Big Stone County Local Demographic Profile
To keep this precise: do you want figures from the 2020 Decennial Census or the latest ACS 5-year estimates (2019–2023)? The 2020 Census gives the official population count; ACS provides the most recent breakdowns (age, sex, race/ethnicity, households) for small counties like Big Stone.
Email Usage in Big Stone County
Big Stone County, MN snapshot (estimates)
- Population/density: ≈5.1k residents; ~10 people per square mile (very rural).
- Estimated email users: 3,400–3,800 residents use email at least monthly. Method: county population × rural internet adoption + typical email usage among internet users.
- Age mix of email users (approximate):
- Under 18: 450–550 (lower usage; many rely on messaging apps)
- 18–34: 780–840 (near-universal among connected adults)
- 35–64: 1,750–1,900
- 65+: 550–700 (lowest adoption; growing steadily)
- Gender split among email users: roughly 49% male, 51% female (reflects county’s slight female majority).
- Digital access trends:
- Connectivity improving via Minnesota Border-to-Border grants and local co-op fiber builds; many towns and populated corridors now have fiber-to-the-home.
- Remaining gaps on farms and remote areas rely on fixed wireless/legacy DSL; some households are smartphone-only (roughly 15–25%, in line with rural U.S. patterns).
- Home broadband adoption trails availability among older and lower-income residents, but mobile coverage and fiber expansion continue to raise overall email use.
- Local connectivity context: Most users cluster in/around Ortonville and along main highways; sparse settlement patterns make last-mile builds costly, influencing adoption.
Mobile Phone Usage in Big Stone County
Summary: Mobile phone usage in Big Stone County, Minnesota (with differences vs statewide)
Overall
- Big Stone County is a small, rural county of roughly 5,000–5,200 residents. Its population skews older, incomes are below the state median, and settlement is dispersed outside a few small towns (e.g., Ortonville). Those structural factors shape mobile adoption and network performance.
User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude, derived from national/rural benchmarks adjusted for the county’s older age profile)
- Any mobile phone (smartphone or basic): about 4,600–4,900 residents use a cellphone regularly.
- Smartphones: about 3,900–4,400 residents use a smartphone.
- Mobile-only for home internet: lower than many rural Minnesota areas where fiber is scarce; in townships with fiber-to-the-premise, most households offload to Wi‑Fi at home. In pockets without robust fixed service, some households still rely on phone hotspots.
- Carrier mix: Verizon is typically the most reliable in remote areas; T‑Mobile has broadened low-band 5G coverage along main corridors; AT&T performs best near towns and along highways. Many households keep multiple carriers in the family to hedge coverage gaps.
- Plan types and devices: slightly higher share of prepaid and budget devices than the statewide average; device replacement cycles tend to be longer (cost and retail access).
Demographic breakdown (how usage differs across groups)
- Age:
- Teens/young adults: near-universal smartphone ownership; heavy app/social/video use similar to statewide.
- 35–64: high smartphone adoption but somewhat more voice/text and practical apps (banking, weather, farm logistics) than statewide averages.
- 65+: smartphone adoption materially below the state average; a visible minority still use basic/flip phones. Many enable Wi‑Fi calling at home to overcome weak indoor signal.
- Income: lower median household income correlates with more prepaid plans, smaller data buckets, and selective streaming. The wind‑down of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024 pressured some low‑income users to downgrade plans or rely more on public Wi‑Fi.
- Occupation: agriculture and trades drive use of hotspots, messaging, and specialized apps (precision ag, equipment telematics). Seasonal fieldwork creates localized traffic spikes.
- Race/ethnicity/language: the county is predominantly non‑Hispanic White; language-access barriers affect a smaller share of users than statewide.
Digital infrastructure and performance
- Coverage pattern:
- 4G LTE is the workhorse and is generally available in towns and along US‑12, MN‑7, and US‑75; gaps persist in low-lying areas, along portions of Big Stone Lake, and inside metal buildings.
- 5G: low‑band 5G (especially T‑Mobile 600 MHz) is present along major routes and near towns; Verizon low‑band 5G appears in and around towns. Mid‑band 5G capacity is limited and spotty; mmWave is effectively absent.
- Tower grid: a sparse macro‑tower layout typical of prairie counties leads to 10–20+ mile intersite distances in some directions; in‑building coverage can be weak without boosters.
- Backhaul and fixed broadband:
- Local telephone/broadband cooperatives have built significant fiber-to-the‑premise in parts of the county (notably stronger than many U.S. rural areas). Cable and DSL exist in town; fixed‑wireless ISPs serve some rural stretches.
- Where fiber is present, residents offload most data to Wi‑Fi, keeping mobile use focused on messaging, navigation, and light video; where fiber is absent, hotspot use fills gaps.
- Public safety and reliability:
- FirstNet (AT&T) coverage exists but can be inconsistent indoors outside towns; Minnesota’s ARMER radio network remains primary for responders, with phones as a complement.
- Cross‑border behavior: proximity to South Dakota can trigger intermittent roaming or carrier handoffs near the lake.
How Big Stone County differs from Minnesota statewide
- Adoption levels: any‑cellphone and smartphone ownership are high but sit a few points below the state average because of the older age structure and lower incomes.
- Device mix: higher prevalence of basic/flip phones among seniors; longer device replacement cycles; slightly greater prepaid share.
- Carrier dynamics: Verizon tends to hold a larger share than statewide due to rural coverage; T‑Mobile’s low‑band 5G has improved but remains corridor‑centric; AT&T is comparatively stronger in metro Minnesota than here.
