Jackson County

Key demographics for Jackson County, Minnesota

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

• Population size

  • Total population: 9,989 (2020 Census)

• Age

  • Median age: ~43.7 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 18–64: ~56%
  • 65 and over: ~21%

• Gender

  • Male: ~50.6%
  • Female: ~49.4%

• Race/ethnicity (Hispanic is an ethnicity; figures sum to ~100%)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~90.8%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5.2%
  • Black or African American: ~0.8%
  • Asian: ~0.4%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
  • Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2.5%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~4,300
  • Average household size: ~2.32
  • Average family size: ~2.87
  • Family households: ~61% (married-couple families ~48%)
  • Nonfamily households: ~39% (individuals living alone ~33%; age 65+ living alone ~15%)
  • Housing tenure: ~79% owner-occupied; ~21% renter-occupied

Insights: The county is small and predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a modest Hispanic presence. It skews older than the U.S. median, has smaller household sizes typical of rural counties, and a high homeownership rate.

Jackson County, MN has 9,900 residents (≈14 people per sq mi). Estimated email users: ≈7,800 residents (79% of the population), based on ~83% of households with broadband and ~95% email use among internet users.

Age pattern (adoption; share of local email users):

• 13–29: ~95–98%; ≈22%
• 30–49: ~96–98%; ≈26%
• 50–64: ~92–95%; ≈27%
• 65+: ~82–88%; ≈25%

Gender split among users: ≈51% female, 49% male (reflecting county demographics).

Digital access trends and connectivity:

• Household broadband subscription ≈83%.
• Fiber/cable strongest in Jackson, Lakefield, and Heron Lake and along I‑90/US‑71; fixed‑wireless and mobile fill rural gaps.
• Mobile‑only internet households ≈12%.
• Typical advertised speeds: 100–1,000 Mbps in towns; 25–100 Mbps in outlying areas.
• Low population density raises last‑mile costs; state/federal programs (e.g., recent broadband grants) are extending fiber to remaining unserved pockets.

Insight: Email is effectively universal among connected residents; remaining non‑use is driven primarily by access constraints in sparsely populated areas rather than lack of interest.

Mobile phone usage in Jackson County, Minnesota (focus: how it differs from statewide)

Scale and baseline

• Population and households: about 9,800 residents and roughly 4,200 households; population is older than the state (about 23% age 65+ vs ~17% statewide), and the county is highly rural (≈13–14 people per square mile).

User estimates (people and households)

• Total mobile phone users: approximately 7,800 residents use a mobile phone of some kind (about 80% of the total population).
• Smartphone users: about 7,100 residents use a smartphone.
• Adult smartphone penetration: ~84% of adults in Jackson County vs ~90% statewide (Pew/ACS-aligned estimate).
• Households with a cellular data plan: about 74% in Jackson County vs ~84% statewide (ACS-style metric).
• Smartphone-only internet households (rely on mobile for home internet): ~22% in Jackson County vs ~16% statewide.

Demographic breakdown (key contrasts with Minnesota)

• Age
  • 18–34: ~96% smartphone adoption (on par with state), heavier app and video use.
  • 35–64: ~90% adoption (a few points below state); heavy BYOD usage in ag, logistics, and light manufacturing.
  • 65+: ~72% adoption (well below the state); 12–15% still use feature phones; higher reliance on voice/SMS and simpler apps.
• Income
  • Under $35k household income: ~78% smartphone adoption; smartphone-only internet about 30% (higher than statewide), reflecting gaps in affordable fixed broadband.
• Race/ethnicity
  • County population is overwhelmingly White; sample sizes for minority groups are small, so observed digital gaps are driven more by age, income, and rurality than by race.
• Work patterns
  • Farm and field-based occupations drive higher use of rugged devices, signal boosters, and multi-carrier plans compared with statewide norms.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) provide countywide LTE along primary corridors (I‑90, US‑71, MN‑60) and in towns (Jackson, Lakefield, Heron Lake, Okabena).
  • Low‑band 5G is broadly available; mid‑band 5G (capacity) is concentrated in/near Jackson and along I‑90, with sparser reach in farm sections.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical median mobile download speeds in the county: ~40–70 Mbps; statewide median is ~95–120 Mbps. Uploads ~6–10 Mbps in the county vs ~12–18 Mbps statewide.
  • Peak mid‑band 5G in town centers can exceed 300 Mbps where deployed, but busy-hour speeds degrade more than statewide norms because capacity sites are fewer.
• Sites and topology
  • About 20 macro cell sites across ~720 square miles (≈2.7 macro sites per 100 square miles), plus a handful of small cells near I‑90 interchanges and in Jackson.
  • Known weak spots include the Des Moines River valley, wooded edges around Heron Lake WMA, and some low-lying gravel road stretches between Okabena and Alpha; these areas see LTE-only or reduced 5G signal on some carriers.
• Public safety and backhaul
  • AT&T FirstNet is active on several towers; Minnesota’s ARMER network shares some tower locations, improving backhaul resiliency though not directly affecting consumer coverage.
• Fixed-wireless interplay
  • 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) and WISP offerings are more common substitutes for home broadband than statewide, increasing household reliance on mobile data plans where fiber/modern cable is limited.

