Norman County Local Demographic Profile

Norman County, Minnesota — key demographics

Population size

  • 6,441 (2020 Decennial Census)
  • Change since 2010: −6.0% (2010: 6,852)

Age

  • Median age: ~44 years (ACS 2019–2023)
  • Age distribution: under 18: ~24%; 18–64: ~55%; 65+: ~21% (ACS 2019–2023)

Gender

  • Male: ~51%; Female: ~49% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

  • White, non-Hispanic: ~87–89%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5–7%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native: ~2–3%
  • Two or more races: ~2–3%
  • Black or African American: ~0–1%
  • Asian: ~0–1%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Total households: ~2,700–2,800
  • Average household size: ~2.3–2.4; average family size: ~2.9
  • Household types: married-couple ~50–55% of households; family households ~60–65%; nonfamily ~35–40%
  • Households with children under 18: ~25–30%
  • Tenure: owner-occupied ~75–80%; renter-occupied ~20–25%

Insights

  • Small, aging, predominantly White rural county with modest population decline since 2010.
  • Household sizes are relatively small and homeownership is high, consistent with rural Minnesota patterns.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey (ACS) 2019–2023 5-year estimates.

Email Usage in Norman County

  • Context: Norman County, MN has 6,441 residents (2020 Census), 2,800 households, and low density (7.3 people/sq mi).
  • Estimated email users: ≈4,300 adult residents use email (≈84% of the ~5,100 adults), applying Pew U.S. email adoption rates to the county’s age mix.
  • Age adoption (share using email):
    • 18–29: ~94%
    • 30–49: ~97%
    • 50–64: ~92%
    • 65+: ~78% Older-skewing demographics modestly depress overall adoption versus the state average.
  • Gender split: Email use is effectively even. Estimated adoption: women ~86%, men ~85%, yielding an approximate 50/50 split among users.
  • Digital access and trends:
    • Home broadband subscription: ~79% of households (ACS 2018–2022), with ~12% having no home internet and ~9% relying primarily on smartphones.
    • Fixed broadband availability is widespread in towns (e.g., Ada) with gaps on outlying farmsteads; smartphone coverage mitigates, but speeds and reliability vary outside population centers.
    • Adoption has trended upward over the past five years as fiber and fixed wireless expand, narrowing unserved/underserved pockets.
  • Takeaway: With sparse settlement and an older age profile, Norman County’s email adoption remains high but is constrained by pockets of limited home broadband; continued upgrades should lift use among seniors and rural households.

Mobile Phone Usage in Norman County

Norman County, MN mobile phone usage summary (2024)

Headline counts

  • Population: 6,400–6,500 residents (about 4,950 adults 18+); ≈2,800 households
  • Active mobile connections: 7,200–7,800 (about 1.1–1.2 lines per resident; rural counties skew below the state’s per-capita rate)
  • Adult mobile phone ownership: ≈92% (≈4,550 adults)
  • Adult smartphone users: ≈80% (≈4,000 adults)

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

  • By age
    • 18–34: ~95% smartphone adoption; heavier app/social/video use and multi-line plans
    • 35–64: ~85% smartphone adoption; strong use of messaging, navigation, and ag/fieldwork apps
    • 65+: ~68% smartphone adoption; higher share of basic phones and voice-first usage; growing adoption of telehealth and messaging
  • By income/plan type
    • Prepaid lines: ~30% of lines (higher than statewide), reflecting cost sensitivity and coverage-driven carrier switching
    • Single-line plans: above state average; family plans less prevalent than metro areas
  • By platform
    • Android share 60–65%; iPhone 35–40% (Android skews higher than statewide due to device cost and prepaid mix)
  • Internet substitution
    • Households with a cellular data plan: ~68% (≈1,900 households)
    • Cellular-only internet households: ~18–22% (≈500–620 households), notably above Minnesota’s statewide share
    • 5G fixed wireless access (home internet via Verizon/T-Mobile): ~8–10% of households; fastest growth among users lacking affordable wired broadband

Digital infrastructure

  • Coverage
    • 4G LTE: near-universal outdoor coverage in towns and along US-75/MN-200; indoor reliability dips in some farmsteads and river-adjacent areas
    • 5G low-band (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon): broad area coverage across most of the county
    • 5G mid-band (capacity/faster speeds): concentrated in and around Ada, Twin Valley, Halstad, and along primary corridors; population coverage ≈25–40%
  • Performance (typical user experience)
    • 4G LTE downloads: 5–25 Mbps; uploads: 2–10 Mbps; latency: 40–60 ms
    • 5G low-band downloads: 25–80 Mbps; uploads: 5–15 Mbps
    • 5G mid-band (where available): 100–400 Mbps down; 10–40 Mbps up; latency often 25–40 ms
  • Infrastructure footprint
    • Macro sites: roughly 10–14 across the county; minimal small-cell deployment outside town cores
    • Backhaul: mixed microwave and fiber; fiber-fed sites in towns show markedly better 5G mid-band performance
    • Public safety and resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) presence along highways and the county seat; Wi‑Fi calling commonly used to fill indoor gaps
  • Noted weak spots
    • Low-lying areas along the Wild Rice River and pockets off main corridors can see signal attenuation and indoor coverage gaps

