Brown County

Here are key demographics for Brown County, Minnesota (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates; figures are estimates and rounded):

• Population: ~25,900
• Age:
  • Median age: ~43
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18 to 64: ~56%
  • 65 and over: ~22%
• Gender: ~49.8% male, ~50.2% female
• Race/ethnicity (share of total):
  • White, non-Hispanic: ~93%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4–5%
  • Two or more races: ~2%
  • Black or African American: ~0.5–1%
  • Asian: ~0.5–1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Households:
  • Number of households: ~10,800–11,000
  • Average household size: ~2.3 persons
  • Family households: ~64% of households
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~78%

Summary for Brown County, Minnesota (estimates)

• Estimated email users: ~19,000–21,000. Basis: ~25.5k residents, with roughly 85–90% of people age 13+ using email.
• Age distribution (county skews older, so email users likely tilt older too):
  • 13–24: ~16–18%
  • 25–44: ~25–28%
  • 45–64: ~30–32%
  • 65+: ~22–25% (adoption lower than younger groups but rising)
• Gender split: Approximately even; the county population is about 50–51% female, and email usage is similar by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Most households subscribe to home internet; a mid‑80s percent broadband subscription rate is typical for similar rural MN counties.
  • Mobile-only internet users likely around 10–12%.
  • Fiber availability is expanding (e.g., Nuvera and state Border‑to‑Border Broadband–supported builds), boosting gigabit access in and around New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, and Springfield.
  • Rural townships still rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite; public Wi‑Fi at libraries/schools supplements access.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density roughly 40–45 people per square mile.
  • Best wireline speeds cluster in towns and along major corridors (US‑14, MN‑15); coverage and speeds drop in more dispersed farming areas.

Notes: Figures are approximations derived from county population, rural MN adoption patterns, and recent broadband build‑out trends.

Below is a concise, locally tuned snapshot of mobile phone usage in Brown County, Minnesota, with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns.

County snapshot

• Population baseline: about 25–26k residents, with a larger-than-average share of older adults and a mix of small cities (New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield) and rural townships.
• Terrain/settlement pattern: river valleys, bluffs, and dispersed farmsteads create patchier radio coverage than in Minnesota’s metro and suburban counties.

User estimates (orders of magnitude, not exact counts)

• Overall mobile phone users: roughly 22k–24k residents use a mobile phone of some kind.
• Smartphone users: about 18k–21k residents use a smartphone.
• Device mix vs Minnesota: Basic/feature phones are modestly more common than the statewide average, largely due to an older age structure and farm/rural preferences for long battery life and durability.

Demographic breakdown (how Brown County differs from state averages)

• Age:
  • Teens/young adults (13–34): smartphone adoption is near-universal, similar to Minnesota overall.
  • Middle age (35–64): very high adoption, but device upgrade cycles are slightly longer than the state average.
  • Seniors (65+): smartphone adoption is meaningfully lower than statewide (roughly mid–50s to low–60s percent vs high–60s statewide), with a higher share using basic phones or limited-data plans.
• Income and plan type:
  • Slightly higher prevalence of budget and prepaid plans than the statewide average, plus family-plan sharing.
  • Smartphone‑only home internet: somewhat elevated among renters in town but offset by more wired-reliant seniors; overall county rate is similar to or a little below Minnesota’s statewide rate.
• Geography within the county:
  • In-town residents (New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield) show smartphone adoption and plan features closer to statewide norms.
  • Rural townships see more basic phones, hotspot use for farm operations, and stricter data management.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers and radio layers:
  • All three national carriers serve the county. T‑Mobile’s low‑band 5G blankets most populated areas; mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around towns and along US‑14/State‑15 corridors. Verizon and AT&T provide broad LTE with targeted 5G upgrades in towns; outside towns you encounter more LTE/low‑band 5G.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Towns: typical 5G mid‑band downlink in the 150–400 Mbps range where available; strong LTE otherwise.
  • Rural: low‑band 5G/LTE commonly 5–50 Mbps, with dips in river valleys and at section‑line distances from towers.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Local provider Nuvera (based in New Ulm) and regional fiber routes give towns solid backhaul; some rural sites still lean on microwave backhaul, affecting consistency.
• Known weak spots:
  • River bluffs/valleys near the Minnesota and Cottonwood Rivers (e.g., around Flandrau State Park) and sparsely populated townships show more dead zones and handoff issues than typical statewide.
• Public safety:
  • Statewide Text‑to‑911 is available; FirstNet coverage is focused along major corridors and towns, with rural infill ongoing.

Usage patterns and behaviors

• More voice/SMS reliance and conservative data use among seniors than Minnesota overall.
• Agriculture and small manufacturing drive hotspot and LTE router use (equipment monitoring, field operations, seasonal logistics).
• Device lifecycles are longer than the statewide average; older iPhone/Android models remain in circulation.

