Lewis County

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

Population

• Total population: 10,032 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 5-year)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (alone or in combination; Hispanic may be of any race)

• White: ~95%
• Black or African American: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: <1%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic/Latino (of any race): ~1–2%

Households

• Total households: ~4,000
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Family households: ~65%
• Nonfamily households: ~35%

Insights

• Small, rural, and aging population with near gender parity.
• Predominantly White, with relatively low racial/ethnic diversity.
• Household sizes are modest, and family households constitute about two-thirds of all households.

• Population and density: Lewis County, MO has about 10,032 residents across roughly 505 sq mi (~20 people/sq mi), indicating very rural connectivity patterns.
• Estimated email users: ~7,000 residents (≈70% of total; ≈88% of adults).
• Gender split among email users: ~3,570 female (51%) and ~3,430 male (49%).
• Age distribution of email users (count, share):
  • 13–17: ~350 (5%)
  • 18–29: ~1,190 (17%)
  • 30–49: ~2,170 (31%)
  • 50–64: ~1,890 (27%)
  • 65+: ~1,400 (20%)
• Digital access and usage trends:
  • ~74% of households subscribe to home broadband; ~82% have a computer.
  • ~16% are smartphone‑only internet households, lifting email use via mobile even where fixed lines lag.
  • ≥95% of households have access to at least 25/3 Mbps; ~65% have 100/20 Mbps or better, with fastest options concentrated in Canton/La Grange and along the US‑61 corridor.
  • Outside towns, many rely on DSL or fixed wireless; cellular 4G/5G is strongest on major routes with weaker pockets in low‑lying or wooded areas.
• Insight: High adult email penetration persists, but speed and reliability vary sharply with settlement density, shaping heavier mobile email reliance in sparsely populated areas.

Mobile phone usage in Lewis County, Missouri (2025 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Residents: ~10,200; adults (18+): ~7,900
• Adult mobile phone ownership: ~95% (smartphone 82%, basic/feature phone 13%, no mobile 5%)
  • Adult smartphone users: ~6,500
  • Basic/feature‑phone users: ~1,000
  • Adults without a mobile phone: ~400
• Active mobile connections (phones, tablets, watches, IoT): ~12,500–13,500 total (≈1.25–1.35 lines per resident), consistent with U.S. rural penetration
• Smartphone‑only internet households (no fixed home broadband, rely on cellular): ~16–18% of households (Missouri ≈12%)
• Prepaid share of handset lines: ~28–32% (Missouri ≈20–24%)

How Lewis County differs from Missouri overall

• Slightly lower smartphone penetration: ~82% of adults vs Missouri ~85–88%
• Older population skews usage: more 65+ residents and a notably larger gap in senior smartphone adoption (county ~60% vs state ~70–75%)
• Greater prepaid usage and budget plans: prepaid handset share 7–10 percentage points higher than the state average
• Higher reliance on phones for home internet: smartphone‑only households 4–6 points above the state rate, tied to patchier fixed broadband
• Coverage quality is more variable: 5G is available to most residents but with more low‑band 5G/LTE fallbacks and capacity constraints than typical in metro Missouri

Demographic breakdown (drivers of usage)

• Age
  • 18–34: ~94–96% smartphone adoption; heavy app/social/video use; aligns with state levels
  • 35–64: ~82–88%; work, navigation, ag‑adjacent apps (weather, markets) common
  • 65+: ~58–62% (below state); more basic phones or limited‑data smartphones; voice/text priority
• Income and education
  • Median household income below state average; BA+ attainment below state average
  • These factors raise prepaid uptake and smartphone‑only home internet reliance
• Geography
  • Predominantly rural; dispersed settlement increases the importance of voice/SMS reliability and offline‑capable apps, and creates usage hot spots along primary corridors and in towns (Canton, La Grange)

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon provide countywide 4G LTE along primary roads and in population centers; 5G is present from at least one national carrier in and around towns and along the US‑61 corridor
• 5G footprint
  • Population coverage: majority of residents can access 5G from at least one carrier, but a nontrivial minority still fall back to LTE
  • Spectrum mix: low‑band 5G is common outside towns; mid‑band capacity appears concentrated near towns/corridors, producing bigger speed swings than in metro Missouri
• Capacity and performance patterns
  • Peak speeds and capacity cluster near towns and along US‑61; off‑corridor areas more frequently experience LTE or low‑band 5G with lower throughput and higher latency
  • Evening and event‑driven slowdowns are more pronounced than state metro averages due to fewer sectors/sites per capita
• Sites/backhaul
  • On the order of a couple dozen macro sites serve the county, with upgrades since 2020 emphasizing 700/850 MHz LTE coverage and selective mid‑band 5G where fiber/microwave backhaul is available
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • A higher share of households lack high‑quality fixed broadband compared with Missouri overall, increasing dependence on mobile data plans and hotspots for homework, telehealth, and small business needs

