Howell County

Howell County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 39,750 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 40.6 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.6%
• 18–64: 55.9%
• 65 and over: 20.5%

Gender

• Female: 50.9%
• Male: 49.1%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: 93.1%
• Black or African American alone: 1.1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.8%
• Asian alone: 0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): 3.1%
• Non-Hispanic White: 90.5%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~15,760
• Average household size: 2.49
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49% of households
• One-person households: ~29%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Housing tenure: 71% owner-occupied, 29% renter-occupied

Insights

• Small, predominantly White, rural county with an older-than-national median age, high owner-occupancy, and mostly family households with modest household sizes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Email users (estimated)

• Total users: ≈31,000 residents age 13+ (≈29,000 adults 18+), modeled from ACS Howell County population ≈40,000 and Pew 2023 email adoption (~92% adults, ~80% teens).

Age distribution of users (share of users)

• 13–17: ≈6%
• 18–29: ≈15%
• 30–49: ≈30%
• 50–64: ≈27%
• 65+: ≈22%

Gender split

• Roughly even (≈50/50), with a slight female majority consistent with the county sex ratio; email adoption is effectively equal by gender.

Digital access trends

• Household broadband subscription is in the mid‑70% range and rising, with growth from fiber and fixed‑wireless builds; smartphone‑only internet households are in the low‑teens.
• Coverage gaps persist in outlying rural areas; mobile 4G/5G covers most populated corridors, with speeds improving but variable at the fringes.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Population density ≈44 residents per square mile (rural).
• West Plains is the primary internet/broadband hub; Ozark Plateau terrain contributes to last‑mile costs and pockets of limited fixed service.

Notes: Estimates derived from U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2022–2023) population/age structure and Pew Research Center 2023 email adoption benchmarks.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Howell County, Missouri

User estimates (most recent data triangulated from 2020 Census population, rural smartphone adoption benchmarks, and ACS patterns for rural Missouri)

• Population baseline: ~39,700 residents; ~31,000 adults (18+).
• Smartphone users: 25,000–27,000 adults use a smartphone regularly.
• Basic/feature phone users: 3,000–4,000 adults rely on non-smartphone mobile devices.
• Adults without a mobile phone: roughly 2,000–3,000.
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband): approximately 18–22% of households, higher than the statewide share.
• Prepaid plans: noticeably higher share than statewide, driven by income constraints and credit frictions; national rural benchmarks suggest prepaid penetration several points above metro Missouri.

Demographic breakdown (ownership and dependency patterns)

• Age
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone ownership (mid-90%); high app-based communication and streaming reliance.
  • 35–64: high ownership (around 85–90%); frequent hotspot use when wired service is weak.
  • 65+: lower ownership (roughly mid-60s percent), with a sizable minority using basic phones; digital literacy and income drive gaps more than interest alone.
• Income and education
  • Lower-income households disproportionately rely on smartphone-only connectivity and prepaid plans.
  • Households without a computer but with a smartphone are more common than the state average, increasing dependence on mobile data for school, work, and telehealth.
• Geography
  • West Plains and corridors along US‑63 and US‑160 show stronger device adoption and higher data usage.
  • Outlying and holler terrain areas exhibit more basic-phone retention and intermittent data usage due to coverage variability.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, T‑Mobile, and UScellular have a footprint; UScellular retains outsized relevance versus metro Missouri.
• 5G availability: Present in and around West Plains and along primary corridors; outside these nodes, coverage frequently reverts to LTE bands (700/850 MHz), with mid-band 5G capacity limited compared with urban Missouri.
• Terrain effects: Ozark Plateau topography causes signal shadowing and dead zones, especially in valleys and forested areas off main highways. This creates pronounced differences in indoor coverage and necessitates external antennas or boosters for many households and small businesses.
• Network performance: Median speeds are lower and more variable than the statewide median; capacity dips during peak hours and during events are more noticeable due to fewer macro sites per capita outside West Plains.
• Emergency and public safety: FirstNet adoption is meaningful among local agencies; coverage priority on AT&T improves reliability but does not eliminate terrain-induced gaps.

