Audrain County

Here are key demographics for Audrain County, Missouri. Figures are the most recent available from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Population size

• 24,637 (2023 population estimate)
• 24,962 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: about 40.8 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22.7%
• 65 and over: ~19.4%

Gender

• Female: ~51.6%
• Male: ~48.4%

Racial/ethnic composition (share of total population)

• White alone: ~86.6%
• Black or African American alone: ~6.3%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5.4%
• Two or more races: ~2.9%
• Asian alone: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%

Households

• Total households: ~9,840 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Average household size: ~2.34 persons

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023). Figures are estimates and may include margins of error.

Audrain County, MO email usage (estimates)

• Users: 15,000–18,000 residents use email regularly. Method: county population 24–25k x rural internet adoption (80–90% of adults) and near‑universal email among internet users.
• Age distribution (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~95%+
  • 30–49: ~90–95%
  • 50–64: ~85–90%
  • 65+: ~65–80% (lower in rural areas)
• Gender split: Roughly even; men and women within a few percentage points of each other.
• Digital access trends:
  • Home broadband in roughly 70–80% of households; smartphone ownership ~75–85% of adults.
  • About 15–20% are smartphone‑only internet users.
  • Libraries and schools provide important public Wi‑Fi.
  • Affordability pressures increased after the ACP subsidy wind‑down; BEAD and Missouri programs are funding fiber builds through 2026–2028.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Low population density (about 35–40 residents per square mile) raises last‑mile costs and slows rural build‑outs.
  • Fastest, most competitive service clusters in Mexico, MO; outlying areas rely more on DSL and fixed‑wireless.
  • 4G coverage is broad; 5G is present mainly near towns. Notes: Figures are synthesized from U.S. Census population and national rural adoption patterns (Pew/FCC); treat as directional estimates.

Below is a concise, decision-ready overview of mobile phone usage in Audrain County, Missouri, with emphasis on how local patterns differ from statewide trends. Figures are framed as reasonable ranges based on rural Missouri benchmarks, ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, FCC mobile coverage filings, and recent national adoption research. Use ACS table S2801 (5-year), FCC National Broadband and Mobile Coverage maps, and carrier buildouts for local verification.

Context snapshot

• Rural county anchored by Mexico, MO; dispersed settlements and agricultural areas shape coverage and adoption.
• Mixed wired broadband quality: cable/fiber in town, more DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite in outlying areas. This tilts some households toward mobile as primary internet.

User estimates

• Adult smartphone users: roughly 15,000–17,000 adults, assuming ~19–20k adults and 80–85% smartphone adoption in a rural context (statewide adult smartphone adoption is closer to ~88–90%).
• Total active mobile lines: approximately on par with or slightly above population (about 0.9–1.2 lines per resident), reflecting personal phones plus ag/IoT lines; implies ~23,000–30,000 active SIMs countywide.
• Mobile-only home internet households: approximately 18–24% of households rely primarily on cellular data or smartphone tethering for home internet, higher than Missouri overall (roughly low-teens statewide). This grew as households faced limited wired options and, more recently, affordability pressures after ACP support wound down.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid mix: prepaid penetration likely 30–40% of consumer lines, above the statewide average, driven by price sensitivity and variable credit access.
• Enterprise and ag/IoT: measurable share of lines support farm equipment telematics, security cameras, and fleet—higher share of IoT lines than urban counties.

Demographic patterns in usage

• Age: larger share of seniors than Missouri overall. Senior smartphone adoption lags local averages (e.g., ~60–75% vs. ~85–90% among non-seniors), widening the digital gap relative to the state.
• Income: below-state-median incomes correlate with higher prepaid uptake and higher mobile-only internet reliance. Cost-driven plan switching is more common than statewide.
• Students and families: schools and libraries remain key connectivity anchors; mobile hotspots and shared family plans are more common for homework access than in metro counties.
• Race/ethnicity and language: small but important Hispanic population segments often favor WhatsApp/Meta apps and prepaid/MVNO plans; language support affects carrier and plan selection.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carriers present: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular operate in and around the county; MVNOs ride these networks. UScellular remains more relevant here than in Missouri’s metros.
• Coverage pattern: strong along major corridors and in Mexico/Vandalia; more indoor-reception challenges at the rural edges, especially in metal-roof homes and low-lying areas.
• 5G availability:
  • Broad “coverage-layer” 5G (low-band) from AT&T/T-Mobile is common but behaves like enhanced LTE.
  • Mid-band 5G capacity (e.g., T-Mobile n41, Verizon/AT&T C-band) is more spotty and typically concentrated in/near Mexico; rural census blocks often fall back to LTE. This creates a larger “5G speed gap” vs. urban Missouri.
• Speeds and consistency: typical outdoor downloads range from low tens of Mbps in rural stretches to triple-digits near town on mid-band 5G. Evening congestion and indoor attenuation are more pronounced than in metro Missouri.
• Resilience: weather and power events can degrade single-tower areas; FirstNet coverage along primary routes supports public safety, but redundancy thins off-corridor.
• Home internet interplay: T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is available to many in/near towns; Verizon 5G/LTE Home is more limited; fixed wireless ISPs operate in pockets. Cable broadband is available in Mexico; fiber exists but is not uniformly countywide. This uneven wired footprint sustains above-average mobile-only dependence.

