Cass County

Which data vintage would you like? I can provide a concise profile from the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates (most reliable for counties) or 2020 Decennial Census counts.

Cass County, Minnesota (pop. roughly 30–31k) is a low‑density, lake/forest county (about 15 people per sq. mile). Email usage is widespread but moderated by rural connectivity.

• Estimated email users: 20k–24k residents use email at least monthly. Basis: adult population share and national email adoption among adults, adjusted for Cass County’s lower broadband subscription rate versus the state average.
• Age pattern (approximate usage): 18–29: 95%+; 30–64: 90–95%; 65+: 75–85%. The county’s older age profile slightly lowers overall penetration compared with Minnesota’s metro areas.
• Gender split: Essentially even; no meaningful male/female difference in email adoption.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription is below the Minnesota average, typical of rural counties; mobile-only internet fills some gaps.
  • Ongoing fiber builds supported by Minnesota’s Border-to-Border grants and local/tribal initiatives are expanding coverage, but pockets of unserved/underserved locations remain, especially around remote lakes and forested areas.
  • Libraries, schools, and community centers provide public Wi‑Fi and access points; telehealth, government services, and school communications are driving senior and low-income adoption.
  • 4G/5G coverage is strongest in towns and along major highways; coverage is spottier in sparsely populated areas.

Overall: Email is near-universal among working-age residents, with improving—but still uneven—access shaping usage among seniors and remote households.

Cass County, MN mobile phone usage summary (2024)

What stands out versus Minnesota overall

• Lower overall smartphone uptake but higher reliance on cellular for home internet. Rural geography, an older population, and more households without wired broadband shift usage patterns toward mobile.
• More variable coverage and speeds. Wide low‑band 5G/LTE coverage exists, but mid‑band 5G is mostly limited to towns and main corridors; lake/forest terrain creates more dead zones than the state average.
• Strong seasonal swings. Resort/cabin areas and large events push peak loads beyond typical rural demand, a pattern less pronounced statewide.
• Larger digital equity gap in tribal and remote areas. Cass County includes parts of the Leech Lake Reservation; infrastructure and affordability challenges are more acute than state averages.

User estimates Note: Ranges reflect ACS 2018–2022 5‑year patterns for similar rural MN counties, Minnesota statewide benchmarks, and carrier coverage data. They are intended as planning estimates.

• Adult smartphone users: about 20,000–22,000 residents (roughly 83%–87% of adults), a few points below the statewide adult rate.
• Households with at least one smartphone: about 11,000–12,000 of roughly 13,000–14,000 occupied households (≈84%–88%), vs Minnesota ≈90%+.
• Cellular-only internet households (use a cellular data plan but no cable/DSL/fiber at home): approximately 14%–18% of households in Cass, higher than the statewide ~8%–10%.
• Households with no home internet at all: roughly 9%–12% in Cass, above Minnesota’s ~6%–7%.
• Prepaid/discount carrier use: likely higher than state average, reflecting lower median incomes and seasonal/temporary residents.

Demographic breakdown and how it affects mobile usage

• Age: Cass County’s 65+ share is well above the state average. Seniors’ smartphone adoption trails younger cohorts, pulling overall adoption down a few percentage points versus Minnesota. Many seniors who are online rely on simpler plans or voice/text‑centric usage.
• Income: Lower median household income and more fixed‑income households correlate with more prepaid plans and mobile‑only internet, and more sensitivity to data caps.
• Race/ethnicity: A substantially higher American Indian/Alaska Native share than the state average. Tribal areas report lower wired-broadband availability and affordability; mobile phones and hotspots are critical access points for many households.
• Seasonal/part‑time residents: Cabins/resorts increase device counts per household during peak months; temporary users add congestion near lakes and recreation areas.

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Coverage and technology mix:
  • All three national carriers operate in the county; low‑band 5G and LTE cover most populated areas.
  • Mid‑band 5G capacity is concentrated in and around towns and along primary corridors; outside these areas users often fall back to low‑band 5G/LTE with lower throughput.
  • mmWave 5G is rare to non‑existent.
• Performance:
  • Typical median downloads in town centers are below statewide medians; performance drops noticeably in fringe/wooded shorelines and interior forests.
  • Uplink speeds and latency are more variable than in metro Minnesota, affecting video calls and telehealth.
• Tower/grid characteristics:
  • Sparser macro‑tower spacing than the state average; limited small‑cell deployment outside town centers.
  • Terrain (heavy tree cover, undulating topography) and lakefront siting constraints create persistent pockets of weak signal.
• Backhaul and upgrades:
  • Ongoing state Border‑to‑Border and federal fiber projects in north‑central Minnesota are improving middle‑mile and tower backhaul, enabling future 5G capacity upgrades.
  • FirstNet (public‑safety) buildouts have improved resilience on select sites; broader commercial capacity still lags metro areas.
• Public/anchor connectivity:
  • Libraries, schools, clinics, and tribal facilities serve as key Wi‑Fi anchors; usage spikes during outages or peak seasons indicate continued dependence on these access points.

