Iosco County

Iosco County, Michigan — key demographics

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count) and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (all other measures)

Population

• Total: 25,237 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~52.6 years
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~28%

Gender

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~93%
• Black or African American alone: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2%
• Asian alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%

Households

• Total households: ~11,600
• Average household size: ~2.13
• Family households: ~60% of households (married-couple families ~49%)
• Nonfamily households: ~40%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~83%
• Households with someone age 65+: ~40%
• Households with children under 18: ~20%

Insights

• Small, aging county (over one-quarter age 65+; median age above 50).
• Predominantly White; small Native American and Hispanic communities.
• Small household sizes and high homeownership typical of rural northern Michigan.

• Estimated email users: ~19,000 residents (≈75% of Iosco County’s ~25,200 population, 2023). Derived from ACS-style broadband adoption in similar rural MI counties (≈77% of households with broadband) and near‑universal email use among connected adults.
• Age distribution of email users (modeled to county’s older profile):
  • 13–24: 16%
  • 25–44: 23%
  • 45–64: 30%
  • 65+: 31%
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (tracks overall county sex ratio).
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~77% of households have a broadband subscription; ~88% have a computer device at home.
  • ~12–15% are “smartphone‑only” internet households, indicating mobile‑centric email access.
  • Fixed fiber is limited outside town centers; cable and VDSL dominate in East Tawas, Tawas City, and Oscoda, with inland areas relying more on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Mobile LTE/5G coverage is broad along the US‑23 lakeshore corridor; speeds and reliability drop in low‑density inland townships.
• Local density/connectivity context: Low population density (~46 people per sq. mile) and dispersed settlement patterns increase last‑mile costs, reinforcing a gap between lakeshore communities and rural interiors. Email remains the default digital identity and communication channel across all age groups once connected.

Iosco County, MI mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Topline estimates

• Population base: about 25,000 residents, with an older-than-average age profile and largely rural settlement pattern.
• Residents using a mobile phone (any type): about 21,000–23,000 people (roughly 85–90% of residents; age-weighted).
• Resident smartphone users: about 17,000–19,000 people (roughly 70–78% of residents; age-weighted).
• Households relying on cellular data for home internet (smartphone or hotspot as primary connection): approximately 12–18% of households, higher outside the main towns.

How Iosco differs from Michigan overall

• Adoption level: County smartphone penetration is lower by an estimated 6–10 percentage points versus the state average due to an older population and lower median income.
• Age skew: A materially larger share of residents are 65+, and smartphone adoption within that cohort trails the state by roughly 10–15 points. This single factor pulls down the county-wide average more than in Michigan overall.
• Connectivity mode: A higher share of households are mobile-only or mobile-first for internet access, reflecting limited wireline broadband beyond town centers. Michigan overall is more wireline-first.
• Plan mix: Prepaid and MVNO usage is relatively higher than the statewide mix, driven by income sensitivity and seasonal residents.
• Seasonal pattern: Strong summer tourism along the Lake Huron shoreline produces sharper weekend/holiday congestion spikes than the state average.

Demographic breakdown and implications for usage

• Age: The county’s elevated 65+ share depresses overall smartphone adoption but still shows steady year-on-year gains as later cohorts age in. Adults 18–64 are near state norms in smartphone take-up; the gap is concentrated among seniors.
• Income and education: Lower median household income correlates with more budget plans and higher incidence of smartphone-only internet access, increasing mobile data dependency.
• Housing mix: Dispersed rural housing and recreational/seasonal dwellings increase the likelihood of cellular-based home connectivity, especially where cable or fiber does not reach.

Digital infrastructure and coverage points

• Network availability:
  • 4G LTE: Broad coverage along the US‑23 coastal corridor and in population centers (Tawas City, East Tawas, Oscoda/Au Sable). Coverage becomes patchier inland across forested and low-density tracts, with dead zones in portions of the Huron National Forest.
  • 5G: Low-band 5G is present in and around the main towns and along primary corridors; mid-band 5G capacity is limited and localized compared with Michigan’s metro counties.
• Capacity and performance: Congestion is noticeably higher during summer weekends and events, with evening slowdowns more common than the state average due to fewer sectors and smaller backhaul in rural sites.
• Fixed alternatives:
  • Cable broadband is concentrated in town centers; fiber build is limited but expanding gradually from anchor institutions and along select rights-of-way.
  • Outside towns, many locations still depend on DSL or satellite, making 4G/5G fixed wireless and smartphone hotspots important substitutes.
• Emergency and redundancy: Fewer macro sites per square mile than the state average means outages or maintenance windows have broader localized impact. Redundancy improves along US‑23; it is weaker on inland corridors like M‑65.