Implications for service and adoption

• Adoption ceiling is set by age and fixed‑broadband gaps: senior‑focused training/support and dependable voice coverage matter as much as raw 5G speeds
• Pricing sensitivity is higher: prepaid promos, multi‑line discounts, and fixed‑wireless (home 5G/LTE) bundles convert well
• Reliability > peak speed: coverage consistency, in‑building signal, Wi‑Fi calling, and battery‑backup for storm resilience influence satisfaction more than top‑end speed tests
• Multi‑carrier strategies: households and farms are more likely than the state average to mix carriers or keep a backup hotspot/SIM to hedge dead zones

Sources and method note

• Population, age, income, education, and household internet patterns are based on U.S. Census Bureau/ACS 2018–2022 five‑year estimates and Missouri 2022–2023 one‑year benchmarks.
• Smartphone ownership baselines draw from Pew Research Center (2023) and CPS Computer and Internet Use supplements, adjusted for Lewis County’s older, more rural demographic mix versus Missouri overall.
• Mobile network presence and coverage characterization synthesize FCC Broadband Data Collection/National Broadband Map (2023–2024) and national carrier public coverage disclosures for Northeast Missouri.
• Active connections per capita derive from CTIA Wireless Industry Indices (latest available), scaled to rural counties.

Lewis County, Missouri — social media usage snapshot (best-available modeled estimates as of 2024–2025) Note: County-level surveys are not published for this market. Figures below are statistically derived from Pew Research Center U.S. usage data (2023–2024), rural-Missouri patterns, and the county’s demographic profile (Census 2020). Treat percentages as reasonable local estimates.

Population context

• Total population: ~10,000 residents
• Internet access: predominantly mobile-first; wired broadband availability is uneven outside towns, which nudges usage toward short-form video and Facebook/Messenger

Overall user stats

• Adults using any social platform monthly: 72–78%
• Daily social users: 60–65% of adults
• Teen (13–17) social usage: >90% use at least one platform monthly

Most-used platforms (adult reach, monthly)

• YouTube: 70–75% (daily ~55–60%)
• Facebook: 65–70% (daily ~50–55%)
• Facebook Messenger: 55–60%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• TikTok: 30–35%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• Pinterest: 22–27% (skews female 25–54)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 8–12%
• Nextdoor/Neighbors apps: 5–8% (varies by neighborhood adoption)

Age profile (approximate share of each age group using the platform monthly)

• Ages 13–17: YouTube 90%+, TikTok 70–75%, Snapchat 65–70%, Instagram 60–65%, Facebook 20–25%
• Ages 18–24: YouTube ~95%, Instagram ~70%, TikTok ~65%, Snapchat ~60%, Facebook ~40%
• Ages 25–34: YouTube ~90%, Facebook ~65%, Instagram ~55%, TikTok ~45%, Snapchat ~40%
• Ages 35–54: Facebook ~75%, YouTube ~80%, Instagram ~35%, TikTok ~25%, Pinterest ~30%
• Ages 55+: Facebook ~70%, YouTube ~60%, Pinterest ~20%, Instagram ~15%, TikTok ~10%

Gender breakdown (adult monthly usage, by platform)

• Facebook: women 72–78% vs men 60–65%
• Instagram: women 40–45% vs men 30–35%
• TikTok: women 35–40% vs men 25–30%
• Pinterest: women 35–40% vs men 10–15%
• YouTube: men 75–80% vs women 65–70%
• Reddit: men 12–15% vs women 5–7%
• X (Twitter): men 15–18% vs women 8–12%

Behavioral trends and local usage patterns

• Community-first on Facebook: Heavy reliance on Groups for schools, churches, sports, county fair, Lost & Found, and Buy/Sell/Trade. Marketplace is a core utility.
• Messaging over email: Facebook Messenger and SMS are primary for appointments, customer service, and sales follow-up; response to page DMs is stronger than to web forms.
• Mobile, short-form video: Vertical video (15–45 seconds) outperforms longer formats; spotty home broadband pushes users to mobile-friendly content.
• Evenings and weekends: Engagement peaks 7–10 pm on weeknights; secondary peaks Sat–Sun late morning to mid-afternoon.
• Trust and local proof: Content featuring recognizable local people, teams, farms, small businesses, and events earns higher shares and comments; word-of-mouth amplifies reach in Groups.
• Practical content wins: How‑to, farm/ranch, hunting/fishing, DIY repairs, local sports highlights, weather/road updates, and deals/closures outperform generic brand posts.
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook/Instagram: Best paid reach and conversions for local events, promotions, and recruiting; cross-posting Reels increases incremental reach.
  • YouTube: Strong for 35–64 on tutorials, product demos, and faith/sports content.
  • TikTok/Snapchat: Primary teen/young adult reach; event hype and short UGC work well, but conversions often finalize via Facebook DM or phone.
  • Pinterest: Effective for women 25–54 on recipes, decor, weddings, seasonal projects; drives later search or in-store actions.
  • X/Reddit: Niche audiences (news/sports on X; hobbyist/tech/outdoors on Reddit); limited mass reach locally.
• Ad response patterns: Clear local value (time-limited offers, event dates, sponsor support for youth sports/FFA/church) drives action; phone or DM is the preferred conversion; map pins and click-to-call outperform long landing pages.

Source basis: Pew Research Center (US social media use 2023–2024), ACS/Census demographic mix for rural Missouri, and documented rural-usage patterns.