Laclede County

Key demographics for Laclede County, Missouri

Population size

• 36,039 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~39.6 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~90.9%
• Black or African American alone: ~1.2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.9%
• Asian alone: ~0.7%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Some other race alone: ~1.2%
• Two or more races: ~5.0%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3.2%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~14,100
• Average household size: ~2.54
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~49% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~34%; living alone: ~28%
• Households with children under 18: ~30%
• Homeownership rate: ~71% (owner-occupied share); renter-occupied: ~29%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (DP-1); American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (DP02, DP04, DP05).

Laclede County, MO snapshot (2023/ACS-based)

• Population/density: ≈36.5k residents across ≈768 sq mi (≈48 people/sq mi). Roughly 40% live in/around Lebanon along I‑44, where broadband options and speeds are highest.

Email usage (estimated)

• Active email users: ≈25,000 residents (≈69% of total population).
• Gender split of email users: 51% female, 49% male (mirrors county demographics).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–24: 17%
  • 25–44: 32%
  • 45–64: 31%
  • 65+: 20%

Digital access and trends

• Households with a computer: ≈88%.
• Households with a broadband subscription: ≈79%.
• Households with no internet subscription: ≈19%.
• Smartphone‑only internet households: ≈10%.
• Trend (2016→2022): Broadband subscriptions up ~8–10 percentage points; smartphone/fixed‑wireless reliance rising, especially outside Lebanon; the share of offline households declining.
• Connectivity pattern: ≥100 Mbps service commonly available in Lebanon and the I‑44 corridor; rural southern/eastern tracts more dependent on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite and exhibit lower subscription rates.

Insights: Email adoption is near‑universal among connected adults; growth potential remains in older and rural cohorts where broadband gaps persist.

Summary Laclede County, Missouri is more mobile-dependent than the state overall. Rural settlement patterns outside the city of Lebanon, combined with gaps in fixed broadband options, translate into a higher share of households using cellular data as their primary or only internet connection and heavier day-to-day reliance on LTE. 5G is present along the I-44 corridor and in/near Lebanon, but outside those areas usage tends to fall back to LTE.

User estimates

• Population baseline: 36,039 residents (2020 Census).
• Adult base: roughly 27,500–28,000 residents age 18+.
• Estimated smartphone users: about 23,000 adults use smartphones in the county, reflecting strong adoption among younger and working-age residents and lower adoption among seniors.
• Household internet via cellular:
  • Any household with a cellular data plan: materially higher than the Missouri average.
  • Cellular data plan as the only household internet subscription: materially higher than the Missouri average.
  • Households with no home internet subscription: higher than the Missouri average.

How Laclede differs from Missouri overall (directional deltas are consistent across recent ACS and state planning analyses)

• Cellular data plan only (mobile-only internet) households: higher share than the state average.
• Any household cellular data plan: higher than the state average.
• No home internet subscription: higher than the state average.
• Fixed broadband (cable/fiber) adoption: lower than the state average.
• Day-to-day mobile use on LTE rather than 5G: higher than the state average, particularly outside the Lebanon micropolitan area.

Demographic breakdown of mobile reliance and usage

• Age:
  • 18–44: near-universal smartphone adoption; highest rates of mobile video, social, and messaging; most likely to tether or hotspot when fixed service is unavailable.
  • 45–64: high smartphone adoption and frequent cellular data plan usage; a notable cohort uses cellular as a backup to slower DSL or satellite.
  • 65+: significantly lower smartphone adoption than younger cohorts and the highest “no home internet” rates; when connected, seniors more often rely on a shared household cellular plan rather than individual subscriptions.
• Income:
  • Lower-income households are more likely to be cellular-only for home internet, reflecting both price sensitivity and limited fixed options in outlying areas.
  • Middle-income households frequently combine mobile plus cable/DSL in Lebanon; outside the city, many rely on mobile plus fixed wireless.
• Geography within the county:
  • Lebanon and the I-44 corridor: denser tower siting, broad LTE and targeted 5G coverage; better in-building performance and higher median speeds.
  • Rural townships north/south of the corridor: sparser tower grid, line-of-sight and terrain limitations; LTE is the workhorse, with 5G availability being spotty and more variable indoors.

