Cooper County

Do you prefer figures from:

• 2020 Decennial Census (official counts; best for race/ethnicity, basic age/sex), or
• ACS 2018–2022 5-year estimates (most comprehensive for age and household characteristics)?

If no preference, I’ll use ACS 2018–2022 and provide: total population, median age, age cohorts (under 18, 65+), sex split, race/ethnicity shares, number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily, and homeownership.

Cooper County, MO email snapshot (estimates)

• Population: ~17.5k; largely rural with ~30–35 people per square mile. Boonville (I‑70 corridor) is the main population center.
• Estimated email users: 12–14k residents use email at least occasionally.
• Age profile (share using email):
  • 18–29: ~90–95%
  • 30–49: ~95–98%
  • 50–64: ~88–92%
  • 65+: ~75–85%
  • Teens (13–17): ~70–85% use email, often for school/accounts.
• Gender split: ~50/50; negligible difference in usage by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Household broadband subscription roughly 75–85%, higher in Boonville and along I‑70; lower in outlying farms.
  • Mix of cable/fiber in towns, DSL and fixed‑wireless in rural areas; satellite remains a fallback.
  • 4G/5G mobile coverage is strong near highways and towns; patchier in river valleys and low‑lying areas.
  • Smartphone ownership is widespread; a noticeable minority of rural households are smartphone‑only for internet.
  • Ongoing fiber builds by regional providers/electric co‑ops are improving rural speeds; fixed‑wireless (including 5G) is expanding.
• Local connectivity note: Residents near Boonville typically see 100+ Mbps fixed options; many remote areas still rely on 25/3 Mbps–class service, affecting rich‑media email use and large attachments.

Here’s a concise, county-specific picture based on 2020–2024 statewide benchmarks, rural-Missouri patterns, FCC coverage maps, and central-MO infrastructure developments. Figures are rounded estimates intended for planning; local validation is recommended.

Quick take

• Cooper County’s mobile adoption is slightly below the Missouri average, with a more rural usage profile: more Android and prepaid lines, lower cellular data per user (strong home fiber offload), and more ag/IoT lines per capita.
• Coverage is robust along I-70/Boonville, thinner in river bottoms and low-density townships.
• Proximity to Columbia and the I-70 corridor shapes investment and daytime traffic patterns.

User estimates

• Population basis: ~17–18k residents; ~13–14k adults.
• Smartphone adoption (adults): 78–84% in Cooper vs ~86–88% statewide → roughly 10–12k adult smartphone users.
• Total consumer handset lines: ~14–16k (higher if including tablets/watches); machine-to-machine/IoT (farm, telemetry) adds an estimated 1–2k lines.
• Platform mix: Android 60–65% / iOS 35–40% (state closer to ~55/45).
• Plan type: Prepaid and discount-MVNO share higher (about 35–45% of handset lines vs ~25–30% statewide).
• Mobile-only internet households: 15–20% countywide, with pockets higher where wired broadband is limited (state ~12–14%).
• Cellular data usage: Per-smartphone monthly usage tends to be lower than the state average due to strong home fiber/cable offload, except in pockets lacking wired service where usage is higher.

Demographic patterns affecting usage

• Age: Older median age than Missouri overall. Seniors show lower smartphone adoption and a small but notable feature-phone share; youth/working-age adults are near-universal smartphone users.
• Income/education: Slightly below state averages → more price-sensitive plan choices (prepaid/MVNO), slower device refresh cycles, and higher family-plan concentration.
• Race/ethnicity: Predominantly White; adoption gaps by race are smaller among younger cohorts attending/working near Columbia and Boonville.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Macro coverage: Strong along I-70 and around Boonville; weaker signal and capacity in sparsely populated areas north/south of the interstate and in river valleys (Missouri and Lamine).
• 5G status:
  • T-Mobile: Broad low-band 5G across most of the county; mid-band capacity strongest along I-70/Boonville.
  • Verizon: Solid LTE footprint; C-band 5G concentrated along I-70 and town centers.
  • AT&T: Good LTE along corridors; 5G present in/near Boonville and main routes, expanding outward; FirstNet buildouts have improved public-safety coverage.
  • mmWave: Not a factor outside a few dense nodes (if any).
• Backhaul and wired broadband:
  • Notable fiber from regional electric co-op builds (e.g., Co-Mo Connect) and cable in Boonville reduce reliance on cellular for at-home use.
  • Fixed wireless (including 5G Home) available along the interstate/near towns; traditional WISPs serve outer areas.
• Capacity and reliability:
  • Investment is corridor-centric; peak load follows commuting/school/work patterns toward Columbia and along I-70.
  • Terrain-driven dead zones persist away from major roads; handset selection with stronger radios and Wi-Fi calling are common mitigation strategies.

