Freeborn County

Which data vintage would you like? I can provide the latest available from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates) for:

• Population size
• Age (median age; under 18, 18–64, 65+)
• Gender (male/female share)
• Racial/ethnic composition (race alone; Hispanic/Latino of any race)
• Household data (number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily)

If no preference, I’ll use ACS 2019–2023 5-year.

Overview (Freeborn County, MN)

• Estimated email users: 22,000–24,000 residents. Method: ~30.3k population; adults ~82% of residents; ~92% of adults use email (Pew), plus partial uptake among teens 13–17.

Age distribution of email users (approx.)

• 18–29: ~3.8–4.1k users (≈97% adoption)
• 30–49: ~6.8–7.2k (≈96%)
• 50–64: ~6.1–6.6k (≈92%)
• 65+: ~5.0–5.6k (≈80%) Note: County skews older than the U.S. average, so seniors comprise a sizable share of users.

Gender split

• Near-even usage; estimated users ≈11.0–11.6k female and ≈10.8–11.4k male (reflecting a roughly 51/49 F/M population and similar adoption rates).

Digital access and trends

• About four-in-five households subscribe to home broadband; a small but notable share rely on smartphone-only access or have no subscription (ACS-based rural MN patterns).
• Fiber and high-speed cable are concentrated in Albert Lea and nearby towns; rural townships show lower speeds and lower subscription rates but are improving due to ongoing state/BEAD-supported builds.
• Mobile LTE/5G coverage is strongest along major corridors; gaps persist in sparsely populated areas.

Local density/connectivity context

• Population density roughly 42 people per square mile across ~700+ square miles, contributing to an urban-rural divide in fixed broadband quality and adoption.

Mobile phone usage in Freeborn County, Minnesota — 2025 snapshot with county-vs-state differences

Estimated user base (order-of-magnitude, based on 2020–2024 public data and rural adoption patterns)

• Population: roughly 30–31k residents (Albert Lea is the population center).
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): about 26–28k residents.
• Smartphone users: about 22–24k residents.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): roughly 60–66% of households, notably lower than Minnesota’s statewide share (generally low-70s%).
• Mobile-only internet users (rely on a phone/hotspot instead of home broadband): meaningfully higher share than statewide, concentrated among lower-income and younger renters.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Age: The county skews older than Minnesota overall. Senior (65+) smartphone adoption lags the state by several points, pulling down the overall penetration rate. Teens and working-age adults are near state norms.
• Income/education: Lower median income and slightly lower 4-year degree attainment than the state average correlate with:
  • Higher Android share and prepaid plan usage.
  • Longer device replacement cycles (3–4 years vs. 2–3 years in metro areas).
• Race/ethnicity and language: A visible Hispanic/Latino community (larger share than in many Greater MN counties) relies heavily on mobile messaging apps and prepaid family plans; language support and retail access influence carrier choice.
• Housing: Renters and seasonal/itinerant workers are more likely to be mobile-only for internet.

Plan mix and usage behavior (relative to statewide)

• Prepaid share is higher (roughly 20–25% vs. teens statewide), with usage concentrations around Albert Lea and smaller towns.
• Family plans dominate among postpaid users; BYOD and budget brands (e.g., Metro by T‑Mobile, Cricket, Visible) see stronger uptake than in the Twin Cities.
• Data consumption is bimodal: heavy streaming/social in town; conservative use in fringe/rural zones where speeds and coverage vary.
• More households use signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling to compensate for indoor coverage variability.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern:
  • Strongest along I‑35 and I‑90 and in Albert Lea; weaker indoors and in low-density western/northern townships.
  • 5G availability is common along corridors and in town (mid-band from T‑Mobile; C‑band/5G+ pockets from Verizon/AT&T near Albert Lea), but many rural areas still fall back to LTE.
• Performance (typical user experience, not a guarantee):
  • In-town: mid-band 5G can deliver 100–300+ Mbps down, good for hotspotting and video.
  • Rural townships: 5–50 Mbps down is common; pockets drop below 5–10 Mbps, especially indoors or in low-lying/wooded areas.
  • Uplink is the bottleneck for live video and farm telemetry in fringe areas.
• Tower/backhaul:
  • Macro sites are clustered along highways; tower density off-corridor is lower than Minnesota’s average.
  • Fiber backhaul runs along interstates and rail rights-of-way; outlying sectors may still rely on microwave, which can limit peak/consistent 5G performance.
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T) coverage is dependable along major roads and in Albert Lea, with off-corridor gaps where agencies lean on boosters/LMR as primary.
• Complementary access:
  • Libraries, schools, clinics, and some city facilities provide reliable public Wi‑Fi that backstops mobile gaps.
  • Fixed broadband is improving but remains uneven in rural townships; where fiber isn’t present, residents turn to mobile hotspotting or fixed wireless.