Digital infrastructure points

• Radio access networks:
  • All three national carriers operate in the county. 4G LTE coverage is extensive along I-44, US-5, and MO-32.
  • 5G coverage is anchored in and around Lebanon and along the interstate, with performance and availability tapering in rural areas where sites are farther apart.
  • Public safety coverage is reinforced along the corridor; Band 14/FirstNet-capable sites serve key segments, improving resiliency for first responders.
• Backhaul and tower siting:
  • Macro towers cluster along transportation corridors and at Lebanon, with wider spacing in outlying areas, contributing to lower rural signal quality and capacity during peak hours.
  • Microwave backhaul supplements fiber in rural sectors; fiber-fed sites are concentrated near Lebanon and the interstate.
• Fixed-broadband context that shapes mobile dependence:
  • Cable and some fiber are available in Lebanon; many rural addresses face limited DSL, satellite, or fixed-wireless options.
  • Fixed-wireless ISPs fill gaps outside the city but are sensitive to terrain and foliage; this drives households to maintain robust mobile plans as primary or fallback connectivity.

Operational implications and trends to watch

• Traffic mix: Higher share of mobile hotspot/tethering and video over LTE than the state average outside metropolitan areas; capacity constraints show up evenings and during events in Lebanon.
• Device mix: More budget and midrange Android handsets relative to metro Missouri, correlating with price sensitivity and prepaid plan usage; BYOD remains common for small businesses.
• 5G growth vector: Additional 5G carriers (mid-band deployments) will most meaningfully improve experience in Lebanon and along I-44 first; rural sectors will benefit incrementally as sites are upgraded or densified.
• Equity gap: Seniors and lower-income households are more exposed to connectivity shortfalls; mobile service often acts as the primary on-ramp, making coverage consistency and affordable plans pivotal.

Bottom line Compared with Missouri overall, Laclede County shows greater dependence on mobile networks for everyday connectivity, a higher share of cellular-only households, and more frequent LTE-first usage patterns outside the Lebanon core. Investments that densify sites beyond the I-44 corridor, expand mid-band 5G, and improve affordable plan access will have outsized impact on user experience and digital inclusion in the county.

Social media usage in Laclede County, MO (2025)

Overall reach and usage

• Adults using at least one major platform monthly: ~84%
• Daily social users: ~63%
• Average platforms used per adult: ~2.7

Most-used platforms (monthly reach, adults)

• YouTube: ~74%
• Facebook: ~71%
• Facebook Messenger: ~55%
• Instagram: ~33%
• Pinterest: ~28%
• TikTok: ~27%
• Snapchat: ~22%
• X (Twitter): ~14%
• Reddit: ~12%
• LinkedIn: ~10%
• WhatsApp: ~9%
• Nextdoor: ~5%

Age patterns

• 18–24: Near-universal YouTube; heavy Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; Facebook used for events and groups more than posting.
• 25–34: YouTube and Facebook core; Instagram strong; TikTok common for entertainment and local recommendations.
• 35–54: Facebook and YouTube dominate; rising time in Reels/Shorts; Pinterest used for home/DIY, recipes, and family activities.
• 55+: Facebook is primary; YouTube for news and how‑to content; lower adoption of Instagram/TikTok but growing among early retirees.

Gender breakdown among local social users

• Overall: ~53% female, ~47% male
• Platform skews:
  • Pinterest: ~80% female
  • Snapchat: ~55% female
  • Instagram: ~56% female
  • Facebook: ~55% female
  • TikTok: ~54% female
  • YouTube: ~55% male
  • Reddit: ~70% male
  • X (Twitter): ~60% male
  • LinkedIn: ~54% male

Behavioral trends

• Community first: High participation in Facebook Groups tied to schools, churches, local sports, yard sales; Facebook Marketplace is a major buying/selling channel.
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (Reels/Shorts) is the fastest-growing format across ages; sub‑30‑second clips perform best for completion.
• Messaging habits: Facebook Messenger is the default for family and community coordination; Snapchat is common among under‑35s for daily communication.
• Local discovery: Residents rely on Facebook pages/groups and YouTube for local businesses, events, and public-service updates; engagement spikes around school announcements, weather events, and local government decisions.
• Shopping journey: Social-to-store path is common; promotions, limited-time offers, and clear value statements outperform brand-only messages; reviews and word-of-mouth in groups strongly influence purchase.
• Timing: Engagement typically peaks evenings (7–9 pm CT) and weekend middays; mornings skew to news/weather check-ins.
• Content that works: Practical, community-relevant posts; short videos with captions; photo carousels for listings and events; straightforward CTAs; geo-targeting within ~10–25 miles of Lebanon for ads.

Notes on figures

• Statistics are 2025 modeled estimates for Laclede County adults, derived from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption, adjusted for rural markets, and aligned to the county’s age/gender profile (ACS). Percentages are rounded to whole numbers.