Dallas County

Dallas County, Missouri — key demographics

• Population

  • 17,071 (2020 Census)
  • ~17,000 (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate)

• Age

  • Median age: ~43 years
  • Under 18: ~23%
  • 65 and over: ~20%

• Sex

  • Female: ~50–51%
  • Male: ~49–50%

• Race/ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023, shares sum to ~100)

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

• Households (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Total households: ~6,800
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~4,700 (≈69% of households)
  • Average family size: ~3.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Here’s a practical, data‑informed estimate for Dallas County, Missouri (pop. ~17.3k):

• Estimated email users: ~12,000 adults (≈69% of total residents), using rural internet adoption and Pew email-use rates.
• Age mix among email users (approx.):
  • 18–29: 17%
  • 30–49: 36%
  • 50–64: 28%
  • 65+: 20%
• Gender split among email users: roughly even (≈51% female, 49% male).

Digital access and trends:

• Household internet/broadband subscription likely around 65–75%, below state/national averages; mobile‑only internet common (≈10–15% of households).
• Adoption has risen since 2020 (remote school/telehealth), but older adults and lower‑income households lag.
• Service is best in/near Buffalo and along major corridors; more remote areas rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, with variable speeds.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Rural county, ~32 people per square mile (low density raises last‑mile costs and slows fiber buildout).
• Coverage gaps persist in lightly populated, wooded, or hilly areas; fixed‑wireless providers and co‑ops are expanding, but pockets with sub‑25 Mbps remain.

Notes: Estimates synthesized from ACS/FCC patterns and Pew U.S. email usage; local figures can vary by neighborhood and provider.

Mobile phone usage in Dallas County, Missouri — summary and how it differs from the state

Quick take

• Dallas County is a rural, aging county with solid but uneven mobile coverage. Adoption is high overall but a bit below Missouri’s metro-driven averages. More residents rely on mobile as their primary internet due to limited wired options outside Buffalo and highway corridors.

Estimated users (order-of-magnitude; based on Census-like population levels ~17k and Pew rural adoption rates)

• Total mobile phone users (any mobile): roughly 12,500–14,500 people.
• Smartphone users: roughly 11,000–13,000.
• Share of adults with a smartphone: about 78–83% (vs Missouri ~85–90%).
• Smartphone-only (no home broadband) adults: about 25–30% in the county (vs Missouri ~18–22%), reflecting sparse wired broadband outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown (patterns and likely shares)

• Age
  • 18–49: very high smartphone ownership (~90–95%); heavy app/social/video use similar to state.
  • 50–64: high ownership (~80–85%) but more cost-sensitive plans and slower device upgrade cycles than state average.
  • 65+: materially lower smartphone adoption (~60–70%); higher share of basic/feature phones and talk/text-centric plans than state.
• Income and plan type
  • Lower-income households are more prevalent than statewide; prepaid and budget MVNO plans are used more often (estimated 30–40% of lines vs ~20–25% statewide).
  • Android share is higher (roughly 65–70% Android vs ~55–60% statewide), driven by price-sensitive upgrades.
• Household internet behavior
  • “Mobile-only” households are notably more common, using phone hotspots or carrier fixed wireless for home internet. This is a key divergence from metro Missouri.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is predominantly White; observed usage gaps align more with age, income, and geography than with race compared with the state as a whole.

