Manistee County

Manistee County, Michigan — Key demographics

Population size

• 25,032 (2020 Decennial Census)
• Change since 2010: roughly +1% (modest growth)

Age

• Median age: ~50 years (ACS 5‑year)
• Under 18: ~20%
• 18–64: ~53%
• 65 and over: ~27%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 5‑year; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~92%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~3%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%

Households (ACS 5‑year)

• Households: ~11,000
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~62%; nonfamily: ~38%
• Living alone: ~32% of households (about half are 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Older-than-state/national profile with about one in four residents 65+
• Predominantly White with a small but notable Native American population
• Smaller household sizes and a relatively high share of single-person/nonfamily households

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 5-year estimates (most recent available).

Email usage in Manistee County, MI (population ≈25,000)

• Estimated email users: ~21,200 residents (≈85% of all residents; ≈92% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 6% (1,300); 18–29: 16% (3,400); 30–49: 30% (6,400); 50–64: 24% (5,100); 65+: 24% (~5,000). Senior adoption now exceeds 80%, driven by telehealth, banking, and government services.
• Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male (near parity).
• Digital access trends: ~81% of households maintain a broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer or smartphone at home; ~13–15% are smartphone‑only. Email is near‑universal among employed adults and college‑age residents; fastest growth is among retirees and lower‑income households as mobile plans and subsidy programs expand.
• Local density/connectivity facts: About 540 square miles of land and ≈46 residents per square mile, versus Michigan’s ≈176/sq mi. Low density raises last‑mile costs, so the City of Manistee and the US‑31/M‑55 corridors have stronger cable/fixed‑wireless options, while rural townships rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, modestly reducing email intensity at the fringes.

Overall, email penetration is high and broad-based, with usage strongest in working‑age groups and improving steadily among older adults.

Mobile phone usage in Manistee County, Michigan — 2025 snapshot

Bottom line

• Manistee County’s mobile landscape is shaped by an older, largely rural population and uneven fixed broadband, producing higher reliance on mobile-only internet and slower 5G uptake than the Michigan average. Seasonal tourism creates capacity spikes along the lakeshore corridors, while inland pockets remain coverage-challenged compared with the state overall.

User estimates

• Population and adult base: ~25,000 residents; ~19,500 adults (18+).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile phone): ~18,500 adults (≈95% of adults), broadly in line with rural U.S. norms.
• Smartphone users: ~15,500–16,000 adults (≈79–82% of adults). This is a few points lower than Michigan’s statewide adult smartphone penetration, reflecting Manistee’s older age mix and rural profile.
• Mobile-only internet households: ~10–13% of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet, noticeably higher than the Michigan average. This is consistent with rural counties where fixed broadband can be limited or cost-prohibitive.

Demographic breakdown and usage implications

• Age: Manistee has a substantially larger share of residents aged 65+ than Michigan overall. Seniors are less likely to own smartphones and more likely to use basic or older devices, dampening smartphone penetration and app-based engagement relative to the state.
• Income and affordability: Median household income is lower than the Michigan average, which correlates with higher sensitivity to device price and plan cost. This tends to lift prepaid and MVNO usage and elongate device replacement cycles versus the state.
• Household composition: A higher share of single-person and retiree households reduces the number of multi-line family plans compared with Michigan overall, modestly shifting the mix toward individual lines and budget carriers.
• Work patterns: A smaller share of professional/knowledge workers than the state average translates to lower daytime data consumption from telework but sustained reliance on mobile for everyday connectivity where fixed broadband is weaker.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern: Strongest along US‑31 and the city of Manistee/lakeshore corridor; weaker indoor coverage and dead zones persist in forested and hilly interior areas. Mid-band 5G is more limited than in Michigan’s metro counties; LTE remains the practical baseline in much of the county.
• Provider footprint: National carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) cover primary corridors and population centers; capacity and indoor performance vary markedly away from highways and the city grid.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable/fiber availability is patchy outside the city and larger towns. Where cable/fiber is absent or slow, households show higher dependence on smartphone hotspots and fixed wireless access (FWA) from mobile carriers than the statewide norm.
• Seasonal strain: Summer tourism materially increases network load along the lakeshore, driving short-term congestion and speed variability that is less pronounced at the state level.
• Public safety and resilience: Rural topology and lake-effect weather events heighten the importance of backup power and hardening; service continuity during storms lags urban Michigan benchmarks.

How Manistee differs from Michigan overall

• Lower smartphone penetration among adults by several percentage points, driven by a larger 65+ population and lower incomes.
• Higher share of mobile-only internet households than the state average due to gaps in affordable, high-quality fixed broadband.
• Slower and less ubiquitous mid-band 5G; LTE remains dominant away from main corridors, whereas Michigan’s urban counties see broader 5G coverage and capacity.
• Greater reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and longer device replacement cycles, reflecting price sensitivity not as evident statewide.
• More pronounced seasonal congestion patterns tied to tourism, unlike Michigan’s interior metro counties where demand is steadier year-round.

Actionable insights

• Network build priorities: Additional mid-band 5G and small-cell infill along US‑31 and lakeshore towns, plus targeted LTE/5G coverage remediation in interior dead zones, will yield outsized quality gains relative to the state.
• Offer design: Emphasize affordable, high-allowance plans, senior-friendly devices, and FWA bundles in coverage-strong areas to substitute for absent fixed broadband.
• Retail mix: Stock durable midrange devices and budget 5G models; highlight MVNO options and upgrade incentives timed ahead of the summer season to mitigate peak congestion through better spectral efficiency.

Manistee County, MI social media snapshot (2025; modeled from U.S. Census ACS population and Pew Research Center 2024 platform-usage rates)

Baseline and user totals

• Population: ~25,000; adults (18+): ~20,200
• Adults using social networking apps (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Pinterest, LinkedIn): ~72% of adults ≈ 14,600
• Adults using YouTube: ~83% of adults ≈ 16,800

Most-used platforms among adults (share of 18+)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~23%
• X (Twitter): ~22%

Age-group patterns (platform adoption, national rates applied locally)

• 18–29: YouTube ~93%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~58%
• 30–49: YouTube ~92%; Facebook ~72%; Instagram ~54%; TikTok ~39%; Snapchat ~31%
• 50–64: YouTube ~83%; Facebook ~73%; Pinterest ~35%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~21%
• 65+: Facebook ~62%; YouTube ~61%; Pinterest ~18%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~10–15%

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media users skew slightly female: ~52% women, ~48% men (reflecting national adoption patterns)
• Platform skews: Pinterest users are predominantly women (~3:1 female-to-male); Facebook and Instagram lean slightly female; YouTube, X, and Reddit lean male

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural-lake counties and expected locally

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (local news, weather/road conditions, school updates), events, and Marketplace
• Short-form video growth: Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok perform best for local businesses, tourism, and outdoors content (fishing, trails, lake activities)
• Seasonal spikes: May–September sees elevated Instagram/TikTok posting and engagement tied to visitors and events; winter shifts toward community updates and indoor commerce
• Discovery-to-action path: Residents often discover via Facebook/Instagram, verify via Google/Maps reviews, and message businesses through Messenger/Instagram DMs
• Commerce: Buy/sell and service referrals are concentrated in Facebook Groups/Marketplace; Pinterest drives project planning (home, crafts) among women 30–64
• Time-of-day engagement: Peaks before work (6–9 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend mid-mornings are strong for local events and retail posts

Notes on method

• Figures are 2025 estimates created by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates by age to Manistee County’s adult population (ACS). Local results typically vary by ±3–5 percentage points depending on broadband access and seasonality.