Clinton County

Clinton County, Missouri — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year). Figures rounded.

• Population: ~21,000
• Age:
  • Median age: ~41 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~18%
• Sex: ~50% female, ~50% male
• Race/Ethnicity:
  • White (non-Hispanic): ~92–94%
  • Black/African American: ~1%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.5–1%
  • Asian: ~0.3–0.5%
  • Two or more races: ~3–4%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• Households:
  • Number of households: ~8,000–8,200
  • Average household size: ~2.6
  • Family households: ~70%
  • Owner-occupied housing: ~78–80%

Clinton County, MO snapshot (estimates based on recent ACS and Pew data)

• Population ~21K; density ~50 people/sq. mile.
• Email users: ~14–16K residents (≈65–75% of all residents; ≈85–90% of adults).
• By age (share of county email users):
  • 13–17: 6–7% (1.0K)
  • 18–34: 23–26% (3.6–4.0K)
  • 35–54: 31–35% (4.8–5.4K)
  • 55–64: 13–15% (2.1–2.4K)
  • 65+: 16–20% (2.5–3.1K)
• Gender split: roughly even, mirroring the population (~50% female / ~50% male); email adoption is similar by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • ~80–85% of households have a home broadband subscription; 10–15% are smartphone‑only.
  • 4G/5G coverage is strong along I‑35, towns, and major roads; fixed broadband is spottier in rural areas, driving mobile reliance.
  • Fiber is expanding in and near town centers and along key corridors; outer farm/ranch areas often rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
  • Email remains near‑universal for work, school, government, and commerce; seniors’ adoption continues to rise, while younger users pair email with messaging apps.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Clinton County, Missouri (focus on what differs from statewide patterns)

Context

• Population: roughly 21–22k residents; about 8–8.5k households; a mix of small towns (Plattsburg, Lathrop, Trimble, parts of Cameron/Gower) and rural areas along/near the I‑35 corridor north of Kansas City.
• Sources informing the estimates below: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5‑year tables on devices and internet (S2801), Pew Research on smartphone adoption, and FCC mobile/5G and fixed broadband availability maps through 2024. Exact county‑level mobile statistics aren’t published uniformly, so figures are presented as ranges anchored to those datasets and local infrastructure patterns.

User estimates

• Adults using smartphones: 14,000–15,500 (about 83–90% of adults). Including teens, total smartphone users likely 15,000–16,500.
• Households with at least one smartphone: 88–93% of households.
• “Cellular‑only” internet households (rely on a cellular data plan and lack a wired broadband subscription): 20–25% of households, noticeably higher than Missouri overall (roughly 15–18%).
• Prepaid vs postpaid: prepaid share appears somewhat higher than the state average, consistent with more cellular‑only homes and price‑sensitive users in rural/exurban areas.

Demographic patterns (how Clinton County differs from the Missouri average)

• Age
  • 18–34: near‑saturation smartphone ownership (mid‑ to high‑90s%), similar to Missouri overall.
  • 35–64: high ownership (around low‑90s%), on par with the state.
  • 65+: somewhat lower than the Missouri average, with more basic/voice‑only users and flip‑phone holdouts in the most rural tracts; however, adoption continues to rise year over year.
• Income
  • Lower‑income households (<$35k) are more likely to be smartphone‑dependent (cellular‑only) than the Missouri average. This is tied to limited affordable wired options at some rural addresses and the wind‑down of the ACP subsidy in 2024, which pushed some fixed‑broadband users back to mobile.
• Geography within the county
  • Towns along I‑35 and near the Clay/Platte borders show device and 5G adoption similar to suburban Kansas City.
  • Northern and eastern rural tracts have more cellular‑only households and more frequent LTE fallback, even when a 5G signal is advertised.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and 5G
  • All three nationals (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) cover the I‑35 corridor and town centers well. T‑Mobile’s mid‑band 5G is widespread along the corridor; Verizon’s C‑band reaches into the southern/central parts of the county; AT&T’s 5G presence is mostly low‑band with some mid‑band infill near the KC fringe.
  • Rural fringes see more LTE/low‑band 5G and occasional dead‑zone pockets, but overall mobile coverage is stronger than many rural Missouri counties because of spillover from the Kansas City market and the interstate corridor.
• Fixed wireless (home internet over mobile)
  • T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet is broadly available in and around Lathrop, Plattsburg, Trimble, and the Cameron area; Verizon 5G Home is available in parts of the southern/central county. This has materially raised the share of households relying primarily on cellular networks for home connectivity—above the statewide rate.
• Wired broadband context (what drives cellular‑only)
  • Cable and fiber options are present in town centers (e.g., Mediacom/Spectrum/Sparklight or local fiber where built), but many rural addresses remain on legacy DSL or have no wired service, pushing residents to mobile and fixed‑wireless plans.
  • Rural electric and telephone co‑ops have begun selective fiber builds, but coverage is still patchy compared to suburban Missouri.