- Mobile vs home internet: thanks to notable fiber buildouts by local cooperatives, a larger share of households in covered townships rely on fixed broadband and Wi‑Fi for heavy data—so mobile is more of a complement than a substitute. That differs from many rural counties where mobile hotspots are the primary home connection.
- Usage patterns: more voice/SMS and utility app usage relative to high‑bitrate video; pronounced seasonal spikes from agriculture and lake recreation.
- Access and equity: fewer carrier retail options than metro areas means more online/neighboring‑county purchases and support; the end of ACP had a proportionally greater impact on plan affordability locally.
Notes on method and uncertainty
- Figures are estimates based on the county’s population size, rural age profile, and national/Pew/Minnesota rural adoption benchmarks, plus FCC coverage maps and known cooperative fiber deployments. Exact, current, carrier‑by‑carrier adoption counts are not published at the county level; on‑the‑ground experience can vary by carrier, road, and even by building construction.
Social Media Trends in Big Stone County
Social media in Big Stone County, MN — short breakdown
Snapshot and user stats
- Population: ~5,000 residents (ACS). County skews older (roughly 1 in 4 is 65+; ~1 in 5 is under 18).
- Estimated adult social media users: 2,900–3,300 (about 75–82% of adults; aligned with Pew’s rural U.S. adoption). Including teens (13–17) brings total users to roughly 3,200–3,600.
Age groups
- 13–17: Smaller cohort; heavy on Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram; low Facebook posting but active in groups/events.
- 18–29: Near-universal social use; Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Facebook for events and Marketplace.
- 30–49: Very active; Facebook (groups, Marketplace), Instagram; YouTube for how‑to and family content.
- 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest moderate; limited TikTok/Snapchat.
- 65+: Majority use Facebook; YouTube growing (news, DIY, worship services); minimal on TikTok/Snapchat.
Gender breakdown
- Population is roughly 51% female, 49% male (ACS). Usage patterns mirror national rural trends:
- Women: More likely on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong engagement in community groups and Marketplace.
- Men: More likely on YouTube, Reddit, X; heavy consumption of how‑to, farming/outdoors, and local sports content.
Most‑used platforms (estimated share of county adults who use each) Note: Ranges are modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adult platform use with rural and older‑skew adjustments for Big Stone County’s demographics.
- Facebook: 70–78%
- YouTube: 70–78%
- Instagram: 25–35%
- Pinterest: 25–35% (higher among women 30+)
- TikTok: 15–25%
- Snapchat: 10–20% (concentrated under 30)
- X (Twitter): 8–15%
- LinkedIn: 8–15% (lower in rural, non‑corporate occupations)
- WhatsApp: 5–10%
- Reddit: 5–10%
- Nextdoor: 3–8% (coverage varies by town/neighborhood presence)
Behavioral trends to know
- Facebook is the community hub: school and sports updates, church and civic announcements, emergency/weather alerts, obituaries, buy‑sell‑trade groups, and event promotion.
- Marketplace is a top driver of repeat visits and posting, especially for farm/ranch, vehicles, and household goods.
- Video is king for learning and local interest: YouTube for farm equipment, home repair, hunting/fishing, and local sports; short Reels on Facebook/Instagram are gaining with 30–49.
- Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger dominates; SMS remains common; WhatsApp usage is limited.
- Engagement timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends lead; spikes during severe weather, county fair, high‑school sports playoffs, harvest/hunting seasons.
- Privacy/participation: Older users more likely to lurk and share in closed groups; teens post less publicly, favor DMs/stories.
- Platform gaps: X/LinkedIn are niche; TikTok/Snapchat usage is meaningful among youth but small in the overall adult base.
Notes on method and sources
- County‑level platform stats are rarely published. Figures above are estimates derived from Pew Research Center (Social Media Use, 2023–2024; rural vs. urban and age/gender splits) applied to Big Stone County’s size and older age profile using U.S. Census Bureau ACS population structure. Treat as directional for planning rather than exact counts.
Table of Contents
Other Counties in Minnesota
- Aitkin
- Anoka
- Becker
- Beltrami
- Benton
- Blue Earth
- Brown
- Carlton
- Carver
- Cass
- Chippewa
- Chisago
- Clay
- Clearwater
- Cook
- Cottonwood
- Crow Wing
- Dakota
- Dodge
- Douglas
- Faribault
- Fillmore
- Freeborn
- Goodhue
- Grant
- Hennepin
- Houston
- Hubbard
- Isanti
- Itasca
- Jackson
- Kanabec
- Kandiyohi
- Kittson
- Koochiching
- Lac Qui Parle
- Lake
- Lake Of The Woods
- Le Sueur
- Lincoln
- Lyon
- Mahnomen
- Marshall
- Martin
- Mcleod
- Meeker
- Mille Lacs
- Morrison
- Mower
- Murray
- Nicollet
- Nobles
- Norman
- Olmsted
- Otter Tail
- Pennington
- Pine
- Pipestone
- Polk
- Pope
- Ramsey
- Red Lake
- Redwood
- Renville
- Rice
- Rock
- Roseau
- Saint Louis
- Scott
- Sherburne
- Sibley
- Stearns
- Steele
- Stevens
- Swift
- Todd
- Traverse
- Wabasha
- Wadena
- Waseca
- Washington
- Watonwan
- Wilkin
- Winona
- Wright
- Yellow Medicine