How Cooper County differs from Missouri overall

• Slightly lower adult smartphone adoption and higher feature-phone retention among seniors.
• Higher Android and prepaid/MVNO share.
• More machine-to-machine/IoT lines per capita tied to agriculture and utilities.
• Lower average cellular data per user where fiber is widespread; higher mobile-only reliance in pockets without wired broadband.
• Coverage and 5G capacity are more polarized: very strong on the I-70 spine and town centers, thinner elsewhere.
• Daytime network demand is more corridor- and commuter-driven due to proximity to Columbia.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot for Cooper County, MO. Because there’s no public county-specific survey, figures are estimates extrapolated from Pew Research (2023–2024), rural Midwest patterns, and the county’s age mix. Treat percentages as directional.

Overview and user count

• Population context: ~17–18k residents; older and more rural than the U.S. average.
• Estimated social media users: ~10.5k–12.5k residents (about 60–72% of total; ~70–80% of ages 13+).
• Daily use: ~75–85% of users check at least once daily; multiple-platform use is common (2–4 platforms per user).

Age groups (share using at least one platform)

• Teens (13–17): 90–95%; heavy YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; low Facebook.
• 18–29: 85–90%; YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook moderate.
• 30–49: 80–85%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok moderate.
• 50–64: 70–75%; Facebook first, YouTube second; Pinterest notable.
• 65+: 45–55%; Facebook primary; YouTube secondary; others minimal.

Gender patterns

• Women: Over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; Instagram slight majority female; stronger participation in local groups, school/activities info, and Marketplace.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter); more sports, news, DIY, and tech content consumption.
• Overall user base likely ~53–55% female, reflecting slightly higher engagement among women in rural FB ecosystems.

Most-used platforms (adults; approximate share who use the platform)

• YouTube: ~75–80%
• Facebook: ~70–75%
• Instagram: ~40–45% (skews under 40, women)
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (strong female skew)
• TikTok: ~25–35% (concentrated under 35)
• Snapchat: ~20–30% (teens/20s)
• LinkedIn: ~18–25% (lower in rural labor mix)
• X (Twitter): ~15–20% (male/news skew)
• Reddit: ~15–20% (male/younger skew)
• Nextdoor: ~5–10% (limited footprint outside larger metros)

Behavioral trends to know

• Facebook is the community hub: school districts, local government and emergency updates, church and civic groups, high school sports, yard/garage sales, and especially Marketplace for buy/sell/trade.
• Short-form video growth: Reels (FB/IG) and TikTok drive discovery; cross-posting is common for local businesses and events.
• Messaging is critical: Facebook Messenger is widely used for quick inquiries to small businesses and person-to-person commerce; WhatsApp presence is modest.
• Local news and weather: Heavy use of local TV/radio/newspaper pages; storm and road-condition updates see spikes.
• Commerce and services: Boosted FB posts outperform other paid channels for small businesses; word-of-mouth via group recommendations is influential.
• Timing: Evenings (7–9 pm) and weekend mornings see peak local engagement; Marketplace activity is strong on weekend mornings.
• Access constraints: Some reliance on mobile data in fringe areas; vertical, captioned, short videos perform better than long, high-bitrate uploads.

Notes for application

• To reach most adults quickly, start with Facebook + short-form video (FB/IG Reels); add YouTube for evergreen/how-to content.
• For younger audiences, prioritize TikTok/Instagram + Snapchat stories; for women 25–54, add Pinterest.
• Use local groups and Marketplace for event/community or retail promotions; keep posts visual, concise, and clearly local.