, and tourism jobs boost demand for coverage along highways, ski areas, lakes, and forests; rugged devices and PTT use are somewhat higher than state norms.
• Tribal communities: Lac Vieux Desert Band area around Watersmeet has coverage gaps in forested terrain; FirstNet (AT&T) use for public safety is more visible than in many Michigan counties.
• Cross‑border life: Daily ties to Iron County, WI (Ironwood–Hurley) mean more cross‑border roaming and mixed-carrier households than typical downstate.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Technology mix: County-wide baseline is LTE and low‑band 5G; mid‑band 5G (capacity/speed) appears in limited pockets near Ironwood/Bessemer and along US‑2. Expect step‑downs to LTE in forested and lake-adjacent zones.
• Carrier balance: Verizon generally strongest footprint; AT&T solid on main corridors and public-safety (FirstNet); T‑Mobile improves with 600 MHz but is still variable off-corridor. Shares vary by township.
• Tower density and backhaul: Fewer sites per square mile than downstate; longer inter-site distances (8–15 miles vs. 2–5 in metros). More microwave backhaul, which can cap peak capacity in remote sectors.
• Corridors and dead zones:
  • Better: US‑2 (Ironwood–Bessemer–Wakefield), M‑28 near Watersmeet, town centers, ski hills.
  • Spottier: Forest roads, shorelines, and low valleys; some 911/E911 location challenges near the WI border and in deep woods.
• Home broadband interplay: Spectrum cable serves town cores; outside them, legacy DSL and WISPs are common. That drives higher reliance on phone tethering and carrier fixed‑wireless (Verizon/AT&T/T‑Mobile FWA). Starlink adoption is noticeably higher than state average in remote homes.
• Community access: Libraries, schools, and Gogebic Community College act as key Wi‑Fi anchors; “parking‑lot Wi‑Fi” remains relevant for homework and telehealth in outlying areas.

How Gogebic differs from Michigan overall

• Adoption level: Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration due to age mix; higher persistence of landlines among seniors.
• Plan mix: Higher prepaid/MVNO share and more single-line or small shared plans.
• Access pattern: Greater reliance on mobile/FWA for primary home internet outside cable footprints; heavier hotspot use.
• Network experience: More low‑band 5G/LTE and fewer mid‑band 5G zones; lower median speeds and more variability with terrain and weather.
• Seasonal load: Sharper summer/winter peaks around tourism hubs, creating time‑of‑day and weekend congestion atypical of many downstate counties.
• Cross‑border effects: More roaming and mixed-carrier households because of WI adjacency; this is uncommon in most of Michigan.

Planning notes and confidence

• Estimates triangulate from recent statewide surveys, rural UP patterns, FCC/NTIA mapping, and county demographics. For program design or investment, validate with carrier RF maps, local drive tests, and short resident/anchor-institution surveys, especially in Watersmeet, Marenisco, and rural townships.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot. Because county-level social media data isn’t directly published, figures are estimates derived from Pew Research’s 2023–2024 U.S. usage rates, adjusted for Gogebic County’s small, older-skewing, rural population (~14k).

Estimated user base

• Adults using social media: ~7,500–9,000 (about 65–75% of 18+ residents)
• Mobile-first use; patchy broadband means short, lightweight content performs best

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults using monthly)

• YouTube: 70–75%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 28–35%
• TikTok: 18–25%
• Snapchat: 18–22%
• Pinterest: 20–25%
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• LinkedIn: 12–18%
• Reddit: 8–12% Note: Nextdoor presence is limited; most “neighborhood” activity happens in Facebook Groups.

Age profile of local social users (share of social users)

• 18–29: ~15–18%
• 30–49: ~28–32%
• 50–64: ~28–32%
• 65+: ~22–27% Implication: Over half of local social users are 50+, which elevates Facebook and YouTube vs. Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown (overall and platform skews)

• Overall users: roughly 52% female, 48% male
• Platform tilts (directional): Pinterest (heavily female), Snapchat/Instagram (slightly female), TikTok (slightly female), Facebook (near even), YouTube (slightly male), Reddit and X (male-skewed)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first on Facebook: Local news, road conditions, weather alerts, school sports, events, buy/sell (Marketplace), and public safety posts drive the most engagement. Facebook Groups are the civic hub.
• Practical video on YouTube: DIY, home/auto/small-engine repair, outdoor rec (snowmobiling, hunting, fishing), and local government meetings. How-to and locally relevant gear reviews perform well.
• Visuals for tourism/economy: Instagram used by small businesses, tourism, outdoor outfitters, and restaurants; Reels cross-posting from TikTok is common.
• Younger cohorts: Snapchat for daily communication; TikTok for humor/local pride/outdoors; both effective for high school and college-age reach.
• Seasonality and timing: Usage spikes during winter and weather events; daily peaks evenings (6–10 p.m.) with morning check-ins (6–8 a.m.).
• Trust and tone: Posts from known local people/orgs outperform generic brand content. Straightforward, service-oriented messaging (closures, conditions, deals, events) works best.
• Ads and reach: Geo-targeted Facebook/Instagram (10–25 mile radii around Ironwood, Bessemer, Wakefield) and boosted posts reliably reach most adults; short vertical video and image carousels outperform link-only posts.

Data notes

• Figures are estimates based on national platform adoption by age/gender (Pew) weighted toward Gogebic County’s older age mix and rural behavior patterns. For tactical planning, validate with platform ad-reach tools (Facebook/Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) centered on Ironwood/Bessemer/Wakefield.