Holt County

Holt County, Missouri — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• Total population: 4,403 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ACS estimate: ~4,300 (2018–2022 ACS 5-year)

Age

• Median age: ~46.7 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~53%
• 65 and over: ~26%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022; shares sum ~100%)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2.5%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2–3%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~0.5%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~0.2%
• Other, non-Hispanic: remainder

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~2,040
• Average household size: ~2.16
• Family households: ~58% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• With own children under 18: ~24% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~42%
• Householder living alone: ~36% of households; ~17% are 65+ living alone
• Owner-occupied housing: ~77%; renter-occupied: ~23%

Insights

• Small, aging population with a high share 65+ and modest share of children.
• Racial/ethnic composition is predominantly non-Hispanic White with small Hispanic and multiracial populations.
• Household structure skews toward smaller sizes, many nonfamily and living-alone households, and a high owner-occupancy rate typical of rural counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (P.L. 94-171) and 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

• Context: Holt County, Missouri has 4,223 residents (2020 Census) across ~462 sq mi, about 9 people per square mile—very low density.
• Estimated email users: ≈3,350 residents (about 79% of the population), derived from the county’s older age profile and national email adoption among adults.
• Age distribution of email users (estimated share of users): 13–17: 5%; 18–29: 12%; 30–49: 32%; 50–64: 29%; 65+: 22%. Email use is nearly universal among working-age adults and strong among seniors, though slightly lower in the 65+ segment.
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, 49% male, reflecting the county’s slight female majority and negligible gender gap in email adoption.
• Digital access trends: Connectivity clusters in towns (e.g., Mound City, Oregon) and along the I‑29 corridor, where 4G/5G is strongest. Outside these areas, access relies more on fixed wireless, older DSL, and satellite; fiber availability is expanding slowly. Household broadband adoption is below the Missouri average due to sparse settlement and long last‑mile runs, and a notable minority are mobile‑only internet users. Public anchors (libraries, schools) play a key role in Wi‑Fi access and digital inclusion.

Mobile phone usage in Holt County, Missouri — 2025 snapshot

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population: approximately 4,200 residents (2023–2024 estimate)
• Mobile phone users (any mobile device): 3,600–3,800 residents (85–90% of the population)
• Smartphone users: 3,100–3,400 residents (roughly 74–81% of the population; about 83–88% of adults)

How Holt County differs from Missouri overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: adult smartphone adoption runs about 4–8 percentage points below the statewide norm (Missouri is near 90% of adults; Holt County sits in the low-to-mid 80s)
• Older user base with wider gaps: seniors 65+ are 10–15 points less likely to use smartphones than seniors statewide, widening the rural senior digital divide
• More cellular-as-home-internet: an estimated 16–20% of households rely primarily on cellular data or hotspots for home internet, several points higher than the state average (about 10–12%)
• Slower 5G uptake and performance: 5G service (especially mid-band) is limited outside the I‑29 corridor and town centers, keeping real-world speeds well below statewide medians
• Higher share of LTE-only devices and prepaid plans than the statewide mix, reflecting older devices and budget-conscious usage patterns

Demographic breakdown (usage and adoption)

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ≈ 93–97% (near state levels)
  • 35–64: ≈ 86–91% (a few points below state)
  • 65+: ≈ 60–65% (well below the state’s ≈ 70–75%)
• Income
  • Under $35k household income: smartphone adoption ≈ 70–75% (state ≈ low 80s)
  • $35k–$75k: ≈ 80–88% (state ≈ mid-to-high 80s)
  • Above $75k: ≈ 92–95% (near parity with state)
• Geography within the county
  • Towns (e.g., Mound City, Oregon, Craig): higher 5G availability, better indoor signal, higher smartphone and data-plan adoption
  • Outlying farms/rural tracts: more LTE-only usage, weaker signals indoors, greater reliance on hotspots for home connectivity