Trends that stand out versus Missouri overall

• Higher cellular‑only dependence: Clinton County’s share of households relying on mobile data for home internet runs several points above the state average.
• Better corridor 5G than typical rural MO: Thanks to proximity to Kansas City and I‑35, 5G availability and median speeds in populated areas are stronger than in many similarly rural counties elsewhere in the state.
• More commuter‑driven mobile use: Daytime and peak‑hour mobile data use concentrates along I‑35 and state highways, a pattern less pronounced in non‑corridor rural counties.
• Slightly wider age gap: Senior smartphone adoption lags the state average a bit more in the county’s rural tracts, while working‑age households mirror suburban Missouri usage.

Notes and cautions

• Figures are estimates based on ACS device and subscription patterns, FCC availability maps, and regional adoption trends as of 2024. Local builds (new towers or fiber) can shift these numbers quickly. For planning, validate at the census‑tract level with the latest ACS 5‑year S2801 and FCC Broadband Map/coverage overlays.

Clinton County, MO — social media snapshot (estimated, 2025)

Quick context

• Population: roughly 21–22k residents; ~16–17k adults.
• Estimated adult social media users: 12k–13.5k (about 70–80% of adults use at least one platform monthly). Teens (13–17): very high adoption (≈90%+), in line with national patterns.

Most-used platforms (share of adults using each at least monthly; estimates)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 65–75%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30%
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• X/Twitter: 10–15% (lower in rural areas)
• Reddit: 10–15% (lower in rural areas)
• LinkedIn: 15–25% (concentrated among commuters/professionals)
• WhatsApp: 10–15% (Messenger usage is higher due to Facebook)

Age patterns

• 13–17: Nearly universal use; Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube dominate; Facebook minimal except for school/parent groups.
• 18–29: Highest multi-platform use; YouTube ≈90%+, Instagram/Snapchat ≈60–80%, TikTok ≈60–70%, Facebook ≈50–60%.
• 30–49: Broad use; Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram ≈45–55%; TikTok ≈30–40% and growing.
• 50–64: Heaviest on Facebook and YouTube; Pinterest moderate; Instagram/TikTok adoption rising but still lower.
• 65+: Majority on Facebook; YouTube second; limited use of other apps.

Gender breakdown

• Overall users: roughly 52% women, 48% men (reflects slight female majority).
• Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok.
• Men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X/Twitter.

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the local hub: buy/sell/trade groups, school and sports updates, churches, local government/EMA alerts, community events, lost-and-found pets, road closures, and storm tracking.
• Marketplace is heavily used for local commerce (farm/ranch gear, vehicles, furniture).
• Video behavior: YouTube for how‑to/DIY, ag and equipment content; Facebook Live for games, council/board meetings, and event streams. Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) growing among small businesses.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for many adults; Snapchat DMs among teens/younger adults. WhatsApp used by a minority, often for family or international contacts.
• News and info: Local information flows through Facebook groups/pages; users prioritize posts from known community members over national sources.
• Timing: Engagement peaks 6–9 p.m.; secondary spike around lunch. Weekend mornings are strong for Marketplace.
• Geography matters: Nextdoor presence is limited outside denser neighborhoods (e.g., Plattsburg/Cameron areas). Geo-targeted Facebook/Instagram ads within 15–25 miles perform best.
• Content that works: Practical, community-centric posts with recognizable people/places; timely updates (weather, closures) drive the biggest spikes.

Notes and method

• Figures are derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024–2025 social media benchmarks, adjusted for rural/Midwest usage patterns, and applied to Clinton County’s population; expect ±5–10 percentage points locally. For precise planning, validate with a short local survey or platform audience estimates.