Nicollet County

Nicollet County, Minnesota — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Population size

• Total population: ~35,200

Age

• Median age: ~37.1 years
• Age distribution: Under 18: 23.5%; 18–24: 11.2%; 25–44: 25.5%; 45–64: 24.2%; 65+: 15.6%

Gender

• Female: ~50.1%
• Male: ~49.9%

Race and Hispanic origin (mutually exclusive)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~88.7%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5.6%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~1.9%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~1.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.4%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~1.9%
• Other (incl. NHPI), non-Hispanic: ~0.3%

Households

• Total households: ~13,750
• Average household size: ~2.47; average family size: ~3.04
• Family households: ~63% of households; married-couple families: ~49% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Nonfamily households: ~37%; one-person households: ~28%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~73%

Insights

• Population is modest and growing slowly, with a median age slightly younger than the state overall.
• The county is predominantly non-Hispanic White, with a small but meaningful Hispanic/Latino community and smaller Black and Asian populations.
• Household structure is family-oriented with majority owner-occupancy and typical Midwestern household sizes.

Nicollet County, MN email snapshot (2025):

• Estimated email users: ~26,500 residents (age 13+), derived from ~35,000 population, ~78% adults, and ~93% adult email adoption plus teen usage.
• Age distribution of email users: 13–17: 6%; 18–34: 29%; 35–54: 33%; 55–64: 17%; 65+: 15%. Higher 18–34 share reflects Gustavus Adolphus College and the US‑169 corridor.
• Gender split of users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring county demographics; usage is essentially parity across genders.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~94% of households have a computer.
  • ~89% of households maintain a broadband subscription; <11% remain unconnected at home.
  • ~9% are smartphone‑only internet households, indicating mobile‑centric email for a minority.
  • Email engagement is strongest in St. Peter and North Mankato, where multiple ISPs provide cable/fiber; rural townships show slightly lower subscription and more mobile‑only reliance.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ~77 people per square mile across ~450 sq mi of land. Fixed broadband availability and campus/municipal Wi‑Fi around St. Peter support high adult email adoption, while sparsely populated western/northern areas experience modestly lower wireline uptake but widespread cellular coverage.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Nicollet County, Minnesota

Scope and sources used

• Modeled user counts are derived from the 2020 Census population base for Nicollet County and widely cited adoption rates from recent Pew/NCHS national research for mobile/smartphone ownership, with adjustments for the county’s student-heavy profile (Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter) and its mix of urban (St. Peter/North Mankato) and rural townships.
• Digital infrastructure points reflect the FCC’s nationwide mobile coverage mapping and carrier deployment patterns in the Mankato–North Mankato metro corridor as of 2024.

User estimates

• Population base: approximately 35,000–36,000 residents.
• Adult mobile phone users (18+): about 26,000–28,000 (assumes ~97% mobile phone ownership among adults).
• Adult smartphone users (18+): about 24,000–26,000 (assumes ~90% smartphone ownership among adults).
• Total mobile users including teens: roughly 30,000–32,000.
• Mobile-only internet households (primary internet via cellular/FWA rather than wired): meaningfully above Minnesota’s average due to student renters and rural addresses lacking competitive wired options; concentrated in St. Peter, parts of North Mankato (Nicollet side), and rural western townships.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: The presence of Gustavus Adolphus College yields a larger 18–24 cohort than the Minnesota average. This group shows near-universal smartphone adoption, very high mobile data usage, and a higher likelihood of smartphone- or mobile-only internet access compared with statewide patterns.
• Household type and tenure: Student and renter-heavy tracts around St. Peter skew toward mobile-first connectivity and heavier app-based communications, contrasting with Minnesota’s more owner-occupied suburban profile. Rural owner-occupied households in western/northern townships show strong mobile adoption but rely more on voice/SMS and LTE data as a complement to fixed connections where available.
• Income: Lower-income and student households in the county disproportionately use mobile plans (including prepaid) and fixed wireless access (FWA) instead of higher-priced wired broadband tiers, a deviation that is more pronounced than the statewide average in similar-sized communities.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is less diverse than Minnesota overall, which tends to narrow some statewide digital divides by race. Differences in usage locally are driven more by age, tenure (rent vs own), and rurality than by race/ethnicity.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage: 4G LTE coverage is effectively countywide for outdoor use. 5G coverage from the three national carriers is strongest along the US‑169 corridor, blanketing St. Peter and the Nicollet side of North Mankato and extending along primary highways. Indoor coverage is generally solid in population centers, with river-valley topography producing localized weak spots in low-lying and bluff areas.
• Capacity and technology mix: Mid-band 5G capacity is deployed in the metro corridor, supporting higher median speeds than typical Greater Minnesota rural counties. Outside the corridor, many sectors still depend on LTE for capacity, with performance aligned to rural Minnesota norms.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): 5G/LTE FWA is widely marketed in and around St. Peter and into rural townships, filling gaps where cable or fiber is limited. Take-up is notably higher than the Minnesota average in student and rural segments, raising household mobile data consumption.
• Public safety and reliability: The county participates in statewide public-safety LTE programs (e.g., FirstNet/AT&T and Verizon Frontline availability). Redundant fiber backhaul follows the US‑169/Mankato metro routes; resilience in outlying areas depends more on single‑path backhaul and power, so storms can disproportionately affect rural sectors compared with the state average.