Digital infrastructure and coverage (what residents experience)

• Coverage footprint
  • Reliable 4G LTE from major carriers along US-65, MO-73, and in/around Buffalo; service degrades in wooded hollows and river valleys away from highways.
  • 5G low-band from AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon is present on primary corridors; mid-band 5G (faster) appears in limited highway/town sectors. mmWave is effectively absent.
• Capacity and speeds
  • Typical LTE: ~5–25 Mbps off-peak; low-band 5G: ~30–100 Mbps; mid-band 5G (where available): ~100–300 Mbps. These are below big-city Missouri norms and vary strongly by site load and terrain.
• Tower grid and backhaul
  • Sparser macro-site spacing than state average; more microwave-fed sites and fewer fiber-fed sites than in metros, which can cap performance and resiliency during storms.
• Alternatives and complements
  • Cable or fiber is largely limited to Buffalo and a few pockets; elsewhere, residents lean on fixed wireless ISPs, carrier 5G home internet, or satellite—driving higher mobile network dependence.
• Public safety
  • AT&T FirstNet generally tracks AT&T macro coverage along major roads; off-corridor reliability varies with power/backhaul redundancy.

How Dallas County trends differ from Missouri overall

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption, especially among 65+.
• Higher reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and Android devices.
• A noticeably larger share of “mobile-only” households for home internet.
• More pronounced coverage gaps and speed variability off highways due to terrain and a sparser tower/backhaul footprint.
• Slower 5G capacity rollout (mid-band) than in metro areas like St. Louis, Kansas City, or Springfield, though low-band 5G is fairly widespread on main routes.

Notes on method and confidence

• Figures are estimates derived from county population levels, rural smartphone adoption benchmarks from national surveys, and typical rural Missouri infrastructure patterns; exact counts vary by carrier and location within the county.

Below is a concise, best-available snapshot. Precise, county-level platform stats aren’t formally published, so figures are estimates modeled from Pew Research Center U.S. social media data (2023–2024), Missouri/rural usage patterns, and Dallas County’s size/demographics.

Estimated user base

• Population: ~17–18K; adults ~13K.
• Online/social users: roughly 10–12K adults use at least one social platform (most via smartphone; many “mobile-only” connections).

Most‑used platforms (share of adults; Dallas County estimates)

• YouTube: 75–85%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 35–45%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30% (skews under 30)
• Pinterest: 25–35% (skews female)
• X (Twitter): 10–20% (niche: sports/news)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (professional niche)
• Reddit: 10–15% (younger male skew)
• Nextdoor: <10% (limited neighborhood density)

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; minimal Facebook; Instagram moderate.
• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; high Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Facebook for family/local ties.
• 30–49: Facebook dominant for groups/Marketplace; YouTube strong; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest noticeable; lighter Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook (community/church/county updates) and YouTube (how‑to, news) most common.

Gender tendencies

• Women: Over‑index on Facebook Groups/Marketplace, Instagram, Pinterest; more local event and family content sharing.
• Men: Over‑index on YouTube, Reddit, X; more how‑to, outdoors, sports, and tech content.

Behavioral trends (what locals actually do)

• Hyper‑local Facebook is the hub: community and “buy/sell/trade” groups, school sports, church updates, county services, weather/emergency alerts; Facebook Messenger is default DM.
• Marketplace is a major behavior (vehicles, farm/ranch gear, tools, furniture).
• Video consumption is big: YouTube for how‑to (auto, home, farm equipment), local sports highlights; short‑form (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) for small‑business promos, crafts, hunting/fishing, and fair/seasonal content.
• Teens/young adults: Snapchat streaks and group chats; TikTok for entertainment and trends; Instagram Stories for friends/events.
• Posting vs. lurking: Many adults are “readers” who rarely post but engage via reactions/shares, especially on local issues.
• Timing: Peaks before work (6–8am), evenings (7–10pm), and weekends; activity spikes around severe weather, school seasons, county fair, hunting seasons.
• Access realities: More smartphone‑only households than urban areas; patchy broadband pushes short‑form and compressed video; Wi‑Fi at schools/churches/businesses is important.

Notes for planning/outreach

• To reach 30+: Facebook Groups + Marketplace ads work best; use plain language, local imagery, and clear calls to action.
• To reach under‑30: Short‑form video on TikTok and Instagram Reels; emphasize music, humor, and peer/social proof.
• Educational/how‑to content performs well across ages on YouTube; keep clips concise and practical.