Washington County

Key demographics for Washington County, Minnesota (latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates; primarily 2023 ACS/QuickFacts):

• Population: ~275,000 (2023 estimate; 267,568 in 2020 Census)
• Age:
  • Median age: ~39.5 years
  • Under 18: ~24%
  • 65 and over: ~16%
• Gender:
  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%
• Race/ethnicity (share of total population):
  • White alone: ~82–84%
  • Black or African American alone: ~4–5%
  • Asian alone: ~7–8%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~4–5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%
  • White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~78–80%
• Households and families:
  • Total households: ~105,000
  • Average household size: ~2.6–2.7 persons
  • Family households: ~70% of households (married-couple ~58–60%)
  • Households with children under 18: ~30–33%
  • One-person households: ~22–25%

Notes:

• Figures are rounded for clarity and reflect the most recent available Census Bureau estimates (ACS 1-year and 2019–2023 ACS 5-year/QuickFacts). Percentages may not sum to 100% because Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity reported across races.

• Population baseline: ≈275,000 residents (2023).
• Estimated email users: ≈193,000 adults (92% of ≈209,000 residents age 18+), with near-universal use among those under 65 and slightly lower rates among seniors.
• Age distribution (population): Under 18 ~24%; 18–34 ~20%; 35–54 ~28%; 55–64 ~12%; 65+ ~16%. Given adoption patterns, the bulk of email users are 18–64.
• Gender split: Usage mirrors population composition (~50% female, ~50% male) with negligible gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ≈96%.
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ≈94%.
  • Strong suburban telework and online service usage, reflecting high device ownership and subscriptions.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ≈700 residents per square mile; most residents live within cable/fiber footprints, with robust 4G/5G mobile coverage across populated corridors. Remaining connectivity challenges are limited to lower-density fringes, but overall access and adoption rates are high for Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Washington County, Minnesota (latest available datasets through 2024)

Scale and adoption

• Adult smartphone users: ~196,000 (≈92% of ~213,000 adults). This is modestly higher than Minnesota’s adult smartphone adoption (≈90%).
• Households with a smartphone: ≈95.3% (about 99,000 of 104,000 households), above the Minnesota average (92.4%).
• Households with any broadband subscription (wireline or wireless): ≈96.1% county vs ≈92.9% statewide.
• Mobile-only home internet (households using cellular/mobile data as their only home connection): ≈8.6% in Washington County vs ≈13.9% statewide. The county relies less on mobile as a sole home connection than Minnesota overall because wireline options are stronger locally.

Demographic breakdown and how it differs from Minnesota

• Age:
  • 18–34: near-universal smartphone ownership (≈98–99%) in both county and state.
  • 35–54: ≈97% in the county (similar to or slightly above the state).
  • 55–64: ≈90–92% in the county (above the state by ~1–2 points).
  • 65+: ≈82% in the county vs ≈77% statewide. Seniors in Washington County use smartphones at notably higher rates, narrowing the age-based digital divide.
• Income:
  • < $35k household income: ≈87% smartphone adoption in the county vs ≈84% statewide.
  • ≥ $75k: ≈98% in both, with county households more likely to have multiple active mobile lines and device types (smartphone + tablet + wearables).
• Households with children: ≈98% have at least one smartphone in Washington County vs ≈96% statewide; higher multi-line and hotspot use for school and activities.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • As seen statewide and nationally, Black, Hispanic/Latine, and some Asian households in the county show higher “mobile-only” reliance than White households; however, the gap is smaller in Washington County than statewide because wireline availability and affordability programs are stronger locally.
• Work patterns:
  • Share of workers in remote/hybrid-capable occupations is higher in Washington County (~52% vs ~45% statewide), driving heavier mobile data use for tethering, collaboration apps, and 2FA/security tools.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G availability: All three national carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T) provide countywide 5G, with >98% of populated areas covered. Mid-band 5G is prevalent in Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Stillwater corridors; rural eastern townships along the St. Croix Valley see occasional indoor 5G weakness but solid LTE fallback.
• Performance profile (typical in populated zones):
  • T-Mobile: median 5G downlink roughly 180–260 Mbps with broad mid-band coverage.
  • Verizon: roughly 100–160 Mbps, with C-band densest along I‑94/I‑494/I‑694 and commercial corridors.
  • AT&T: roughly 90–140 Mbps, with FirstNet public-safety overlays enhancing reliability.
• Small-cell density: Higher than the state average along interstate and commercial corridors (I‑94/I‑494/I‑694, retail districts in Woodbury/Oakdale), contributing to more consistent mid-band 5G performance than many Minnesota counties.
• Wireline competition (key to lower mobile-only reliance):
  • Cable (Xfinity) covers most suburbs; significant fiber-to-the-home buildouts (CenturyLink/Lumen upgrades and competitive fiber entrants in and around Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Lake Elmo, Stillwater/Forest Lake). This reduces the need to use mobile data as the primary home connection.
  • 5G Home Internet (T-Mobile and Verizon) is widely available; adoption is meaningful but generally supplements rather than replaces robust cable/fiber in the county.

