Mackinac County

Key demographics for Mackinac County, Michigan

• Population:

  • 10,834 (2020 Census)
  • ~10,860 (2023 population estimate)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~53
  • Under 18: ~18–19%
  • 65 and over: ~28–29%

• Sex:

  • Female: ~49–50%
  • Male: ~50–51%

• Race/ethnicity (percent of total population):

  • White alone: ~73–74%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~17–18%
  • Black or African American alone: ~0.5%
  • Asian alone: ~0.4–0.5%
  • Two or more races: ~6–7%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%
  • White alone, not Hispanic: ~72–73%

• Households and housing (ACS 5-year):

  • Households: ~4,900–5,000
  • Persons per household: ~2.15–2.20
  • Family households: ~60–62% of households; married-couple households: ~48–50%
  • Households with children under 18: ~20–22%
  • Nonfamily households: ~38–40%; living alone: ~32–34%; age 65+ living alone: ~13–15%
  • Housing units: ~9,500–10,000
  • Vacant/seasonal units: roughly half of housing stock (large seasonal/second-home presence)

Insights:

• Older age structure with nearly three in ten residents 65+, and relatively few children.
• Predominantly White with a notable American Indian/Alaska Native population share.
• Small household sizes and a high share of seasonal housing shape local service and housing dynamics.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (DP02, DP05, S0101). Figures rounded; margins of error omitted for brevity.

Mackinac County, MI has ≈10.9k residents (2023 est.) and a land density of ≈11 people per square mile. Adults are ≈82% of residents. Applying rural‑Michigan internet adoption (86% of adults online) and the share of internet users who use email (93%), the county has ≈7,100 adult email users.

Age distribution of email users (reflecting the county’s older profile; 65+ ≈27–29% of residents): 18–29 ≈12%, 30–49 ≈28%, 50–64 ≈28%, 65+ ≈32%. Gender split among email users is effectively even (≈50% female, 50% male), mirroring the county’s sex ratio.

Digital access and connectivity: Fixed broadband is strongest in and around St. Ignace and Mackinac Island and thins in low‑density mainland and island areas (e.g., Les Cheneaux), shaping heavier reliance on mobile data and public/library Wi‑Fi outside town centers. FCC broadband maps identify numerous unserved/underserved rural census blocks; Michigan’s $1.56B BEAD allocation (2023) targets Upper Peninsula buildouts through 2028, which should materially improve email reliability and speeds for residents and businesses. Seasonal tourism surges further increase mobile network load around Mackinac Island and the Bridge corridor, influencing time‑of‑day email performance.

Mobile phone usage in Mackinac County, MI — 2025 snapshot

Headline numbers

• Resident population: 10,834 (2020 Census).
• Estimated mobile phone users: about 9,000 residents (≈83% of the total population) use a mobile phone.
• Estimated smartphone users: about 8,200 residents.
• Adult smartphone penetration (18+): ~84% in Mackinac County vs ~89% statewide.
• Mobile-only home internet: materially higher than the Michigan average; roughly one in five local households rely primarily on cellular for home internet vs about one in eight statewide.

How these estimates were constructed

• Adults are roughly 83% of the county population in this older-skewing county; applying typical rural/older-adult adoption yields ≈84% adult smartphone penetration and ≈92% “any cellphone” penetration.
• Adding teens (high smartphone adoption among 12–17) and a small share of preteens produces ≈8.2k smartphone users and ≈9.0k total mobile users.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: Mackinac County is notably older than Michigan overall (nearly 30% aged 65+ vs ~19% statewide). Age 65+ smartphone adoption is lower (roughly 65–72%), pulling down the countywide average. Working-age adults (18–64) are at or near national norms (high 80s to low 90s percent).
• Income and plan mix: A larger share of lower-income and fixed-income households than the state average translates to more prepaid and budget plans and a higher incidence of “mobile-only” home internet. The lapse of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 reinforced this shift locally.
• Seasonal population: Summer tourism (St. Ignace, Mackinac Island, Les Cheneaux area) and seasonal workers temporarily push the active-device count well above resident baselines, concentrating usage in waterfront towns, ferry docks, and the island.

Digital infrastructure (coverage and capacity)

• Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate in the county. Coverage is strongest along I‑75, US‑2, and M‑134 and around population centers (St. Ignace, Mackinac Island, Hessel/Cedarville).
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band 5G provides broad coverage in and around St. Ignace, along primary corridors, and on Mackinac Island; it emphasizes reach over speed.
  • Mid-band 5G capacity is present in small pockets (notably St. Ignace and the island) but is far less ubiquitous than in downstate metros.
• Interior gaps: Coverage thins in forested interior townships and on Bois Blanc Island, where terrain, distance, and limited backhaul constrain both signal and capacity.
• Seasonal network management: Summer demand triggers temporary densification (additional small cells/COWs) around ferry terminals and island hot spots. Even with augments, midday congestion and lower uplink speeds are common on peak weekends.
• Backhaul and power: Microwave backhaul is still used in some segments, especially to island sites, making weather and line-of-sight more impactful than in downstate fiber-fed areas.
• Public safety: FirstNet coverage is prioritized along I‑75, US‑2, and in population centers; volunteer fire/EMS often dual-run land-mobile radio with cellular for data.

