Chariton County

Here are key demographics for Chariton County, Missouri. Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates Program).

Population size

• Total population: 7,408 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~7,170

Age

• Median age: ~44.7 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~55%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (of total population)

• White (non-Hispanic): ~93%
• Black or African American: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0–1%
• Asian: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2–3%

Households

• Total households: ~3,100
• Average household size: ~2.3
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Married-couple families: ~47% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~37%
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%

Chariton County, MO snapshot (estimates)

• Population and density: 7.3–7.5k residents spread over ~740–750 sq mi (10 people per sq mi), highly rural.
• Estimated email users: ~4.8k–5.4k residents use email at least occasionally.
• Age distribution of users (approx. share of all email users):
  • 18–34: 18–22% (very high adoption, ~90–95% of this group online/use email)
  • 35–64: 52–60% (adoption ~90+%)
  • 65+: 20–28% (adoption lower, ~70–80%, but growing fastest)
• Gender split among users: roughly even, ~49% male / ~51% female.
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~65–75%.
  • Fixed broadband availability: 25/3 Mbps to ~85–95% of addresses; 100/20 Mbps to ~50–65% (pockets lack high-speed).
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~10–20%; public/library and school Wi‑Fi are important access points.
  • Mobile: 4G/LTE covers most populated areas/roads; 5G present mainly along larger corridors/towns.
  • Fiber is available in town centers and expanding via regional telcos/co-ops; many farms rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Trend: Gradual fiber buildouts and state/federal grants are improving speeds/availability through 2027; email usage remains near-universal among connected adults, with senior adoption rising.

Sources: Estimates derived from ACS/Census population, Pew internet/email adoption by age, and FCC broadband maps.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Chariton County, Missouri (with emphasis on how it differs from statewide patterns)

High-level differences from Missouri overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and lower average mobile speeds than the state average, reflecting older demographics and sparser tower density.
• Higher reliance on mobile service as a primary home internet option in areas lacking reliable wired broadband, but not necessarily higher “smartphone‑only” use among seniors.
• Coverage is adequate along main corridors and town centers, but drops off faster than the Missouri average in farm/river bottomland and wooded areas, creating more dead zones.
• Prepaid and MVNO plans hold a larger share than in metro Missouri due to cost sensitivity and credit barriers.
• 5G is present mainly as low‑band coverage; mid‑band 5G (the state’s speed driver) is limited or absent in much of the county.

User estimates (order‑of‑magnitude, based on population and rural adoption norms)

• Population baseline: roughly 7,300–7,600 residents.
• Adults: about 5,500–5,900.
• Smartphone users: approximately 4,200–4,700 adults (roughly 75–80% adult ownership versus mid‑80s statewide).
• Total active cellular lines (phones, hotspots, tablets, IoT): on the order of 6,000–8,000, reflecting multi‑line households, farm equipment telemetry, and some fixed‑wireless home internet gateways.
• Wireless‑only households (no landline): likely a majority, but somewhat lower than statewide; mobile‑only internet as the primary home connection likely higher than statewide where wired options are weak.

Demographic drivers of usage (how Chariton County differs)

• Older age profile: A larger share of residents are 65+, which correlates with lower smartphone adoption, more basic/voice‑centric plans, and lower per‑line data consumption than the Missouri average.
• Income and education: Median household income and bachelor’s‑degree attainment are below the statewide average, contributing to greater price sensitivity, higher prepaid/MVNO use, and slower device‑upgrade cycles.
• Occupation mix: Agriculture and small‑business employment increase demand for coverage on rural roads and fields, seasonal data spikes (planting/harvest), and use of hotspots and LTE Cat‑M/IoT lines for equipment monitoring—needs that are more pronounced than in urban Missouri.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Coverage pattern: All three national carriers have service. Signal is generally strongest in and around towns and along primary corridors; it weakens in northern and river‑adjacent areas with tree cover and terrain, producing more dead zones than the state average.
• 5G: Predominantly low‑band 5G for broad coverage; limited mid‑band capacity means median 5G speeds trail state urban/suburban averages. Indoor penetration can be challenging in metal‑roof and older buildings.
• Capacity/backhaul: Sparse macrocell spacing (typical rural grid) and reliance on microwave backhaul in some sectors constrain capacity compared with Missouri’s metro counties that have denser fiber‑fed sites.
• Fixed broadband context: Fiber exists in pockets (often town centers) via regional/co‑op providers; outside those zones, legacy DSL and fixed wireless remain common. Cable coverage is limited. Where wired options underperform, residents turn to mobile hotspots or 5G fixed‑wireless access (FWA) if available.
• Public/community access: Libraries and schools function as connectivity hubs more than in urban counties; public Wi‑Fi coverage is thinner overall than the state average.
• Resilience: Storms and power outages can isolate areas because of longer distances between sites; backup power and diverse backhaul are less common than in metro Missouri.

