Ogemaw County

Ogemaw County, Michigan — key demographics

Population

• Total population: 20,770 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~51 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Age distribution: 0–17: ~19%; 18–64: ~55%; 65+: ~26%

Gender

• Female: ~50.5%
• Male: ~49.5%

Race and ethnicity (share of total population)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~93–94%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.3–0.5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.2–0.3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,000
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~60% of households; married-couple families ~45–50%
• Nonfamily households: ~40%
• Owner-occupied housing: ~80–85%; renter-occupied: ~15–20%

Insights

• Older age profile (median age ~51) relative to state and nation
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White population
• Small household sizes and a high share of owner-occupied homes

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

Ogemaw County email usage summary:

• Population ~20,700; density ~36 people/sq mi across ~575 sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~16,300 residents (≈79% of population; ≈91% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6% (~980)
  • 18–29: 12% (~2,000)
  • 30–49: 28% (~4,560)
  • 50–64: 28% (~4,560)
  • 65+: 26% (~4,240)
• Gender split among email users: Female 51% (8,300); Male 49% (8,000).
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with any internet subscription ≈79%; home broadband adoption (cable/DSL/fiber/fixed wireless) ≈72%.
  • Smartphone ownership among adults ≈83%; smartphone‑only internet reliance ≈17%.
  • Fixed broadband (≥25/3 Mbps) available to >90% of addresses; fiber is present mainly in and around West Branch, while many rural townships rely on cable, DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. Insight: The county’s older age structure sustains a large 50+ email cohort, but lower rural broadband adoption leaves a meaningful offline minority; growth is coming from fixed‑wireless and incremental fiber buildouts that improve reliability for remote work, telehealth, and schooling. Estimates derived from U.S. Census ACS, FCC Broadband Map, and Pew Research benchmarks.

Mobile phone usage in Ogemaw County, MI — summary with county-specific estimates and how they differ from statewide patterns

Topline user and household estimates (2024 unless noted)

• Population and households: ~20,400 residents; ~9,200–9,500 households (ACS intercensal range).
• Adult smartphone users: approximately 14,300–15,000 adults use a smartphone (about 85–88% of adults), below Michigan’s ~89–92%.
• Any mobile phone users (smartphone or basic): roughly 15,800–16,300 adults (about 94–96%).
• Households with a smartphone present: about 88% in Ogemaw vs 91–92% statewide.
• Households with a cellular data plan: about 70–75% in Ogemaw vs 77–79% statewide.
• Smartphone-only (cellular-data-only) households: about 15–18% in Ogemaw vs 11–12% statewide.
• Households with no internet subscription: about 16–18% in Ogemaw vs 12–13% statewide.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns that diverge from state trends

• Older population drives lower smartphone adoption: Residents 65+ comprise roughly a quarter of the county (well above Michigan’s share). Estimated smartphone adoption among seniors in Ogemaw is about 70–75%, several points lower than Michigan’s senior average. This skews overall county adoption down and sustains higher use of basic/feature phones and voice/text-centric plans.
• Lower incomes and education correlate with higher smartphone-only use: Among lower-income households, smartphone-only reliance is elevated (roughly one-quarter), notably above the state average, reflecting both price sensitivity and gaps in wired broadband.
• Rural residency and seasonal use: A larger rural share and significant seasonal/second-home usage produce more mobile hotspots for home connectivity, and demand is concentrated along the I-75 corridor and in/around West Branch. Weekend/holiday traffic spikes create congestion patterns that are less pronounced statewide.
• Veteran and older-worker presence: A higher-than-average veteran share and older workforce segment correspond to greater use of prepaid and basic plans compared with Michigan overall.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Networks and coverage:
  • 4G/LTE: Near-universal outdoor coverage across populated areas by national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), but indoor coverage can degrade in forested or hilly terrain and in the far-north/east townships.
  • 5G: Population coverage is materially lower than the Michigan average. Most 5G service clusters around West Branch, Rose City, and along I-75 and major state routes; outlying areas rely on LTE. County population coverage is best characterized as roughly two-thirds to three-quarters, versus >90% in Michigan’s urbanized areas.
• Performance: Median mobile download speeds trail the statewide median, especially outside the I-75 corridor, due to lower site density and limited mid-band spectrum reach in outlying townships. Users frequently see LTE-level performance where 5G is absent.
• Site density and siting constraints: Macro cell sites are concentrated near West Branch and transportation corridors; siting in heavily wooded and federal/state-managed lands makes fill-in coverage slower to arrive than in downstate metros.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Cable broadband is available in and near West Branch; elsewhere, DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite remain common. Limited fiber-to-the-home outside population centers sustains higher smartphone-only and hotspot use for home internet relative to the Michigan average.
• Public-safety readiness: E911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts are supported countywide; however, device fallback to LTE for voice/VoLTE in fringe 5G areas is common.