What stands out versus Minnesota overall

• Higher smartphone adoption across the board, with the biggest over-performance among seniors (65+) and lower-income households.
• Lower dependence on mobile-only home internet because wireline options (cable and fiber) are more available and competitive in the county.
• Denser 5G infrastructure and stronger mid-band deployments yield better, more consistent mobile performance than the statewide average—especially along major corridors.
• More multi-line households and device diversity (smartphone + tablet + wearables), reflecting higher incomes, education levels, and a larger share of remote-capable jobs.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Percentages reflect the latest American Community Survey (S2801: Computer and Internet Use) 5-year estimates and statewide comparisons, combined with 2024 carrier coverage disclosures and regional performance reporting. Counts are derived by applying those percentages to Washington County’s most recent population and household estimates.

Social media usage in Washington County, MN (2024 snapshot)

Overall user base

• Estimated active social media users: ~199,000 residents
• Penetration: ~73% of total population; roughly ~84% of residents aged 13+
• Usage is mobile-first (≈85–90% of activity via smartphones)

Age breakdown (share using at least one platform; modeled from U.S. benchmarks, adjusted to county age mix)

• Teens (13–17): ~95% use; heavy on Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; very high daily frequency
• Young adults (18–29): ~96% use; multi-platform heavy; strong creators of short-form video
• Adults (30–49): ~90% use; Facebook + Instagram + YouTube core; frequent use of neighborhood groups
• Midlife (50–64): ~75% use; Facebook and YouTube dominate; LinkedIn notable among professionals
• Seniors (65+): ~55–60% use; Facebook first, then YouTube; lower posting, higher browsing

Gender breakdown among users

• Women: ~52–54%
• Men: ~46–48%
• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each platform; county estimates aligned to 2024 U.S. adoption)

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• TikTok: ~33%
• Pinterest: ~30%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~27%
• Reddit: ~22% Note: Facebook Groups and neighborhood apps (e.g., Nextdoor) are widely used for hyperlocal updates, though total reach is smaller than Facebook and YouTube.

Behavioral trends

• Community-centric engagement: High activity in Facebook Groups and neighborhood forums around schools, youth sports, city services, road construction, and local events.
• Short‑form video is the growth engine: Reels and TikTok drive discovery for restaurants, home services, and local attractions; creators skew 18–34.
• YouTube as “how-to” and research hub: Home improvement, outdoor recreation, and product reviews perform well; longer watch sessions on connected TVs are rising.
• Messaging over public posting: Increasing use of DMs (Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat) for coordination and recommendations; many users browse more than they post.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks evenings (about 7–9 pm CT) and secondarily at midday; weekend mornings are strong for community updates and events.
• Ad responsiveness: Highest for hyperlocal creative (city/neighbor cues, landmarks), service promos with clear offers, and event-driven posts; short vertical video and carousel formats outperform static in feeds.

Method note

• Figures are modeled for Washington County using U.S. Census population estimates, plus 2024 national platform-adoption and usage benchmarks from reputable sources (e.g., Pew Research Center, DataReportal). County-level platform splits are inferred by applying those rates to the local population and age mix.