Rice County

Rice County, Minnesota — key demographics (latest available Census/ACS estimates)

Population

• Total population: ~68,200 (2023 estimate)
• 2010 to 2023 growth: roughly +6%

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18 to 64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Gender

• Female: ~49.7%
• Male: ~50.3%

Race and ethnicity (Hispanic can be of any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~78%
• Hispanic/Latino: ~12%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~4%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%

Households and housing

• Households: ~25,000
• Average household size: ~2.6 persons
• Family households: ~66%
• Households with children under 18: ~31%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~71%
• Median household income: ~$82,000
• Per capita income: ~$36,500
• Persons below poverty level: ~9%

Notes

• Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year/1-year where available)
• Demographics reflect a relatively young county with steady growth and a significant Hispanic population alongside a large White non-Hispanic majority

• Scope: Rice County, Minnesota (pop. ≈67,100; density ≈135 persons/sq mi; 2020 Census)
• Estimated email users: ≈45,900 adults (≈90% of ~51,000 adults), reflecting national email adoption among internet users (Pew/NTIA).
• Age distribution of email users (estimated):
  • 18–24: ~16%
  • 25–44: ~34%
  • 45–64: ~32%
  • 65+: ~19%
• Gender split among email users: ~50% women, ~50% men (email adoption is near-parity by gender in U.S. surveys).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • ≈86% of households have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022, Minnesota context; Rice County is comparable given Faribault/Northfield).
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~12–15% (MN range; skews higher in lower‑income and rural blocks).
  • Fixed broadband availability (FCC 2024): ≥95% of locations have 100/20 Mbps service; gigabit cable/fiber widely available in Faribault and Northfield, with remaining gaps in rural townships relying on DSL/fixed wireless.
  • Two residential colleges (Carleton and St. Olaf) and the I‑35 corridor raise young‑adult adoption and bolster backbone connectivity.
• Trend insight: Email use is effectively universal among adults under 65 and steadily rising among seniors as fiber/cable expands; remaining non‑use correlates with rural last‑mile gaps and affordability rather than interest.

Rice County, Minnesota — mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Headline estimates

• Population and users: ~68,000 residents; ~54,000 residents age 13+; an estimated 49,000–52,000 smartphone users countywide (roughly 90–95% of residents age 13+, consistent with ACS/Pew adoption levels in upper–Midwest communities with college towns).
• Household penetration: ~23,500 households, with an estimated 90–93% of households having at least one smartphone and ~82–86% maintaining a cellular data plan (as part of or in lieu of home internet). This places Rice County at or just below Minnesota’s highest-adoption tier in cities, but above typical rural counties.

What’s different from Minnesota overall

• Bimodal pattern: Rice County combines urban/college-town adoption (Northfield, Faribault) with rural edges. This yields near‑universal smartphone uptake in and around the two cities, while several southwestern and southeastern townships trail the state on indoor 5G and mobile data reliability. Minnesota’s statewide pattern is more uniformly high in metro areas and lower outside; Rice County’s contrast is sharper within a single county.
• Higher student-driven intensity: The presence of Carleton College and St. Olaf increases the share of heavy mobile users (18–24) and lifts overall smartphone adoption and app‑centric usage above what Minnesota’s non‑metro counties typically show.
• Slightly higher mobile dependence: A modestly larger slice of households rely on cellular data as their primary or backup home connection than the Minnesota average, reflecting a mix of student renters and rural residents beyond cable/fiber footprints.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns and estimated adoption)

• Age:
  • 18–24: near‑universal smartphone ownership; highest daily mobile data use (campus and gig‑work apps, messaging, streaming).
  • 25–44: very high ownership; high 5G plan uptake for commuting along I‑35.
  • 45–64: high ownership; usage skewed to productivity, navigation, and streaming; slightly lower 5G plan adoption than 25–44.
  • 65+: solid majority on smartphones, but lower than county average; larger share on legacy plans and LTE‑only devices; strongest sensitivity to indoor coverage in rural areas.
• Income and housing:
  • Student and lower‑income renter areas in Northfield and Faribault show above‑average reliance on prepaid or budget MVNO plans and hotspot use for home access.
  • Owner‑occupied areas closer to the I‑35 corridor show higher 5G plan penetration and multi‑line family plans.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Rice County’s Hispanic/Latino community share is slightly above the Minnesota average, and national patterns indicate higher smartphone‑only internet reliance in these households. Local service enrollment and device upgrade cycles therefore skew toward value tiers and installment plans more than in statewide suburban averages.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (mobile-specific)

• Network footprint:
  • All three national carriers provide 4G LTE across the settled parts of the county, with 5G concentrated along the I‑35 corridor and in/around Faribault and Northfield.
  • Midband/c-band 5G capacity is strongest in the cities and along major highways; rural townships see more LTE fallback and mixed 5G performance, especially indoors.
• Capacity and backhaul:
  • Fiber backhaul follows I‑35 and MN‑19/60 corridors, supporting denser 5G sectors in Northfield and Faribault. Away from these routes, sectors are larger and capacity more variable at peak times.
• Emergency and reliability:
  • Public safety (FirstNet Band 14) and overlapping macro sites improve outdoor coverage continuity on highways; indoor performance in metal‑roofed or low‑lying rural structures remains the most common pain point.
• Competitive landscape:
  • Device financing and MVNOs (e.g., prepaid brands on T‑Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon networks) have notable share among students and cost‑conscious users.
  • Home internet over 5G is marketed in city ZIP codes and along I‑35, contributing to the county’s above‑average cellular‑as‑primary trend versus greater Minnesota outside the metro.

