Goodhue County Local Demographic Profile

Which source/year would you like? I can use:

  • 2020 Decennial Census for the official population count, and
  • the latest ACS 5-year (2019–2023) for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and households.

If that works, I’ll provide concise figures from those.

Email Usage in Goodhue County

Goodhue County, MN snapshot (estimates)

  • Email users: 35,000–38,000. Basis: ~48,000 residents; ~90% of adults and most teens (13–17) use email.
  • Age mix of users:
    • 13–17: ~7–8%
    • 18–29: ~20–22%
    • 30–49: ~33–36%
    • 50–64: ~24–28%
    • 65+: ~12–16%
  • Gender split: roughly 51% female, 49% male among users (use is near-equal by gender).

Digital access and trends

  • Broadband subscription: roughly mid‑80% of households, with another ~5–8% relying mainly on smartphones.
  • Adoption continues to rise via Minnesota broadband investments; seniors’ email use is growing but still lags younger adults.
  • Fiber/cable strongest in and around Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, and Pine Island; rural townships more often use DSL or fixed wireless, with lower speeds/higher latency.
  • Public libraries and schools serve as important free Wi‑Fi and device access points.

Local density/connectivity context

  • Population ~48k; density ~60–65 people per square mile (moderately rural).
  • More dispersed western/southern townships correlate with patchier high‑speed options, while town centers enjoy faster tiers, supporting higher email engagement.

Mobile Phone Usage in Goodhue County

Here’s a concise county-level picture you can use as a briefing. Figures are modeled from recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” trends, Pew smartphone adoption, statewide Minnesota patterns, and rural-county adjustments; treat them as planning estimates rather than exact counts.

Headline differences from Minnesota statewide

  • Slightly lower smartphone adoption among older and rural residents, but a higher share of households relying on cellular as their primary home internet.
  • 5G coverage is widespread on low-band, but mid-band 5G density (and therefore speeds) lag the state average outside the Highway 52 and 61 corridors and town centers.
  • Greater intra-county disparity: strong service in Red Wing/Cannon Falls/Zumbrota versus shadow zones in river valleys and bluff country.

User estimates (Goodhue County ≈ 48,000 residents)

  • Adults (18+): ≈ 37,000.
  • Any cellphone ownership (adults): 93–96% ⇒ 34,500–35,500 users.
  • Smartphone ownership (adults): 88–90% ⇒ 32,500–33,500 users.
  • Wireless-only households (no landline): 65–70% of ≈ 19,000 households ⇒ 12,500–13,500 households. (MN statewide tends to be a few points higher.)
  • Cellular-as-primary home internet: 14–18% of households (vs roughly 9–12% statewide), reflecting patchier fixed broadband in rural townships and stronger uptake of fixed wireless (T-Mobile/Verizon home internet).

Demographic breakdown and how it differs from MN

  • Age:
    • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone use (96–98%), on par with MN.
    • 35–64: high adoption (90–93%), slightly below MN by 1–2 points.
    • 65+: 72–78% smartphone adoption (several points below the MN average), with more basic-cell users and more shared/household devices.
  • Income:
    • Under $35k: high smartphone ownership but above-average “smartphone-only” or “cellular-only” internet reliance compared to MN, driven by cost and limited wired options in some areas.
  • Geography:
    • Towns (Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Zumbrota): adoption and 5G quality close to state norms.
    • Rural/bluff/valley areas (e.g., near Welch, Vasa, Frontenac, Belle Creek/Hay Creek): lower 5G quality and more frequent fallback to LTE; higher use of Wi‑Fi calling where home broadband exists.
  • Tribal and culturally diverse communities:
    • The Prairie Island area shows typical high mobile adoption but mixed signal quality due to terrain; community institutions often supplement with dedicated Wi‑Fi.