How Audrain differs from Missouri overall

• Higher mobile-only share: more households use cellular as their primary or only internet service than the state average, due to patchier wired options and affordability constraints.
• More prepaid and MVNO usage: price-sensitive segments and variable credit access push prepaid adoption above state norms.
• Slower realized 5G: low-band 5G is common, but mid-band capacity coverage is less extensive than in metro Missouri, keeping median speeds lower and variability higher.
• Greater indoor coverage challenges: building materials and distance to towers exacerbate indoor reception issues compared with urban/suburban counties.
• Older user base: larger senior share reduces overall smartphone adoption and app usage intensity versus statewide.
• Higher ag/IoT proportion: more lines dedicated to telemetry and equipment monitoring than in urban counties.
• Post-ACP affordability impacts: with ACP funding curtailed, local churn to mobile-only solutions likely rose more than in metro areas that have broader low-cost wired alternatives.

Planning implications

• For carriers: capacity-focused upgrades (mid-band 5G, sector adds) around Mexico/Vandalia and targeted rural small cells or repeaters would materially improve experience.
• For policymakers: programs that expand fiber or high-quality fixed wireless to outer census blocks would reduce mobile-only reliance and narrow the senior digital gap.
• For service providers/MVNOs: Spanish-language support, flexible prepaid family plans, and hotspot allowances will over-index in effectiveness locally versus statewide.

Where to verify and refine

• ACS 5-year, table S2801 (Computer and Internet Use) for county vs. Missouri: smartphone ownership, cellular-only subscriptions.
• FCC National Broadband Map and Mobile Coverage Map: 4G/5G availability by technology and provider.
• Carrier buildout filings and local permits for tower upgrades.
• Performance crowdsources (Ookla, OpenSignal, M-Lab) for speed and consistency, especially around Mexico and along US-54/MO-15/MO-22.

These points should give you a grounded county profile and highlight the main divergences from Missouri’s statewide mobile patterns.

Audrain County, MO social media snapshot (short)

Baseline

• Population: ~25,000 residents; ~19,000 adults (18+).
• Estimated social media users: ~14,000–16,000 total (adults plus teens), using national usage rates applied to local population.
• Note: Figures are estimates based on Pew Research Center U.S. averages (2022–2024) applied to a rural Midwest county profile.

Most-used platforms (estimated share of adults who use each; teens typically higher for YouTube/TikTok/Snapchat)

• YouTube: ~80–85%
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–35%
• Snapchat: ~28–32%
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (skews female)
• X (Twitter): ~20–23%
• LinkedIn: ~25–30% (likely lower locally due to job mix)

Age patterns (local tendency, based on national patterns)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal YouTube; heavy Snapchat and TikTok; IG moderate; Facebook minimal except for school/teams.
• 18–29: YouTube dominant; IG, TikTok, Snapchat all strong; Facebook used but not primary.
• 30–49: Facebook + Messenger central for family, school, sports, Marketplace; YouTube strong; IG moderate; TikTok growing.
• 50–64: Facebook highest reach; YouTube strong for how-to/news; IG/TikTok limited but rising.
• 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube moderate; minimal on others.

Gender tendencies

• Women: More active on Facebook (groups, school/church updates), Pinterest (recipes, crafts, home), Instagram; moderate TikTok.
• Men: Heavier YouTube (sports, outdoors, DIY, equipment), Facebook for news/Marketplace; higher Reddit/X than women, but still smaller than YouTube/Facebook.

Behavioral trends seen in rural Midwest counties like Audrain

• Community-first Facebook: High engagement in local groups (schools, youth sports, churches, civic updates), severe weather, closings, lost-and-found, county fair. Facebook Marketplace is the go-to for local buying/selling.
• Video is utility-driven: YouTube for how‑to (home, auto, farm/ranch, hunting/fishing), product research, local government meetings or highlights.
• Short-form growth: Reels/TikTok adoption among under‑40s for entertainment, local dining, events; cross-posted content performs well.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger for coordinating, Snapchat for teens/young adults; many prefer private or semi-private spaces.
• Local trust signals matter: Content from known community members, schools, and businesses outperforms generic ads. Coupons, giveaways, and sponsorships of youth sports/boosters drive response.
• Timing: Evening and weekend spikes; strong event-driven bursts (games, fairs, storms, school announcements).

What this means for outreach

• Primary reach: Facebook (pages + local groups + Marketplace) and YouTube.
• Growth reach under 40: Instagram Reels and TikTok.
• Teen/college: Snapchat and TikTok.
• Women 25–54: Facebook groups + Pinterest; consider IG for visuals.
• Creative: Emphasize local faces, service info, clear offers; short vertical video; include Messenger/DM CTA.

Sources/method: Estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 Social Media Use among U.S. adults and 2022 Teens & Tech, applied to Audrain County’s size and rural profile (U.S. Census/ACS population). Actual local usage will vary.