Cass County

Cass County, Missouri — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau)

Population size

• 2020 Census: 107,824
• 2023 estimate (ACS 2019–2023): ~110,000

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~61%
• 65 and over: ~15%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Race/ethnicity (Hispanic can be any race)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~84%
• Black or African American: ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino: ~6–7%
• Two or more races: ~4–5%
• Asian: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%

Households and housing

• Total households: ~41,000
• Average household size: ~2.7
• Family households: ~72% of households
• Married-couple families: ~55%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76–78%
• Households with children under 18: ~32%

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

Summary for Cass County, Missouri (estimates; based on ACS/FCC county metrics and national email-adoption studies)

• Estimated email users: 75,000–85,000 adults. Method: ~110,000 residents, ~77% adults; ~88–92% of U.S. adults use email.
• Age pattern:
  • 18–44: very high usage (≈95%+).
  • 45–64: high (≈90%).
  • 65+: lower but majority (≈75–85%).
  • Teens commonly have email for school/services but at lower daily reliance than adults.
• Gender split: roughly even, tracking population (≈49% male, 51% female among users).
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription rate is high for Missouri (roughly mid- to upper-80s percent), with growth in fiber and 5G coverage since 2020.
  • Notable minority are smartphone-only internet users; most households have both mobile and fixed service.
  • Public Wi‑Fi access via schools, libraries, and municipal facilities supports lower-income users.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Population density ≈150–160 people per square mile; denser communities (Raymore, Belton, Harrisonville, Peculiar) along the I‑49 corridor enjoy stronger broadband options.
  • Southern/rural parts have more reliance on DSL/fixed wireless and experience patchier high-speed availability.

Mobile phone usage in Cass County, Missouri — 2025 snapshot (with differences vs state-level)

Key ways Cass County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher smartphone penetration (roughly 3–5 percentage points above the state average), reflecting its suburban Kansas City profile and higher median income.
• More 5G-capable devices in use and better mid-band 5G coverage in population centers; capacity and speeds are generally stronger than in most rural Missouri counties.
• Lower reliance on mobile-only home internet than the statewide average, because cable and fiber are more available in the northern half of the county.
• Lower prepaid share and higher family postpaid plan adoption than the state average; price sensitivity is still present but less dominant than in many rural Missouri counties.
• Coverage gaps persist mainly in the county’s southern/rural areas, but overall service quality is closer to metro standards than the Missouri average.

User estimates (modeled)

• Population base: 110,000–115,000 residents (2024–2025 est.); adults 18+ are roughly 82,000–88,000.
• Any mobile phone users (age 13+): about 88,000–93,000 users (roughly 78–82% of total population; >95% of adults have a mobile phone).
• Smartphone users (age 13+): about 80,000–85,000 users (roughly 72–76% of total population; 88–90% of adults).
• 5G-capable device users: approximately 70–75% of smartphone users (state average ~60–65%); higher due to recent upgrade cycles in the KC metro.
• Mobile-only home internet households: estimated 12–15% of households, below the statewide share (often 18–22%) because northern Cass has stronger wired options.

Demographic patterns (how Cass differs)

• Age: Seniors (65+) in Cass are slightly more likely to have smartphones than the Missouri average, helped by family plan add‑ons and retail access in Belton/Raymore. The usage gap vs younger adults remains but is narrower than in rural counties.
• Income: With a higher median household income than Missouri overall, Cass County shows higher flagship device penetration, more multi‑line postpaid plans, and faster upgrade cadence.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is less diverse than the state average. Digital affordability challenges are concentrated within specific tracts (e.g., parts of Belton and Harrisonville), but are less widespread than in many Missouri locales with higher poverty rates.
• Geography within the county: Adoption and network performance are strongest along the I‑49 corridor (Belton, Raymore, Peculiar, Harrisonville) and near MO‑58/MO‑291; usage and coverage thin out in the county’s southern and southeastern rural areas.

Digital infrastructure and service landscape

• Coverage and 5G: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all provide countywide coverage, with mid‑band 5G concentrated along I‑49 and in Belton/Raymore/Pleasant Hill/Harrisonville. Indoors, metal buildings and low‑lying areas can see signal attenuation; the south and southeast have more 4G‑only pockets.
• Capacity: Densification near schools, shopping corridors, and interchanges supports commuter traffic to Kansas City; peak loads occur along I‑49 and around school start/close times. Capacity is generally better than in rural Missouri counties.
• Backhaul and fiber: Northern/population‑dense areas have cable and growing fiber availability (driving lower mobile‑only reliance). Rural zones still lean on DSL, fixed wireless, and WISPs, where mobile networks sometimes act as a performance backstop.
• Fixed wireless home internet: 5G Home/FWA from national carriers is widely offered in the populated corridor; adoption is noticeable among renters and newly built subdivisions lacking immediate fiber installs.
• Towers and siting: Macro sites are clustered along I‑49 and major arterials; co‑location is common. Small‑cell use is limited outside denser retail and residential clusters.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet coverage and carrier hardening along primary corridors have improved emergency reliability. Weather events can still expose backup‑power gaps on rural sites.
• Cross‑border effects: Western fringes near the Kansas line can experience network handoff quirks; overall impact is minor.

