Callaway County

Here are key demographics for Callaway County, Missouri (rounded; latest ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates unless noted):

• Population: ~45,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ~38–39
  • Under 18: ~21%
  • 65 and over: ~18%
• Sex:
  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%
• Race/ethnicity:
  • White: ~87%
  • Black or African American: ~7%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • Asian: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5%
• Households:
  • Total households: ~16,800–17,000
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~70% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50–52%
  • Households with children under 18: ~28%
  • One-person households: ~25%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2019–2023 5-year).

Email usage in Callaway County, MO (estimates)

• Users: Population ~45,000; adults ~34,500. Estimated adult email users: 31,000–33,000 (about 90–95%).
• Age mix among users: 18–29: 6–7k; 30–49: 8–9k; 50–64: 8–9k; 65+: 7–8k. Adoption rates: ~95–98% (18–49), ~90–93% (50–64), ~80–85% (65+).
• Gender split: roughly even (≈50/50).
• Digital access trends: About 80%±3 of households subscribe to home broadband; 12–15% are smartphone‑only internet users. Email use is reinforced by student populations in Fulton (William Woods University, Westminster College). Public Wi‑Fi at libraries/campuses supports some low‑income and rural users. Coverage and speeds are strongest in Fulton and along the I‑70 corridor; rural townships have fewer fixed‑line options and higher reliance on cellular data.
• Local density/connectivity facts: ~54 people per square mile; residents cluster around Fulton/Kingdom City with large rural areas where provider competition and broadband performance typically lag state averages.

Method: Derived from 2020 Census population, Pew Research email adoption by age, and ACS/NTIA patterns for rural Missouri; figures are directional estimates, not official counts.

Below is a practical, estimate-based snapshot of mobile phone usage in Callaway County, Missouri, with emphasis on how it differs from state-level patterns.

Headline differences vs Missouri overall

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption among older adults and a somewhat higher share of basic/feature phones.
• Higher reliance on mobile service for home internet (cell-only households and hotspot use), especially outside Fulton/Holts Summit.
• 5G coverage is present but more dependent on low-band; mid-band 5G capacity (faster) is spottier away from the I-70/US-54 corridors than statewide averages.
• Local fiber buildouts by the electric cooperative (Callabyte) and regional ISPs reduce mobile substitution in some rural pockets—an atypically strong rural fiber presence compared with much of Missouri.
• Prepaid plan penetration is modestly higher than the state average, tied to income mix and rural coverage preferences.

User estimates

• Population baseline: roughly 44–46k residents; about 16–18k households.
• Active mobile lines: approximately 40–50k SIMs (0.9–1.1 lines per resident is typical in rural Midwest counties). Many households have multiple lines plus a smartwatch or tablet line.
• Smartphone adoption:
  • Adults 18–44: near-universal smartphone ownership (≈95%+), broadly on par with the state.
  • Adults 45–64: high smartphone adoption (≈85–92%), a touch below the Missouri average.
  • Adults 65+: smartphone adoption lower than state average by a few percentage points; basic/feature phones are more common here than statewide but still a minority.
• Home internet via cellular:
  • A noticeable minority of households (on the order of 10–20%) rely primarily on cellular—either phone hotspots or fixed wireless—higher than the statewide share in urban/suburban counties.
• Carrier mix (qualitative):
  • Verizon and AT&T remain strong for wide-area rural coverage and public-safety/FirstNet needs.
  • T-Mobile coverage has improved along I-70, US-54, and in towns; indoor coverage and speeds drop more quickly in rural stretches than in Missouri’s metros.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age: Older median age than nearby university metros leads to more voice/text-oriented users and a slightly larger feature-phone cohort than the state average; younger users cluster in Fulton (Westminster College, William Woods University) and drive heavy data use and app-centric behavior.
• Income/plan type: Prepaid and budget MVNO plans are somewhat more prevalent than statewide norms, reflecting price sensitivity and coverage-based carrier selection.
• Work and commuting: Commuters to Columbia/Jefferson City concentrate mobile demand along I-70 and US-54 during peak hours; network capacity upgrades are most visible on these corridors.
• Accessibility/health: Telehealth usage over mobile data is higher in rural tracts where fixed broadband is limited.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and technology:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available along highways and in towns; rural interior pockets and river-bottom/bluff areas still experience weak signals or dead zones.
  • 5G low-band is common in and between Fulton, Holts Summit, and along I-70; mid-band 5G (C-band/n41) is strongest near I-70 and population centers, thinning out faster than in Missouri’s large metros.
  • Millimeter-wave 5G is effectively absent outside small, dense venues.
• Towers and upgrades:
  • Macro towers cluster along I-70 and US-54 with infill around Fulton/Holts Summit; recent upgrades focus on adding mid-band 5G carriers and backhaul improvements to existing sites rather than many brand-new rural towers.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Callabyte (electric co-op affiliate) and regional ISPs have been extending fiber down rural roads—more aggressive than many Missouri counties—improving tower backhaul and giving some rural homes true fiber, which reduces dependence on mobile-only internet in those served pockets.
• Fixed wireless/home internet:
  • T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers service in and around Fulton/Holts Summit and along the I-70 corridor; Verizon 5G Home appears in more limited footprints where mid-band is active; traditional WISPs serve outlying areas.
• Public safety:
  • AT&T FirstNet coverage is a decision driver for agencies; network hardening and priority access benefit emergency services and spill over to consumer reliability near those assets.