Behavioral and usage trends

• Messaging, campus apps, ride‑share, and food delivery usage per capita are higher than typical for non‑metro Minnesota due to the student population.
• Navigation and telematics usage is elevated among commuters to the Twin Cities; this cohort is more likely to hold midband 5G plans and newer devices.
• Rural residents use mobile hotspots as a resilience measure during fixed‑line outages or where fiber/cable is unavailable, keeping mobile data consumption above the statewide rural norm.

Implications

• Carriers can realize outsized returns by densifying 5G and adding indoor coverage solutions near campus housing, downtown Northfield/Faribault, and growing subdivisions along I‑35.
• Rural tower infill or 5G low‑band upgrades would materially narrow the county’s intra‑county performance gap, especially for seniors and work‑from‑home users beyond cable/fiber.
• Public programs and provider discount tiers targeted at student and Hispanic/Latino households will see higher uptake here than in the average Minnesota county, reinforcing the county’s slightly higher mobile‑only segment.

Note on methodology

• User estimates combine recent Census/ACS population and household counts for Rice County with observed smartphone adoption rates from national and Minnesota surveys (Pew/ACS S2801) and typical rural–urban gradients. Coverage and infrastructure points reflect FCC broadband/mobile data collections and carrier buildouts through 2024. These figures are designed to be operationally useful at county scale and highlight divergences from Minnesota’s statewide pattern.

Rice County, MN social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Overall user stats

• Population: ~69,000 (2023 ACS). Broadband/internet adoption in Minnesota is high, enabling broad social media uptake.
• Estimated social media users in Rice County: ~49,000–51,000 residents (about 71–74% of total population), aligning with U.S. social media penetration.
• Adults (18+) using social media: ~42,000–44,000 (roughly 80% of adults).
• Teens (13–17): very high adoption (90%+), reflecting national patterns.

Age groups

• 13–17: near-universal use; heavy on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; video-first, messaging-centric behavior.
• 18–29: highest multi-platform use; TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat dominant; campus influence in Northfield amplifies short-form video and creator-driven trends.
• 30–49: broadest mix; Facebook and Instagram for community, parenting, events; YouTube for how‑to and news.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram growth; more local groups, Marketplace, and practical content.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube dominate; lower but growing use of Instagram; strong engagement with local news, city/county pages.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: approximately 52% women, 48% men (mirrors local population and national usage).
• Platform skews: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on Reddit, X (Twitter), and YouTube (especially sports/gaming). LinkedIn is relatively balanced.

Most-used platforms (share of Rice County adults, modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. usage rates; expect similar local shares)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~25–35% (higher among 13–29)
• Pinterest: ~28–35% (skews female)
• X (Twitter): ~20–25%
• LinkedIn: ~20–25% (concentrated among 25–44 and commuters/professionals)
• WhatsApp: ~18–25% (higher in multilingual/immigrant households)
• Nextdoor: ~15–20% (neighborhood- and homeowner-heavy pockets)

Behavioral trends in Rice County

• Strong localism on Facebook: city/county pages, schools, youth sports, weather/road closures, and Marketplace drive high engagement and rapid information spread.
• College-town effect (Northfield): elevated TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat use, short-form video creation, and event-driven spikes tied to campus life.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube is the default for tutorials, local performances/athletics highlights, product research, and cord‑cutting news habits.
• Community commerce: Facebook Groups and Marketplace are primary channels for services, resale, and local offers; Nextdoor effective for hyperlocal services.
• Bilingual reach: Facebook and WhatsApp facilitate English/Spanish community communication and small-business outreach.
• Daily rhythm: peak usage around 7–9 a.m., noon hour, and 7–10 p.m.; weekend surges tied to local events, school/athletics, and seasonal activities (e.g., county fair, sports seasons).
• Ad/creative performance: short vertical video and Reels perform best for awareness; clear local value props, reviews, and geo-targeted offers convert well on Facebook/Instagram; LinkedIn works for professional hiring and B2B in commuter segments.

Notes on method

• County-level platform shares are not directly published; figures above are modeled from: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 ACS for population/age mix), Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2024, platform-by-adult usage), and U.S. digital adoption benchmarks. Estimates reflect Rice County’s demographic profile (Faribault/Northfield urban-core plus suburban/rural mix).