Trends to watch in 2025

• Affordability after ACP wind‑down: With the federal ACP subsidy largely exhausted in 2024, low‑income households may downgrade plans or shift to MVNOs. The impact in Cass is real but likely smaller than the state average due to lower poverty rates.
• Continued mid‑band 5G build‑outs and sector splits along I‑49 to manage commuter demand; incremental rural fill‑in south of Harrisonville.
• Fixed‑wireless vs fiber competition: Northern Cass is trending toward fiber or cable plus wireless as a secondary connection; rural areas continue to lean on mobile/FWA as a primary option.

Method notes

• Estimates synthesize: 2020 Census/ACS county population baselines; Pew Research smartphone adoption (2023), NTIA Internet Use Survey (2023) patterns for mobile‑only households, and FCC 4G/5G map trends through 2024. County figures are modeled from suburban Kansas City demographics and local infrastructure patterns, then calibrated against Missouri statewide benchmarks. All numbers are estimates and should be validated with the latest ACS microdata, FCC Broadband Data Collection filings, and carrier coverage tools for operational decisions.

Cass County, MO social media snapshot (2025)

Overview

• Population: ~110,000; adults (18+): ~85,000.
• Estimated adult social media users: ~60,000–70,000 (roughly 70–82% of adults). Teens (13–17): ~6,000–8,000 and highly active.
• Method: County counts estimated by applying Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform adoption rates to Cass County’s population (ACS/Census 2023–2024).

Most‑used platforms (estimated share of adults; county counts in parentheses)

• YouTube: ~80–85% (≈68k–72k)
• Facebook: ~65–70% (≈55k–60k)
• Instagram: ~45–50% (≈38k–43k)
• TikTok: ~30–35% (≈26k–30k)
• Snapchat: ~28–32% (≈24k–27k)
• Pinterest: ~30–38% (≈26k–32k) — skew female
• LinkedIn: ~28–32% (≈24k–27k) — skew college‑educated KC‑area commuters
• X (Twitter): ~20–25% (≈17k–21k)
• Reddit: ~18–22% (≈15k–19k)
• WhatsApp: ~18–22% (≈15k–19k)
• Nextdoor: concentrated in Raymore/Belton HOAs; smaller overall reach but high neighborhood engagement where active.

Age patterns

• 13–17: YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram dominate; little Facebook.
• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; heavy Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Facebook mainly for events/groups.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube strongest; Instagram common; TikTok growing; LinkedIn used by KC‑metro professionals.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest popular; Instagram moderate; TikTok limited but rising.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube primary; minimal use of others.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Women: Higher on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; active in school/church/neighborhood and buy‑sell groups; Marketplace usage high.
• Men: Higher on YouTube, Reddit, X; interests skew to sports, DIY, outdoors, farming; follow local news/politics.

Behavioral trends

• Community‑first: Strong Facebook Groups for Raymore, Belton, Harrisonville, Peculiar; heavy use for school district news (Ray‑Pec, Belton, Harrisonville), youth sports, lost‑and‑found, and severe weather.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups are primary for furniture, vehicles, farm/ranch gear; small businesses rely on Facebook/Instagram posts, Stories, and Events.
• Safety and weather: Follow Sheriff’s Office, city PDs, fire districts, MoDOT KC, and storm spotters; engagement spikes during storms, closures, outages.
• Suburban vs rural split: Raymore/Belton show more Instagram and some Nextdoor; rural south/east leans heavily on Facebook and YouTube.
• Short‑video habits: TikTok and Instagram Reels used for local eats, real estate, home services; cross‑posting to Facebook Reels is common.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is default; Snapchat prevalent among teens/young adults; WhatsApp used in some bilingual/immigrant circles and for family ties out of state.
• Timing: Peak engagement evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends; school‑year bumps around morning drop‑off and after work; daytime surges during severe weather.

Notes: Percentages are estimates based on national usage applied locally; actual platform penetration can vary by city (Raymore/Belton vs. rural areas) and neighborhood connectivity.