Trends to watch (local vs state)

• Capacity gap outside corridors: Missouri’s metro counties are seeing faster mid-band densification; Callaway’s upgrades are corridor-first, so rural capacity may lag the state for a time.
• ACP sunset effects: With the national Affordable Connectivity Program lapse, low-income households in rural tracts are more likely to drop fixed service and lean on mobile/prepaid—pressure likely higher here than in metro Missouri unless state programs or co-op promos bridge the gap.
• Fiber offset: Continued co-op fiber builds could compress the share of mobile-only households faster than the statewide rural average, especially in co-op-served townships.
• Student and institutional anchors: Colleges and state facilities in Fulton keep carriers focused on in-town capacity even as rural areas see slower 5G mid-band expansion.

Below is a concise, locally tuned estimate based on Callaway County’s population (~45,000; Fulton, Holts Summit, Auxvasse, etc.), ACS broadband access, and recent Pew/National platform-use benchmarks adjusted for small-city/rural Missouri. Treat figures as directional (±3–5 percentage points), especially at the county level.

Quick snapshot

• Internet access: ~80–85% of households have broadband; ~85–90% of adults have smartphones.
• Social media users: ~31,000–34,000 residents (about 70–75% of the total population; ~80–85% of online adults).
• Gender split among social users: ~52–54% female, ~46–48% male.

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated reach, any use)

• YouTube: 82–85%
• Facebook: 68–72% (highest daily use)
• Instagram: 40–45% (higher in college-age crowd—Westminster & William Woods)
• TikTok: 30–35% (heavy under 35)
• Snapchat: 28–32% overall; 70%+ among teens/younger 20s
• Pinterest: 28–33% (women 40–50%)
• X/Twitter: 20–23% (news/sports watchers)
• LinkedIn: 18–22% (professionals/commuters to Columbia–Jeff City)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (Facebook groups dominate neighborhood chatter)

Age-group patterns (who’s using what)

• Teens (13–17): Snapchat (85–90%), TikTok (75–80%), YouTube (95%); Instagram (50–60%); Facebook low.
• 18–29: YouTube (95%), Instagram (70%), Snapchat (65–70%), TikTok (60%); Facebook (~45–50%).
• 30–49: YouTube (90%), Facebook (75%), Instagram (45–50%), TikTok (35–40%); Snapchat (~30%).
• 50–64: Facebook (80%), YouTube (80–85%), Instagram (30%), TikTok (20–25%).
• 65+: Facebook (70%), YouTube (60–65%); limited Instagram/TikTok (<20%).

Gender nuances

• Women: Higher Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest usage; very active in local groups and Marketplace.
• Men: Higher YouTube and X/Twitter; more sports/news/how-to content; Reddit niche but present.

Behavioral trends in Callaway County

• Facebook is the public square: School closings, church/community events, fundraisers, local sports photos, obituaries, buy/sell/garage-sale groups, and city/county updates drive engagement.
• Marketplace > classifieds: Strong reliance on Facebook Marketplace for vehicles, farm/ranch items, tools, and furniture.
• Short-form video surge: TikTok and Instagram Reels consumption rising; local businesses see best reach with vertical, under-30s-second clips.
• Messaging > posting for youth: Teens/20s prefer Snapchat DMs/Stories and Instagram DMs over public posts; Facebook Messenger is standard for older adults.
• Safety and weather spikes: Sheriff/PD, MoDOT, and severe-weather posts get rapid shares and comments during storms and road incidents.
• Reviews and discovery: Google is primary for business discovery/reviews; Facebook serves as a trust signal via community recommendations. Instagram matters for eateries, boutiques, salons near Fulton and Holts Summit.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks 6–8 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., and 7–9 p.m.; Sundays see strong community/event interactions.
• Cross-posting reality: Small businesses often post to Facebook first, then mirror to Instagram; limited LinkedIn use outside healthcare, education, and government.

Notes on methodology

• Figures blend national platform penetration (Pew 2023–2024) with ACS demographics/broadband for Callaway and rural-Midwest usage skews. Local college presence slightly elevates Instagram/TikTok among 18–24.