Implications and opportunities

• Targeted infill: New macro sites or small cells near lakes/resorts and along secondary roads would reduce dead zones and seasonal congestion.
• Mid‑band expansion: Extending 2.5 GHz/C‑band into more communities would narrow the county–state speed gap.
• Equity investments: Partnerships with tribal governments for co‑location and power/backhaul sharing can accelerate coverage in high‑need areas.
• Senior‑focused plans/support: Affordable plans, signal‑booster education, and device literacy programs would lift adoption among older residents.
• Mobile‑dependent services: Telehealth, public safety alerts, and education content should assume uneven speeds and offline modes in fringe areas.

Sources and methodology

• American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year tables on device ownership and internet subscriptions, county and state.
• Minnesota DEED broadband maps and federal broadband grant disclosures for backhaul/fiber context.
• FCC mobile coverage filings and carrier 5G deployment updates through 2024 for technology mix.
• Pew Research Center smartphone ownership trends to benchmark adult adoption rates. Note: Exact county‑level mobile performance and coverage can vary by carrier and micro‑location; field measurements or crowdsourced speed tests are recommended for site‑specific planning.

Below is a concise, county‑informed snapshot. Because hard county‑level platform stats aren’t publicly reported, figures are estimates derived from Pew Research Center (US adults, 2023–2024) and adjusted for Cass County’s older, rural profile.

Overall usage (adults)

• Any social media: estimated 60–70% of adults (vs ~72% US average)
• Daily use among users: roughly 70–80%
• Mobile-first consumption; smart TV use common for YouTube

Age profile (share using any platform; local estimates)

• 13–17: 90%+
• 18–29: 85–90%
• 30–49: 75–85%
• 50–64: 60–70%
• 65+: 35–45% Cass County skews older than the state average, so total adoption trends slightly lower than national while Facebook remains stronger.

Gender breakdown

• Overall usage is roughly even by gender.
• Platform skews: Pinterest (women), Reddit/X (men), Snapchat (slightly more women), Facebook and YouTube (near-even).

Most‑used platforms (share of adult social media users in Cass County who use each; estimates)

• Facebook: 70–80% (strongest platform locally; Groups and Marketplace dominate)
• YouTube: 75–85% (how‑to, local news clips, outdoor/recreation)
• Instagram: 30–40% (stronger in under‑40s and local businesses)
• TikTok: 20–30% overall; 50%+ in under‑30s (viewing > posting)
• Snapchat: ~10–15% overall; 50–70% in teens/early 20s
• Pinterest: ~20–25% overall; 30–40% of women
• X/Twitter: ~10–15% (news/sports niche)
• LinkedIn: ~15–25% (lower in rural labor mix)
• Nextdoor: ~5–10% (less dense neighborhoods limit use)
• Facebook Messenger: 70–80% of Facebook users use it for local messaging

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Pages/Groups are primary for county updates, schools, public safety, lost‑and‑found, volunteer calls.
• Seasonal swings: Summer tourism and lake season drive spikes in photo/video sharing; winter emphasizes road conditions, closures, ice/fishing updates.
• Marketplace and “buy/sell/trade” culture: Strong interest in local deals, equipment, vehicles, cabin/lake items.
• Video grows but stays practical: Short, captioned clips (Reels/TikTok) for under‑40; photos with clear text for older users perform best.
• Trust in local voices: Engagement is highest with familiar businesses, civic groups, schools, faith communities, and the sheriff/county.
• Customer service via DM: Many residents message Pages (Messenger/Instagram) for hours, availability, reservations.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekend mornings see reliable engagement; weather/events can shift spikes to daytime.
• Tourism effect: In summer, a notable share of engagement comes from non‑resident visitors; geo‑targeting beyond the county (e.g., Twin Cities corridor) is effective.

Notes and sources

• Estimates modeled from Pew Research Center social media use (2023–2024 US adults) and rural/older‑county adjustments; exact Cass County platform shares are not directly published.
• Consider validating assumptions with Facebook/Instagram ad reach tools, Google Trends, and local Page Insights for finer targeting.