Behavioral and adoption trends vs state

• Data usage: Per‑line data consumption is typically lower than the state average (older users, more time on Wi‑Fi where available), but households without quality wired broadband often show higher‑than‑average hotspot/FWA usage.
• Prepaid/MVNO share: Higher than statewide due to affordability needs; device financing cycles are longer.
• App mix: Heavier reliance on SMS/voice and Facebook/marketplace groups; telehealth and school apps are important but can be limited by bandwidth in outlying areas.
• Emergency/weather reliance: Residents lean more on SMS alerts, radio/NOAA, and county alert systems because of spotty coverage in some zones—more so than in metro Missouri.

Policy/market shifts affecting the county differently

• Affordable Connectivity Program lapse: The end of ACP subsidies hit rural low‑income households hard; Chariton County likely experienced above‑average risk of service downgrades or shifts to prepaid/mobile‑only solutions compared with the state overall.
• 5G FWA expansion: Where signal is strong, FWA adoption fills broadband gaps at higher rates than in metro counties; where signal is weak, the digital divide persists.
• Farm and public‑safety needs: First responder and agricultural coverage needs make low‑band coverage and tower placement more critical locally than in urban areas focused on speed.

Key takeaways

• Expect roughly 4.2k–4.7k adult smartphone users and 6k–8k total active cellular lines countywide, with lower smartphone penetration but higher dependence on mobile as a substitute for weak wired broadband compared to Missouri overall.
• Infrastructure is coverage‑oriented rather than capacity‑oriented: low‑band 5G is common, mid‑band is limited, and speeds trail state averages.
• Demographics (older, lower‑income, rural) shape usage: more prepaid, slower upgrade cycles, and uneven access—leaving bigger gaps than statewide unless tower density, mid‑band 5G, and local fiber/backhaul improve.

Below is a concise, best-available estimate for Chariton County, MO. Because county-level social media data aren’t directly published, figures are inferred from Pew Research 2023–2024 U.S. usage patterns, rural/Missouri adoption trends, and the county’s age structure. Treat these as directional ranges.

Population baseline

• Total population: ~7,400
• Adults (18+): ~5,900
• Estimated social media users (13+): ~4,900–5,200 (roughly 65–70% of the total population)

Age mix among users (approximate share of local users)

• 13–17: ~9%
• 18–29: ~17%
• 30–49: ~33%
• 50–64: ~27%
• 65+: ~14%

Gender breakdown (among active users)

• Female: ~52–55%
• Male: ~45–48% Note: Women over-index on Facebook/Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube/Reddit/X.

Most-used platforms in Chariton County (estimated adult penetration)

• YouTube: ~70–75% of adults
• Facebook: ~60–70%
• Instagram: ~25–30%
• TikTok: ~20–25%
• Snapchat: ~18–22%
• Pinterest: ~28–33% (skews female, 30–64)
• X (Twitter): ~10–15%
• Reddit: ~8–12%
• LinkedIn: ~10–15% (lower in rural labor markets)
• Nextdoor: ~3–5% (limited presence in sparsely populated areas)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: Local news, school sports, church updates, weather/road alerts, buy–sell–trade, and event promotion primarily run through Facebook Groups and Marketplace. Messenger is a primary contact channel for local businesses.
• Video is rising but practical: YouTube and short-form video (Reels/TikTok) skew toward how-tos, farming/DIY, home repair, hunting/fishing, and local creators. Churches and schools use YouTube/Facebook Live for services and events.
• Younger users diversify: Teens and 18–29s split time across Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok; many keep Facebook accounts mainly for family/community coordination.
• Timing/usage patterns: Peaks in the evening (7–10 p.m.) and weekends; morning quick checks on weekdays. Heavy mobile usage; rural connectivity can limit long HD video.
• Content that performs: Photos from community events, school achievements, obituaries and memorials, weather alerts, lost-and-found pets/livestock, local business promos with clear offers, and seasonal ag content (planting/harvest).
• Trust and information flow: People rely on a small set of known local admins/pages. Cross-posts from county/city/EMS pages travel fast; misinformation can spread if not promptly addressed.
• Ads and outreach: Facebook/Instagram deliver the most efficient local reach; geofenced campaigns benefit from frequency capping (small audience). Short, captioned videos and single-image posts with clear calls to action outperform long copy. For recruitment or professional services, LinkedIn reach is limited; consider Facebook Groups and local pages instead.

How to refine these numbers

• Pull platform ad-audience estimates for Chariton County (or ZIPs) in Facebook Ads Manager, Snapchat Ads, TikTok Ads, etc., to replace ranges with current counts.
• Combine with local page/group insights (reach/age/gender) from admins of major community pages.