How Norman County differs from Minnesota overall

  • Adoption levels
    • Smartphone adoption is lower by roughly 8–10 percentage points than the statewide average, driven by older age structure and income mix
    • Higher share of basic/feature phones persists among seniors
  • Access and substitution
    • Cellular-only internet households are materially higher than the state share, reflecting gaps in affordable wired broadband and the appeal of 5G fixed wireless
    • Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and boosters to mitigate indoor coverage variability
  • Network capability
    • 5G mid-band capacity coverage is sparser than in metro counties; peak speeds are more localized to towns and highway corridors
    • Average rural speeds and uplink performance trail statewide urban averages, especially during peak hours
  • Market/plan dynamics
    • Prepaid and single-line plans are more common; price and coverage trump premium device ecosystems
    • Android share is higher; device upgrade cycles are longer than in metro areas

Practical implications

  • Messaging, voice, navigation, and weather/ag apps dominate everyday use; continuous high-bitrate video streaming is less consistent outside town centers
  • Telehealth and school/work video sessions are feasible in towns and on mid-band 5G, but can be constrained on the farmsteads without external antennas or fixed wireless service
  • Coverage-driven carrier choice is common; T-Mobile often leads on speeds where mid-band is live, while Verizon and AT&T retain strong highway/rural reach

Sources and methodology

  • Estimates synthesized from U.S. Census/ACS S2801 (computer and internet use), Pew Research (smartphone ownership by age and rurality), CTIA mobile connections per capita, FCC mobile coverage filings, Minnesota broadband program updates, and rural network performance norms as of 2023–2024. Figures are county-specific estimates benchmarked against Minnesota statewide baselines and typical rural deltas.

Social Media Trends in Norman County

Social media in Norman County, Minnesota — 2025 snapshot

Scope and method

  • Figures are county-level estimates built by applying Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform-usage rates (with rural adjustments) to Norman County’s age and gender mix from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS, 2018–2022). They reflect likely usage among residents rather than platform-reported account counts.

Population and connectivity

  • Residents: ~6,400; adults 18+: ~4,800–5,000
  • Households with internet/broadband: ~78–82%
  • Adult social media users (any platform): ~3,700–4,100

Most-used platforms among adults (share of 18+ using each at least monthly)

  • YouTube: ~78%
  • Facebook: ~67%
  • Instagram: ~40%
  • Pinterest: ~28%
  • TikTok: ~28%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
  • LinkedIn: ~18%
  • X (Twitter): ~17%
  • Reddit: ~16%
  • Nextdoor: ~9%

Age-pattern highlights (share using each; local estimates)

  • Teens 13–17: YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~75%, TikTok ~72%, Instagram ~65%, Facebook ~25%
  • 18–29: YouTube ~94%, Instagram ~80%, Snapchat ~65%, TikTok ~62%, Facebook ~55%
  • 30–49: YouTube ~88%, Facebook ~75%, Instagram ~55%, TikTok ~35%, Snapchat ~30%, Pinterest ~35%
  • 50–64: Facebook ~73%, YouTube ~78%, Instagram ~35%, TikTok ~20%, Pinterest ~30%
  • 65+: Facebook ~62%, YouTube ~60%, Instagram ~21%, TikTok ~10%, Pinterest ~20%

Gender breakdown (adult usage; share using each)

  • Women: Facebook ~72%, Instagram ~45%, Pinterest ~40%, TikTok ~30%, Snapchat ~28%, YouTube ~75%
  • Men: YouTube ~82%, Facebook ~63%, Instagram ~35%, TikTok ~26%, Snapchat ~25%, Reddit ~22%, X ~20%, LinkedIn ~20%

Behavioral trends

  • Facebook as the community hub: Heavy reliance on Groups for city notices, school sports, churches, farm swap/buy-sell, and obituaries; Marketplace is a major commerce channel
  • Video-first consumption: Short video (Facebook Reels/TikTok) outperforms static posts; practical how‑to and rural life content sees above-average completion; YouTube is the go-to for repairs, equipment, hunting/fishing
  • Messaging over posting among youth: Snapchat is the default chat app for teens and early 20s; adults prefer Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs
  • Local news and weather: High engagement with local media, sheriff/EMS, road closures, and storm updates; spikes during severe weather and school announcements
  • Event discovery and participation: County fair, sports schedules, fundraisers, and church events primarily coordinated through Facebook Events/Groups; RSVP and share behavior concentrated on Facebook
  • Shopping behavior: Local buying via Marketplace and niche Groups; women over-index on Pinterest for recipes, crafts, and home ideas that feed into Facebook/Instagram purchases
  • Time-of-day usage: Peaks early morning and 7–10 pm; during planting/harvest, evening peaks extend later and midday engagement dips among farm audiences
  • Trust cues: Content from known local people, schools, churches, and recognizable small businesses earns higher engagement and share rates than anonymous pages or national brands