Trends to watch

• Gradual catch-up in senior smartphone adoption is lifting overall penetration each year, but the county will likely remain several points below the Michigan average through mid‑decade.
• Incremental mid-band 5G infill along the coastal population centers should alleviate peak-season congestion before it substantially improves inland coverage.
• Fixed wireless access (4G/5G home internet) is growing faster here than statewide because of wireline gaps, reinforcing a mobile-first usage pattern distinct from Michigan’s metro counties.

Notes on estimation

• User estimates are derived by weighting national smartphone adoption by age cohort against Iosco County’s older age structure and rural characteristics, then cross-checking with ACS household internet-subscription patterns for rural counties. The directional differences versus Michigan are robust even as exact figures vary by neighborhood.

Social media usage in Iosco County, MI (2025 snapshot)

Overall usage

• Adult social media penetration: ~71% of residents 18+ use at least one social platform.
• Estimated user base: roughly 14–16k adults (modeled from local age mix).
• Composition of social media users by age:
  • 18–29: 18%
  • 30–49: 30%
  • 50–64: 28%
  • 65+: 24%
• Gender among users: ~53% female, 47% male (older-skewed population nudges the mix toward women).

Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: 79%
• Facebook: 69%
• Instagram: 34%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 24%
• Snapchat: 20%
• X (Twitter): 16%
• Reddit: 12%
• LinkedIn: 12%
• Nextdoor: 10%

Behavioral trends and how people use platforms locally

• Facebook is the default local hub:
  • High engagement in community and swap/sell groups, school and township pages, obituaries, weather/safety alerts, and event calendars.
  • Marketplace is heavily used for vehicles, outdoor/recreation gear, tools, and household items with short-distance pickup.
  • Strong daily use among 35+ and retirees; women over-index slightly.
• YouTube is ubiquitous for practical viewing:
  • DIY/home and cabin maintenance, fishing reports, small-engine repair, outdoor recreation, church services, and local government recordings.
• Instagram is lighter but growing:
  • Used by younger adults and visitors for seasonal/tourism content (Lake Huron/Tawas), food spots, and small businesses. Stories/Reels outperform static posts.
• TikTok is niche but impactful for under-35:
  • Local workers, students, and seasonal visitors drive short-form content around events, eateries, and outdoor clips; conversions often complete via Facebook groups/pages.
• Pinterest has a solid 35+ female base:
  • Crafts, home projects, recipes, weddings, cottage décor; strong save/plan behavior rather than immediate clicks.
• Snapchat is primarily a messaging channel for teens/young adults:
  • Limited discovery; strong peer-to-peer sharing of local happenings.
• X (Twitter) and Reddit are smaller:
  • X used for statewide news, Detroit sports, and severe weather from official accounts.
  • Reddit activity mostly in broader Michigan subreddits; minimal deeply local threads.
• Nextdoor coverage is patchy:
  • Active where neighborhoods/subdivisions are denser (lakefront pockets); usage centers on contractor referrals, lost/found, and HOA matters.

Seasonality and time-of-day patterns

• Engagement peaks May–September with tourism, festivals, fishing/boating; another spike around winter storms.
• Posting and interaction are highest evenings (6–9 p.m.) and weekend mornings; severe weather and school-related updates surge in real time.

Platform skews by gender and age (directional)

• Women: higher on Facebook and Pinterest; strong participation in community groups and planning content.
• Men: higher on YouTube, Reddit, and X; strong interest in repairs, gear, and sports.
• Older adults (55+): Facebook-first, YouTube second; prefer informational posts and trusted local voices.
• Younger adults (18–34): More TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat usage; short-form video and peer recommendations drive discovery.

Method note: Figures are county-level estimates derived by weighting Iosco County’s adult age structure (U.S. Census Bureau ACS) against platform adoption by age from Pew Research Center’s most recent U.S. social media use data, with adjustments for rural Michigan patterns.