Digital infrastructure highlights (mobile and adjacent broadband)

  • Coverage and spectrum:
    • Low-band 5G (all three national carriers) covers most of the county; mid-band (T-Mobile n41; Verizon/AT&T C-band) is concentrated along US‑52, US‑61, and in/near town centers.
    • mmWave is minimal to nonexistent.
  • Performance trend vs MN:
    • Median mobile speeds trail statewide averages in rural townships due to lower site density and more reliance on low-band 5G/LTE; corridors and towns are closer to state medians.
  • Towers and topology:
    • Macro sites follow highways and ridgelines; Mississippi River bluffs and Cannon River valleys create persistent dead/weak zones and handoff challenges.
  • Backhaul and fixed options that shape mobile reliance:
    • Cable and municipal/co-op fiber are strong in town centers; rural fiber remains patchy, with legacy DSL pockets.
    • Fixed wireless home internet (T-Mobile/Verizon) has above-average uptake relative to MN overall, easing some rural gaps but adding load to mid-band spectrum where available.

Usage behaviors that differ from the state

  • Higher share of mobile-only internet users, especially in lower-income and rural households.
  • More frequent LTE fallback and Wi‑Fi calling reliance in valleys/bluff areas.
  • Commuter-driven traffic peaks along US‑52 (Goodhue–Twin Cities), making corridor cells more congested during peak hours than typical rural MN segments.

What to watch (next 12–24 months)

  • Continued mid-band 5G build-out (Verizon/AT&T C-band; T-Mobile n41) in Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, and along 52/61 should narrow the speed gap with MN averages.
  • Border-to-Border Broadband–funded fiber expansions could reduce the county’s above-average cellular-as-primary-home-internet share.
  • Additional macro infill or small-footprint sites in valley communities would materially improve reliability more than statewide-average additions.

Social Media Trends in Goodhue County

Goodhue County, MN — social media snapshot (estimates)

How many users

  • Population: ~48,000 (2023 est.). Residents age 13+: ~42,000.
  • Social media users: ~34,000–36,000 (≈82–86% of 13+).
  • Daily users: ~24,000–26,000 (≈70% of users check daily).

Age mix of users (share of the county’s social users)

  • 13–17: ~11%
  • 18–29: ~18%
  • 30–49: ~33%
  • 50–64: ~20%
  • 65+: ~18% Note: Older adults participate a bit less, so 30–49-year-olds make up a disproportionately large share of active users.

Gender breakdown (users)

  • Women: ~53%
  • Men: ~47% Note: Women skew higher on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest; men skew higher on YouTube/Reddit.

Most-used platforms (adults; share who use each, local estimate based on Pew U.S. data adjusted for rural MN patterns)

  • YouTube: 80–85%
  • Facebook: 70–75%
  • Instagram: 40–45%
  • TikTok: 28–35%
  • Snapchat: 25–30% (higher among teens/young adults)
  • Pinterest: 22–28% (notably higher among women)
  • LinkedIn: 18–24%
  • X/Twitter: 15–20%
  • Nextdoor: 8–12% (centered in Red Wing/Cannon Falls neighborhoods)

Teens (13–17) highlights

  • YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~60%, TikTok ~60–65%, Instagram ~55–60%; Facebook is low except for groups/events.

Behavioral trends (what people actually do)

  • Facebook is the default local hub: school and youth sports updates, church notices, community groups, buy/sell and Marketplace, lost & found, road/weather alerts.
  • YouTube for how‑to/home and farm maintenance, outdoor rec (fishing/hunting), local event streams, and church services.
  • Instagram for small businesses, tourism (Red Wing, Mississippi River/Lake Pepin), wineries and the Cannon Valley Trail; Reels often cross‑posted to Facebook.
  • TikTok growing with teens/20‑somethings; local creators post short clips of outdoors, farming, high‑school life; content often re‑shared to Reels.
  • Snapchat is the primary day‑to‑day messenger for students; used around games and school events.
  • Nextdoor used for neighborhood safety, utility/service recommendations, and city notices (pockets of Red Wing/Cannon Falls).
  • Engagement spikes around: Goodhue County Fair, high‑school sports seasons, severe weather and road closures, city festivals, and hunting/fishing seasons.
  • Posting cadence: adults share events/photos and recommendations more than long personal posts; Facebook comments drive local trust and decisions.
  • Ad notes: Facebook/Instagram geotargeting around Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Zumbrota performs well; Marketplace listings see strong local reach.
  • Peak times: early morning (6–8 am), evenings (7–10 pm), lunch on weekdays; Sunday evenings are reliably active.

Method note: Figures are estimates derived by applying recent U.S./Minnesota usage rates (e.g., Pew Research Center) to Goodhue County’s size and age mix; actual local counts will vary.