Dekalb County

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• 2020 Decennial Census
• ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (most detailed for small counties; default if no preference)
• 2024/2023 Census Population Estimates (population only)

If no preference, I’ll provide ACS 2019–2023 5-year figures.

DeKalb County, MO email usage (estimates)

• Population base: ~11,000 residents.
• Estimated email users: ~9,000 (about 80–85% of residents; ~90%+ of adults).

By age

• Under 18 (~22%; ~2,400 people): ~60% use email ≈ 1,400 users.
• 18–64 (~58%; ~6,400 people): ~92% use email ≈ 5,900 users.
• 65+ (~20%; ~2,200 people): ~70–80% use email ≈ 1,500–1,700 users.
• Trend: adult adoption is near‑universal; growth mainly among older adults and teens via school accounts.

Gender split

• Population is roughly even male/female; email adoption is similarly even (differences are small and within a few percentage points).

Digital access and trends

• Broadband subscription: roughly three‑quarters of households; 10–20% are smartphone‑only or lack home internet (typical for rural MO).
• Cellular data fills gaps; coverage strongest in and between towns, weaker in outlying areas.
• Ongoing state/federal rural broadband investments are expanding fiber and fixed‑wireless options; gradual uptick in home subscriptions and speeds.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Low population density (~25–27 people/sq. mile) increases last‑mile costs and dead zones.
• Access hubs (schools, libraries, municipal Wi‑Fi) in towns like Maysville, Stewartsville, Osborn, and Clarksdale support residents without reliable home service.

Here’s a county-focused snapshot that pulls together best-available public indicators and rural adoption patterns. Figures are estimates meant to be reasonable planning numbers rather than exact counts.

Quick context

• Location and size: DeKalb County in northwest Missouri, population roughly 11,000, highly rural with small towns (Maysville, Stewartsville, Osborn, Union Star) and part of Cameron along I‑35/US‑36.
• Why it differs from Missouri overall: older age profile, lower density, more agricultural/blue‑collar employment, and fewer cell sites per square mile than urban/suburban counties.

Estimated mobile phone users

• Total mobile users: about 8,800–9,300 people use a mobile phone in DeKalb County (roughly 80–85% of all residents, inclusive of most teens).
• Smartphone users: about 7,800–8,300 people use a smartphone.
• Basis for estimate:
  • Adults (≈78–80% of residents): 92–95% have a cellphone; 80–85% have a smartphone.
  • Teens (13–17): high smartphone adoption (≈85–95%).
  • Children 10–12: moderate phone adoption (≈50–60%).
• Wireless‑only households: Likely high and rising. Rural Missouri counties typically exceed urban areas in the share of households that rely primarily on mobile or fixed‑wireless for connectivity, reflecting limited wireline options and cost sensitivity.

Demographic patterns and usage

• Age: Higher share of 65+ than state average. This pulls smartphone adoption down a few points vs Missouri overall and sustains a visible niche of basic/flip phones. Among 65+, text and voice remain relatively important; among working‑age adults, data/hotspot use is common.
• Income and plan mix: Lower median household income than Missouri overall contributes to:
  • Greater reliance on prepaid/MVNO plans and budget Android devices.
  • Longer device replacement cycles (3–4+ years is common).
  • Family plans with major carriers where coverage is superior.
• Occupation and use cases: Agriculture, trades, logistics, and commuting along US‑36/I‑35 drive:
  • Preference for carriers with stronger highway and field coverage.
  • Higher use of hotspotting for laptops/tablets and farm/field operations.
  • Interest in rugged devices and external antennas/boosters on vehicles.
• Schools and youth: Pockets of high youth smartphone use around Cameron and school hubs; home connectivity gaps sometimes backfilled with phone‑based hotspotting.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and performance:
  • 4G LTE is broadly available; low‑band 5G covers much of the county.
  • Mid‑band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile 2.5 GHz, AT&T/Verizon C‑band) is strongest near Cameron and along US‑36/I‑35; away from corridors, service often falls back to LTE or low‑band 5G with LTE‑like speeds.
  • Indoor coverage can be challenging in metal‑roof homes and low‑lying areas; Wi‑Fi calling is widely used.
• Carrier landscape:
  • AT&T and Verizon typically provide the widest geographic reach in farm and fringe areas; they’re favored for reliability on back roads and in fields.
  • T‑Mobile can be the speed leader where it has mid‑band 5G (notably near Cameron/US‑36), but coverage is patchier deep rural.
  • MVNOs perform well where their host network is strong; users often pick MVNOs tied to the locally best macro network.
• Tower density and backhaul:
  • Macro towers cluster along highways and town edges; small‑cell density is minimal compared to metro Missouri.
  • Regional fiber (e.g., United Fiber and other co‑ops/utilities) has expanded along key corridors and towns, improving tower backhaul and enabling 5G upgrades; some remote sites still rely on microwave backhaul, constraining capacity.
• Public safety and resilience:
  • AT&T FirstNet presence benefits local agencies; backup power is common on key sites but long rural outages can still degrade coverage.
• Cross‑county dynamics:
  • Commuters and shoppers pull network usage toward Cameron and St. Joseph; peak loads and best performance concentrate along those corridors.