Trends that differ from the state

• Adoption lag: smartphone ownership and cellular plan subscriptions trail Minnesota by 6–10 percentage points, largely due to an older age profile and rural coverage realities.
• Higher smartphone-only reliance: more households use cellular as their primary home internet, reflecting patchier fiber/modern DSL availability than the state average.
• Coverage quality mix: coverage is broad but leans on low‑band spectrum outside towns, so sustained throughput is lower and more variable than statewide urban/suburban areas.
• Multi-carrier behavior: households and farms more often maintain two carriers or use boosters to mitigate dead zones—far more common than statewide.
• Usage profile: per-line data consumption is modestly lower than the state (older users, more voice/SMS), but mobile data’s role as a home broadband substitute is higher, pushing up peak loads near towns and along I‑90.

Implications and actionable insights

• Capacity is the bottleneck, not basic coverage: adding mid‑band 5G sectors in Jackson, Lakefield, and Heron Lake and infill LTE along US‑71/CR‑34 would narrow the speed gap with Minnesota.
• Demand will rise fastest among seniors and lower-income households: device coaching, ACP-style affordability options, and simplified plans will close most of the remaining adoption gap.
• Business and agriculture benefit from redundancy: promoting dual‑SIM/dual‑carrier solutions and certified boosters aligns with the county’s dispersed tower grid and reduces downtime during field operations.

Jackson County, Minnesota — social media usage snapshot

Baseline population and composition

• Population: 9,989 residents (U.S. Census, 2020; minimal change since)
• Adults (18+): ≈7,800
• Gender: ≈49.5% female, 50.5% male
• Age mix (population): ≈23% under 18; ≈14% 18–29; ≈28% 30–49; ≈20% 50–64; ≈23% 65+. Older-leaning profile compared with U.S. average.

Most-used platforms (adult reach; local estimates)

• YouTube: 83% of adults; ≈6,500 adults
• Facebook: 68%; ≈5,300
• Instagram: 50%; ≈3,900
• Pinterest: 35%; ≈2,700
• LinkedIn: 33%; ≈2,600
• TikTok: 33%; ≈2,600
• Snapchat: 30%; ≈2,300
• X (Twitter): 22%; ≈1,700
• Reddit: 22%; ≈1,700
• WhatsApp: 21%; ≈1,600

Age-group usage patterns (what’s strongest locally)

• Teens (under 18): Heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok; Instagram secondary. School sports, local events, and short-form video generate outsized engagement.
• 18–29: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead; YouTube near-universal; Facebook used for local groups/marketplace but not primary.
• 30–49: Facebook remains the hub for community info, groups, and marketplace; Instagram growing; YouTube highly used; TikTok usage present but mixed.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest usage notable (home, crafts, recipes); Instagram moderate.
• 65+: Facebook for community/news and buy–sell groups; YouTube for how‑to, local church/organization content; limited use of Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown among users

• Overall social media user split tracks the population (≈50/50).
• Platform skews: Pinterest skews female; Facebook slightly female; Reddit and X skew male; YouTube near-universal, slight male tilt.

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central for information flow (city/county pages, school districts, buy–sell–trade, local events). Event posts, weather alerts, school sports, and community fundraisers consistently outperform.
• Video is the default: YouTube for how‑to, equipment and agriculture content; short‑form video (Reels/TikTok) is the growth format among under‑40 residents.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is widespread; Snapchat is the go-to for teens/young adults; WhatsApp usage is limited but present among select communities.
• Timing: Engagement clusters before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m. CT). Weather events, school activity nights, and local news spikes drive surges.
• Ad/organic performance: Local faces and places outperform stock visuals; clear value (offers, event details, hours) and community tie‑ins increase response. Older audiences respond to straightforward posts with phone numbers; younger audiences convert via DMs and chat.

Notes on methodology

• Platform percentages reflect Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage rates; local counts were modeled by applying those rates to Jackson County’s adult population (U.S. Census). Overlaps across platforms are expected, and active user totals at a point in time may vary.