How Freeborn County trends differ from Minnesota overall

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration driven by older age structure.
• Higher reliance on prepaid and discount MVNOs; more Android-heavy device mix.
• Slower, spottier 5G off the highway grid; performance variability across short distances is more pronounced than state averages.
• Greater share of mobile-only internet users among low-income and younger households due to patchy fixed broadband options.
• Longer device lifecycles and more use of signal boosters/Wi‑Fi calling.
• Public safety and agricultural connectivity are more sensitive to tower siting and backhaul; uplink constraints matter more for farm operations and telehealth.

Notes and confidence

• Figures are estimates synthesized from recent federal/state datasets (e.g., ACS demographics, FCC coverage filings, Pew smartphone adoption) and rural MN patterns; local conditions can vary by township and even by neighborhood.
• For planning or investment decisions, validate with current carrier maps, Minnesota DEED broadband layers, and on-the-ground drive tests.

Below is an estimate-based snapshot for Freeborn County, MN, using Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media data, adjusted for the county’s older/rural profile and ACS population. Treat percentages as directional ranges rather than exact local measurements.

Snapshot

• Population: ~30.5k; adults: ~23.5–24.5k
• Social media users (any platform): ~19–21k adults (≈80–85% of adults)
• Daily users: ~16–17k adults (≈65–70% of adults use social media daily)

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated % of adults in the county)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 20–25% (much higher among under-30)
• WhatsApp: 15–20% (stronger with the county’s Latino community)
• X/Twitter: 15–18%
• LinkedIn: 18–22%
• Reddit: 15–18%
• Nextdoor: 5–8%

Age‑group usage patterns (tendencies)

• Teens (13–17): Very high on YouTube (90%+); Snapchat/TikTok 60–70%; Instagram ~50–60%; Facebook low.
• 18–29: YouTube ~90%+; Snapchat ~65%; Instagram ~70%; TikTok ~55–60%; Facebook ~50–55%.
• 30–49: Facebook ~75–80%; YouTube ~90%; Instagram ~45–50%; TikTok ~30–35%; Pinterest ~40–45%.
• 50–64: Facebook ~70–75%; YouTube ~80–85%; Pinterest ~30–35%; Instagram ~25–30%; TikTok ~15–20%.
• 65+: Facebook ~60–65%; YouTube ~70–75%; Instagram ~15–20%; TikTok ~10–15%; Nextdoor low single digits.

Gender skew by platform (share of user base)

• More women: Pinterest (70–75% female), Facebook (55–60% female), Instagram (55–60% female), TikTok (55–60% female), Snapchat (~55–60% female).
• More men: YouTube (55–60% male), Reddit (65–70% male), X/Twitter (55–60% male), LinkedIn (55% male).
• WhatsApp: roughly balanced.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school/church/sports updates, fundraisers, obituaries, and very active buy/sell/trade groups; Marketplace is a top driver of engagement.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for how‑tos, local sports and outdoors; short‑form Reels/TikTok for entertainment, often cross‑posted to Facebook.
• Event discovery runs through Facebook Events and community pages (town festivals, farmers markets, youth sports); reminders the week of an event perform best.
• Hyperlocal news and weather spike engagement (storms, road closures, school alerts); comments drive reach.
• Messaging splits by age: under‑30 lean Snapchat (and Instagram DMs); 30+ lean Facebook Messenger; WhatsApp used within bilingual/Latino networks.
• Timing: engagement peaks early morning (6–8 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.); weekends see midday browsing; school sports seasons create evening spikes.
• Shopping and recommendations: heavy reliance on peer recommendations in local groups; giveaways and “shop local” posts convert well.
• Jobs and services: Facebook groups outperform LinkedIn for local hiring and trades; service businesses see strong inquiry volume via Messenger.
• Agriculture/outdoors niches: active participation in farm, fishing, hunting groups and classifieds.
• Language access matters: bilingual (English/Spanish) posts expand reach to the county’s sizable Latino community.