Key ways Brown County trends differ from Minnesota statewide

• Smartphone penetration is slightly lower, driven by a higher senior share and rural device preferences.
• The town–rural performance gap is wider: towns are competitive with statewide norms, but farmsteads and valleys see more coverage variability and lower median speeds.
• Mid‑band 5G capacity is more localized to towns and highways; outlying areas rely on low‑band 5G/LTE more often than the state average.
• Feature phones and limited‑data plans are more common, and upgrade cycles are slower.
• Local fiber presence (Nuvera) improves Wi‑Fi offload in towns, but rural mobile networks shoulder more of the load for home and field connectivity during planting/harvest peaks.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Estimates synthesize national adoption benchmarks (e.g., Pew), Minnesota’s age/geography patterns, and local infrastructure characteristics. They are intended as planning‑grade ranges, not precise counts. For decision‑grade numbers, pair this with the latest ACS demographics, FCC/Broadband Serviceable Location data, and current carrier coverage/performance maps or drive tests.

Below is a concise, practical snapshot for Brown County, Minnesota. Exact, platform-by-platform county stats aren’t published; figures are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media data, applied to Brown County’s population and age profile (ACS/Census), with a rural/older-age adjustment. Treat as directional estimates, not audited counts.

Quick snapshot

• Population: ~25–26k residents; ~22–23k are 13+.
• Estimated social media users (13+): 18k–20k (≈78–86% penetration).
• Gender mix among users: roughly mirrors county (≈51% women, 49% men).

Most-used platforms (percent of residents 13+; modeled)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 60–70% (especially strong among 30+)
• Instagram: 35–45%
• Snapchat: 30–40% (dominant among teens/younger adults)
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (female-skewed)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (professionals, educators, healthcare)
• WhatsApp: 12–20% (family/intl. ties; small but steady)
• X (Twitter): 12–20% (news/sports followers)
• Reddit: 12–20% (male/younger skew)
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (lower in small towns vs suburbs)

Age-group usage tendencies (share who use at least one platform)

• 13–17: 90%+; heavy Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube; rising TikTok.
• 18–29: 90–95%; YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook mainly for groups/events.
• 30–49: 85–90%; Facebook, YouTube core; Instagram/TikTok for short-form video; Messenger ubiquitous.
• 50–64: 70–80%; Facebook and YouTube dominant; Pinterest usage common.
• 65+: 55–65%; Facebook (groups, local news) and YouTube (how-to, sermons, music).

Gender notes

• Facebook and Pinterest slightly female-skewed; Pinterest strongly so.
• Reddit and X skew male; YouTube broadly even.
• Instagram and TikTok relatively balanced but younger-female over-index.

Behavioral trends (what people actually do)

• Community-first Facebook: Local news, school/sports, church updates, city/county notices, garage sales, lost-and-found pets. Facebook Groups and Marketplace are highly active.
• Event-driven spikes: Festivals (e.g., in/around New Ulm), school sports, weather events push bursts of sharing and live video.
• Shopping and classifieds: Heavy Facebook Marketplace use for vehicles, farm/rural equipment, furniture, rentals; local buy/sell groups outperform Craigslist.
• Video habits: Short vertical clips (Reels/TikTok) for local happenings and deals; YouTube for how-to, repair, outdoor/hunting/fishing, and product research.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger for business questions and appointment-setting; Snapchat among teens/college-age; some WhatsApp for family connections.
• Content that performs:
  • Hyper-local relevance (road closures, school updates, storm impacts, openings/closings).
  • Faces and testimonials from known locals; “shop local” appeals.
  • Offers with clear dollar value (coupons, limited-time promos).
• Timing patterns: Evenings (7–10 pm) and early mornings see the highest engagement; Sunday evenings and weekday lunch hours are reliable.
• Trust and tone: Straightforward, neighborly tone beats polished corporate voice; avoid polarizing topics; swift replies in comments/DMs build goodwill.

How to use this

• Reach older and broad audiences via Facebook + YouTube; reach teens/20s via Snapchat/Instagram/TikTok.
• Cross-post short video to Reels and TikTok; caption everything (many watch with sound off).
• Anchor presence in relevant Facebook Groups; list products on Marketplace; use events for promotions.
• Test ads with tight local targeting and value-forward creatives; rotate creative around weather, seasonal events, and school calendars.

Method note

• Estimates leverage Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption and usage-by-age/gender, apportioned to Brown County’s population structure (ACS/Census), with a modest rural/older-age adjustment (boosting Facebook/Pinterest, slightly trimming TikTok/Instagram vs national).