What’s notably different from Missouri statewide

• Adoption:
  • Smartphone adoption is a few points lower than the state average due to an older age mix and cost sensitivity.
  • Prepaid/MVNO share is higher; upgrade cycles are longer.
• Usage patterns:
  • Heavier reliance on hotspotting/mobile data for home and farm connectivity than in metro Missouri.
  • Coverage‑driven carrier choice dominates over price/features; users switch based on which network works at their home or along their route.
• Network footprint:
  • Fewer towers per square mile; mid‑band 5G buildout lags urban Missouri and is concentrated along US‑36/I‑35 and Cameron.
  • More frequent indoor coverage gaps and dead zones in hollows/valleys; Wi‑Fi calling and boosters are more common coping tools.
• Capacity and speeds:
  • Peak 5G speeds available near corridors, but countywide median speeds tend to trail metro counties due to sparser mid‑band and more microwave‑backhauled sites.

Planning takeaways

• Expect roughly 9,000 mobile users in the county today, with 7,800–8,300 on smartphones.
• Prioritize coverage and reliability over raw speed for countywide reach; mid‑band 5G adds value mainly near Cameron/US‑36.
• Price‑sensitive segments respond to MVNO/prepaid options, but only if they ride the locally best network.
• Support for Wi‑Fi calling, hotspot allowances, external antennas/boosters, and rugged devices aligns well with local needs.

Note: Direct, platform-level stats for DeKalb County, MO aren’t published. The figures below are best-available estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. social media benchmarks, adjusted for Missouri rural counties with similar age/income profiles.

Overall usage (adults)

• Share using at least one social platform: ~70–80%
• Daily users: ~55–65% of adults
• Typical platforms per user: 2–3
• Predominantly mobile access; video streaming concentrated on home Wi‑Fi

Age mix (adoption of at least one platform)

• 13–17: 90%+
• 18–29: 90–95%
• 30–49: 85–90%
• 50–64: 70–80%
• 65+: 45–60%

Gender

• Overall user base roughly even by gender (slight female tilt due to older age structure)
• Platform skews: women higher on Facebook and Pinterest; men higher on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter). Instagram and TikTok are closer to balanced.

Most-used platforms (adult reach, estimated)

• Facebook: ~65–75% (strongest single network; Groups and Marketplace are key)
• YouTube: ~70–80% (near-universal among younger adults; strong across ages)
• Instagram: ~30–40% (concentrated under 40)
• TikTok: ~25–35% (fast growth, strongest under 35)
• Snapchat: ~20–30% (teens/younger adults; messaging-centric)
• Pinterest: ~25–35% (skews female; home, crafts, recipes)
• X (Twitter): ~12–20% (news/sports/politics niche)
• LinkedIn: ~10–18% (smaller professional niche)
• Reddit: ~10–15% (younger tech/hobby communities)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups for local news, school sports, churches, events, storm updates, lost-and-found.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is the default for buying/selling farm/ranch items, vehicles, tools, and household goods.
• Video habits: YouTube for how-to, ag, hunting/fishing, small-engine repair; TikTok/shorts rising for quick tips and entertainment.
• Messaging over posting: Younger users prefer DMs (Snapchat/Instagram/TikTok) vs public feeds; older users post/share on Facebook.
• Event-driven spikes: Engagement jumps around severe weather, elections, county fairs, and high school sports.
• Trust cues: Content from known locals/organizations outperforms brand pages; photos of people/places and practical tips get the most interactions.
• Timing: Evenings (7–10 pm) and weekends show strongest reach; school-year activities create weekday late-afternoon bumps.
• Content format: Short vertical video and single-photo posts outperform long text; carousel albums work for events.
• Discovery: Word-of-mouth and cross-posting in local Groups are more effective than hashtags; geo-targeted ads with clear local value convert best.
• Caution areas: Older users more susceptible to reposted misinformation; clear sourcing and recognizable local admins increase credibility.