How Mackinac County trends differ from Michigan statewide

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary internet: A meaningfully larger share of households are “mobile-only,” reflecting sparser fixed broadband and a higher proportion of prepaid users.
• Older population lowers average smartphone penetration: Countywide adoption is several points below the state due to a much larger 65+ cohort, even though working-age adoption is comparable to Michigan.
• Capacity vs coverage trade-off: 5G here is predominantly low-band for reach; mid-band capacity is limited to a few nodes, unlike the extensive mid-band builds in metro Michigan.
• Greater seasonality: Extreme summer surges (tourists and seasonal staff) stress networks in specific zones (ferry docks, downtown St. Ignace, Mackinac Island) in ways most Michigan counties do not experience.
• More pronounced dead zones: Interior forest and island geographies create persistent weak-signal areas that are uncommon in most downstate counties with denser tower grids and fiber backhaul.

Implications

• User base: Approximately 9,000 residents use mobile phones, with around 8,200 on smartphones; usage spikes significantly in summer.
• Service mix: Expect above-average prepaid share, higher mobile hotspot use, and more mobile-only households than the state norm.
• Infrastructure priorities: The biggest gains will come from filling interior gaps, adding mid-band sectors in St. Ignace/Hessel/Cedarville and on Mackinac Island, and improving island backhaul and seasonal capacity planning.

Mackinac County, MI social media snapshot (2025)

Population baseline

• Residents: ~10.9K (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate)
• Adults (18+): ~8.7K
• Age structure skews older (significant 50+ share), which suppresses some platform adoption versus national averages

Estimated user base

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~6.2K–6.5K (roughly 70–75% of adults)
• Mobile-first usage is common; a meaningful minority are mobile-only due to patchy fixed broadband

Age groups (share using any social; local usage approximated from Pew national rates and county age mix)

• 18–29: ~85–90%
• 30–49: ~80–85%
• 50–64: ~70–75%
• 65+: ~50–60%
• Implication: County skews to Facebook and YouTube; TikTok/Snapchat adoption is present but concentrated among younger residents and seasonal workers

Gender

• Overall social media use is near-even male/female
• Platform skews: Pinterest (female-leaning), Instagram and TikTok (slight female tilt), Reddit and X/Twitter (male-leaning), Facebook broadly balanced with heavy participation in local groups by women

Most-used platforms in Mackinac County (modeled local reach; share of adults and approximate users)

• YouTube: 80–83% (7.0K) — dominant for news, DIY, fishing/outdoors, and trip planning
• Facebook: 65–70% (5.7K–6.1K) — primary for community groups, events, buy/sell, public notices
• Instagram: 45–50% (3.9K–4.3K) — tourism visuals, hospitality, local attractions
• TikTok: 30–35% (2.6K–3.0K) — younger residents, seasonal workers, visitor content
• Snapchat: 25–30% (2.2K–2.6K) — concentrated under 30
• WhatsApp: 25–30% (2.2K–2.6K) — customer messaging; useful among seasonal/international staff
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (2.2K–2.6K) — small professional base; recruiting for healthcare, education, public sector
• X/Twitter: 20–23% (1.7K–2.0K) — real-time news, weather, Mackinac Bridge/transport updates
• Pinterest: 25–28% (2.2K–2.4K) — crafts, DIY, wedding/event planning tied to island venues
• Reddit: 20–22% (1.7K–1.9K) — travel advice and hobby communities Note: Multi-platform use is common; percentages are not mutually exclusive.

Behavioral trends

• Strong seasonality (May–Oct): Visitor traffic to Mackinac Island and Straits drives spikes in posting, check-ins, Stories/Reels, and local ad spend
• Facebook Groups function as the digital town square: high daily engagement for buy/sell/trade, local services, school and township updates, lost-and-found
• Real-time utility content performs: ferry schedules, bridge closures, weather alerts see outsized reach on Facebook and X/Twitter
• Video-first consumption: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) growth among 18–34; YouTube long-form remains sticky across ages
• Local commerce: Events, farmers markets, lodging/restaurant specials pushed via Facebook Events and Instagram; Messenger/WhatsApp used for bookings and customer service
• Connectivity-aware behavior: Shorter posts and compressed video perform better; evening and early-morning engagement windows align with service industry shifts

Method and sources

• Population and age mix: U.S. Census Bureau (QuickFacts/ACS; latest estimates)
• Platform adoption rates: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024
• County figures are modeled by applying Pew platform penetration to the county’s adult population and age profile; use as directional but decision-grade for planning and benchmarking.