How Howell County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher smartphone-only reliance: A larger share of households use smartphones as their primary or only internet connection compared with the state average, reflecting limited cable/fiber availability.
• Slightly lower overall smartphone ownership: Total adult smartphone adoption trails Missouri’s statewide level by several percentage points, largely due to an older age profile and lower median incomes.
• Greater carrier mix diversity: UScellular has a larger relative presence than in metro counties; residents are more likely to choose carriers based on specific road and valley coverage rather than price alone.
• More prepaid usage: Prepaid and MVNO plans have a higher share of lines than in urban Missouri, tied to income and credit dynamics and Walmart-centric retail availability.
• Coverage variability: The gap between highway/town coverage and off‑corridor rural coverage is wider than the state average, producing more frequent signal drop-offs and prompting device/booster workarounds.
• Slower 5G transition: Mid-band 5G capacity is less pervasive than in Missouri’s metros; many users still experience LTE‑first service and lower peak throughput, especially indoors and in low-lying areas.

Implications

• Mobile networks function as the default broadband for a sizable minority of households, making data caps, hotspot allowances, and plan pricing disproportionately impactful.
• Targeted tower infill, mid-band 5G upgrades, and indoor coverage solutions in non-corridor areas would close the largest service gaps faster than statewide averages suggest.
• Digital inclusion efforts aimed at seniors and low-income residents—device assistance, training, and subsidized plans—would yield outsized gains due to higher smartphone dependency and lower fixed-broadband penetration.

Social media usage in Howell County, Missouri (2024 snapshot)

Baseline

• Population: ~39,700 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS). Adults 18+: ~31,000. Teens 13–17: ~2,450.
• Note: Platform figures below are 2024 county-level estimates modeled from Pew Research Center adoption rates (with rural adjustments) applied to ACS population.

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% of adults ≈ 22,300 people.

Most‑used platforms among adults (share of 18+; est. users)

• YouTube: 82% (~25,400)
• Facebook: 72% (~22,300)
• Instagram: 40% (~12,400)
• Pinterest: 36% (~11,200)
• TikTok: 32% (~9,900)
• Snapchat: 27% (~8,400)
• X (Twitter): 20% (~6,200)
• LinkedIn: 20% (~6,200)
• Reddit: 17% (~5,300)
• Nextdoor: 10% (~3,100)

Age patterns

• Teens (13–17): Heavy YouTube (95%), TikTok (63%), Instagram (62%), Snapchat (60%); Facebook (33%), X/Reddit (20%). Daily use skews to short‑form video and messaging streaks; school, sports, and local trend content dominate.
• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; high Instagram and Snapchat; TikTok common. Facebook used but less central for this group.
• 30–49: Facebook is primary hub (Groups, Marketplace, school/activities). YouTube very high; Instagram moderate; TikTok rising for short‑form.
• 50–64: Facebook remains dominant; YouTube strong for how‑to, news clips, and local content; Pinterest notable (home, recipes, crafts).
• 65+: Facebook for family/church/community updates; YouTube for instructional and entertainment. Lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat/Instagram.

Gender breakdown (adults; estimated tendencies)

• Female (≈51% of county): Over‑index on Facebook (75%+), Pinterest (45–50%), Instagram (40%+), TikTok (33–35%). Strong engagement with Groups, events, local businesses, and Marketplace.
• Male (≈49%): Over‑index on YouTube (85%), Reddit (20%+), X (22–24%). Facebook still broad (65–70%). Content skews toward sports, outdoors, DIY/repair, and local news/weather.

Behavioral trends in Howell County

• Facebook as the community backbone: High engagement with local Groups (buy/sell/trade, school, church, youth sports), local government, public safety, and weather/road updates. Marketplace is a top driver of activity.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube across all ages for how‑to, hunting/fishing, farming, small‑engine/auto repair, music, and local event recaps; Facebook Reels and TikTok for short, casual local content.
• Trust and sharing dynamics: Content from known people, local organizations, and community pages travels far; missing pets, closures, fundraisers, and local deals get high shares and comments.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is the default for many adults; Snapchat is the default for teens/young adults. WhatsApp usage is comparatively low.
• Commerce and calls-to-action: Strong response to time‑bound, hyperlocal offers and event‑based posts; direct messages and comments are common conversion paths. Pinterest drives save‑for‑later behaviors (recipes, crafts, home projects).
• Posting vs. lurking: Most adults are viewers/reactors; a smaller core of local admins, coaches, and business owners generate a large share of posts.

Sources and method

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (Howell County, MO).
• Platform adoption and demographics: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024; Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023. County figures are modeled estimates applying Pew adoption rates (with rural weighting) to ACS population; rounding may cause small discrepancies.