How Nicollet County differs from Minnesota overall

• Higher mobile-first adoption: Student density and renter prevalence in St. Peter make mobile-only or mobile‑primary internet use more common than the statewide average.
• Heavier 5G/FWA usage relative to wired: Proximity to the Mankato metro corridor provides earlier mid‑band 5G and competitive FWA options; this combination substitutes for wired broadband more often than in comparable Minnesota counties.
• Corridor vs rural split is sharper: Performance and capacity diverge more distinctly between the US‑169 corridor (metro-grade 5G) and low-density rural edges (LTE‑dominant), creating a starker intra-county experience than typical statewide averages.
• Daytime load variation: Academic schedules and events at Gustavus Adolphus College and commuting flows toward the Mankato–North Mankato area create peak loads that are more episodic than statewide suburban norms, driving targeted small‑cell or sector upgrades near campus and along primary arterials.

Key takeaways

• An estimated 30,000–32,000 residents in Nicollet County actively use mobile phones, with roughly 24,000–26,000 adult smartphone users.
• Mobile-first connectivity is measurably more common than the Minnesota average, driven by students, renters, and rural households adopting FWA.
• Infrastructure is robust along the US‑169 corridor with mid‑band 5G capacity; rural sectors remain LTE‑heavy, with terrain-driven indoor coverage variability near the river valley.
• The county’s age profile and campus presence shift usage toward high data consumption, app-based communications, and mobile‑only access more than is typical statewide.

Nicollet County, MN — Social media usage snapshot (2025)

User base and demographics

• Population: 34,454 (2020 Census). Adults (18+): roughly three-quarters of residents.
• Gender: approximately even (≈50% female, ≈50% male; ACS).
• Age context: Slightly higher share of 18–24 due to Gustavus Adolphus College; mix of small-city (St. Peter, North Mankato) and rural townships shapes platform choice (Facebook/YouTube heavy among older and rural; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok strong with students and younger adults).

Most‑used platforms (adults) — share of adults who use each platform (Pew Research Center, 2024; applied as local reach benchmarks)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Pinterest: 35%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
• Nextdoor: 17%

Age groups and usage patterns

• Teens (13–17) (Pew, 2023): YouTube ~93–95% use; TikTok ~63%; Snapchat ~60%; Instagram ~59%; Facebook ~33%. Heavy daily use, short‑form video dominant; Snapchat and Instagram are primary messaging channels.
• Young adults (18–29): Highest multi‑platform use. Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube lead; Facebook is secondary for events/groups but less for posting.
• Adults 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram growing; TikTok adoption rising but still below YouTube/Facebook.
• Adults 50–64 and 65+: Facebook and YouTube are primary; Pinterest notable among women; LinkedIn use tied to professional roles (education, healthcare, manufacturing).

Gender breakdown (usage tendencies, Pew 2024 patterns)

• Women over‑index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; strong use of Facebook Groups/Marketplace and Instagram Stories/Reels.
• Men over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X; higher engagement with news, sports, tech, and creator content.

Behavioral trends in Nicollet County

• Community and civic: Facebook is the default for local government updates, schools, weather closures, road work, and community groups; events are organized/discovered via Facebook and cross‑posted to Instagram.
• Buy/sell/trade and services: Facebook Marketplace is the primary local commerce channel; strong word‑of‑mouth in neighborhood and parent groups; limited but growing Nextdoor presence in denser neighborhoods (North Mankato, St. Peter).
• Video consumption: YouTube is universal across ages for how‑to, education, ag/DIY, and local sports; Shorts and Instagram Reels see strong passive scrolling; TikTok drives trends among students and service/retail workers.
• Messaging: Snapchat is core among teens/college‑age; Facebook Messenger remains common among families and older adults; WhatsApp usage present in multicultural and extended‑family networks.
• Content cadence: Peak engagement in evenings and weekends; weather events, school sports, festivals, and county fairs generate the largest spikes in local reach.
• Trust and discovery: Local organizations, schools, churches, and county/city pages are high‑trust sources; creator/brand content performs best when tied to local faces, events, and practical utility (e.g., seasonal safety, road conditions, school activities).

Notes on interpretation

• County‑level platform shares are not directly published; percentages shown reflect Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult usage and 2023 teen usage, used as localized reach benchmarks. Given Nicollet County’s slightly younger skew and mixed rural/small‑city profile, expect above‑average engagement on Facebook/YouTube overall, with elevated Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok usage in the 13–29 segment.