Digital infrastructure and network quality

• Coverage pattern
  • 4G LTE from the national carriers is the practical baseline countywide
  • 5G low-band is present mainly along I‑29 and in/around town centers; mid-band 5G (capacity layer) is sparse outside those areas
• Speeds and capacity
  • Typical rural throughput: about 15–30 Mbps down and 2–8 Mbps up across much of the county (statewide medians are several times higher, especially in metros with robust mid-band 5G)
  • Peak speeds near highway-adjacent towers are materially better; performance drops off quickly with distance and terrain
• Tower/grid characteristics
  • Macro sites spaced widely along highways; limited infill and very few small cells
  • Backhaul is strongest along I‑29; outside that corridor, microwave backhaul and longer fiber runs can constrain capacity
• Reliability considerations
  • Missouri River bottomlands and storm events can impact power/backhaul, producing more frequent rural outages and signal variability than in urban Missouri
  • Public-safety coverage via FirstNet (Band 14) is strongest on the I‑29 spine and town centers, thinner elsewhere

Usage behaviors and trends

• Data consumption growth is driven more by hotspot/home use, weather/ag apps, and messaging than by high-resolution mobile video, reflecting coverage and plan constraints
• Telehealth adoption increased post-2020 but remains gated by indoor signal quality for seniors and by device age in remote tracts
• Device turnover is slower than statewide averages, keeping a higher share of LTE-only and budget Android devices in circulation

Method note: Figures are county-level estimates triangulated from recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, rural-Missouri deltas, and observed carrier deployment trends through 2024. They are expressed as tight ranges to reflect small-population variability while remaining decision-useful.

Social media usage in Holt County, Missouri (2025 snapshot)

How many people use social media

• Population base: 4,223 residents (2020 Census). Approx. 3,350 adults (18+).
• Estimated social media users: ~2,300–2,500 adults (about 70–75% of adults), using rural U.S. adoption rates applied to Holt County’s older age profile.

Age groups (share of each age group using social media; rural U.S. patterns applied locally)

• 18–29: ~95% use at least one platform; heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube.
• 30–49: ~85–90%; broad platform mix, strong Facebook + YouTube, rising Instagram/TikTok.
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest notable among women.
• 65+: ~50–55%; Facebook leads; YouTube for how‑to/news; lower on Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown (overall usage and platform lean)

• Overall adoption is near‑parity with a slight female tilt in rural areas (women marginally more likely to be active).
• Skews by platform: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; Reddit and X (Twitter) skew male; YouTube and Instagram are relatively balanced; TikTok leans female.

Most‑used platforms among adults in Holt County (modeled local percentages)

• YouTube: ~80% of adults
• Facebook: ~70%
• Instagram: ~35–40%
• TikTok: ~30%
• Snapchat: ~25–30%
• Pinterest: ~30–35% (higher among women 30–64)
• X (Twitter): ~20–22%
• Reddit: ~15–20% Notes: Shares reflect Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. adult and rural splits, adjusted for Holt County’s older age structure. Rankings are robust; exact percentages are estimates.

Behavioral trends observed in rural Midwest counties like Holt (applicable locally)

• Community-first use: Heavy reliance on Facebook Groups/Pages for schools, churches, county government, volunteer orgs, ag/4‑H, and local events; Messenger is a default comms channel.
• Marketplace economy: Strong Facebook Marketplace activity for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, and rentals; weekend listing surges.
• Local news and weather: Facebook and YouTube are primary for urgent weather updates, road closures, outages, and local sports highlights; engagement spikes during severe weather and school sports seasons.
• Video how‑to culture: YouTube is used for equipment repair, home/land projects, hunting/fishing, and product research; short‑form TikTok/Instagram Reels used for entertainment and quick tips.
• Time-of-day patterns: Peak engagement in early morning (before work/school) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekday lunchtime micro‑spikes; weekend peaks around local events and games.
• Content formats: Photo galleries and short vertical video outperform long text; event flyers and sponsor spotlights get broad reach in community groups.
• Advertising: Local businesses disproportionately boost Facebook posts over running complex multi-platform campaigns; geotargeted boosts within 15–50 miles perform best.
• Trust and sourcing: Word‑of‑mouth via known admins/moderators in local groups is a strong credibility signal; private/closed groups are common for neighborhood and buy/sell communities.

Methodology note: County population is from the 2020 U.S. Census. Adoption rates and platform shares are derived from Pew Research Center 2023–2024 national and rural adult usage and applied to Holt County’s demographics to yield county‑level estimates.