Key ways Ogemaw County differs from Michigan overall

• Lower adult smartphone adoption (by a few percentage points), driven by an older age structure and rural geography.
• Higher smartphone-only household reliance (roughly 3–6 percentage points above the state), reflecting both affordability constraints and gaps in fixed broadband.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance split: strong service near I-75 and West Branch versus noticeably weaker speeds and 5G availability in outlying townships.
• Greater prevalence of prepaid/basic plans and voice/text-centric usage among seniors relative to statewide norms.
• Heavier use of mobile hotspots for primary home connectivity than the Michigan average.

Implications

• Closing the gap with state-level adoption will hinge on expanding mid-band 5G and fixed fiber beyond West Branch, along with affordability programs that reduce smartphone-only dependency.
• Targeted new macro/micro sites or fixed wireless upgrades in northern and eastern townships would yield outsized improvements versus current LTE-reliant pockets.
• Senior-focused digital literacy and device upgrade initiatives would likely boost smartphone adoption more in Ogemaw than in the state overall, given the county’s age profile.

Ogemaw County, MI social media snapshot (2025)

How these figures were derived

• County-specific survey data do not exist publicly. The percentages below are modeled local estimates: Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social-media adoption rates by age and gender were weighted to Ogemaw County’s older-leaning age/sex profile from the U.S. Census (Decennial 2020). Figures represent share of adults (18+) in Ogemaw County; rounded to whole percentages.

Overall usage and user stats

• Adults using at least one major platform: 76–80% of adults
• Daily users: ~60–65% of adults (roughly four in five social users)
• Multi-platform: ~60% of social users use 2+ platforms

Most-used platforms in Ogemaw County (share of adults)

• YouTube: 76%
• Facebook: 70%
• Instagram: 36%
• Pinterest: 30%
• TikTok: 28%
• LinkedIn: 23%
• WhatsApp: 19%
• X (Twitter): 18%
• Snapchat: 17%
• Reddit: 15%

Age patterns (who uses what)

• 18–29: Near-universal YouTube; Instagram and Snapchat dominant; TikTok very high. Facebook used but not central.
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook are primary; Instagram mid-high; TikTok moderate; Snapchat niche.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok are secondary; Pinterest solid for projects, recipes, crafts.
• 65+: Facebook leads; YouTube moderate; Instagram/TikTok low but growing slowly; Pinterest modest.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social users: ~52% women, ~48% men (reflecting the county’s slightly older, more female population)
• Platform skews: Women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of local groups, school sports updates, buy/sell and Marketplace, event notices, municipal and emergency alerts.
• Video is pervasive but pragmatic: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) performs best; live streams can lag due to rural connectivity; how-to, home repair, outdoors (hunting/fishing/powersports) and local business spotlights over-index.
• Evenings and weekends peak: Engagement concentrates after 6 pm and on weekends; midday spikes coincide with lunch hours and school schedules.
• Messaging matters: Facebook Messenger is the default backchannel for residents and businesses; WhatsApp remains niche but is useful for multi-county family networks.
• Trust and information: Local news is consumed via Facebook groups/pages more than X; word-of-mouth amplified through community groups; event-driven surges (fairs, weather, road closures).
• Commerce: Marketplace and group sales outperform standalone e-commerce links; coupon/raffle posts and limited-time offers draw strong action; service businesses benefit from before/after visuals and neighbor referrals.
• Cross-posting wins: The same short video repurposed across Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts materially expands reach with minimal extra work.

Notes and sources

• Sources: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024; U.S. Census Bureau (Decennial 2020) age/sex profile for Ogemaw County. Percentages are modeled local estimates (age- and gender-weighted) and rounded for decision use.