Lincoln County

Lincoln County, Missouri — key demographics (most recent U.S. Census Bureau data)

Population size

• 59,574 (2020 Census); up from 52,566 in 2010 (+13.3%)

Age

• Median age: ~37 years
• Under 18: ~26%
• 18 to 64: ~62%
• 65 and over: ~12%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census; race is Non‑Hispanic unless noted)

• White (NH): ~90%
• Black or African American (NH): ~2–3%
• Asian (NH): <1%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (NH): <1%
• Two or more races (NH): ~4–5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%

Households and housing (ACS 5‑year)

• Households: ~21,000–22,000
• Average household size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~74% of households
• Married‑couple families: ~54% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~35–40%
• Homeownership rate: ~75–80%
• Housing units: ~23,000; vacancy rate: mid‑single digits

Notes

• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census (PL 94‑171, Demographic Profile) and American Community Survey 5‑year estimates
• Figures rounded for clarity; ACS values represent multi‑year estimates suitable for county‑level demographics

Lincoln County, MO email usage (estimates, 2023–2024)

• Estimated population: ~63,000; email users: ~55,000 (≈87% of residents; ~95% of adults).
• Age distribution of email users (approx. counts):
  • Under 18: 10.6k (19%)
  • 18–29: 7.8k (14%)
  • 30–49: 16.3k (30%)
  • 50–64: 12.1k (22%)
  • 65+: 8.1k (15%)
• Gender split of users: 50% female (27.6k) and 50% male (27.4k); usage rates are effectively even by gender.

Digital access and trends

• ~84% of households subscribe to broadband; smartphone‑only internet households ~14% and rising, supporting heavy mobile email use.
• High‑speed broadband is available to roughly 95% of addresses; adoption trails availability in the county’s more rural northern tracts.
• 5G mobile coverage is strong along the US‑61/Troy–Moscow Mills corridor, reinforcing on‑the‑go email access.

Local density/connectivity facts

• Land area ≈627 sq mi; population density ≈100 residents/sq mi, with the highest concentrations around Troy, Moscow Mills, Winfield, and Old Monroe.
• Southern, St. Louis–commuter areas show higher household broadband adoption and more frequent daily email engagement than sparsely populated northern areas.

Mobile phone usage snapshot — Lincoln County, Missouri

Overall adoption and user estimates

• Population baseline: 59,574 (2020 Census).
• Adult smartphone users (estimate): ≈41,000–45,000 adults actively use a smartphone in the county. This comes from applying current U.S. adult smartphone adoption (~90%) to Lincoln County’s adult population.
• Cellular-only households (estimate): ≈70% of adults live in wireless-only households (no landline), modestly above Missouri’s statewide share (~68–69%), reflecting a younger, fast-growing exurban profile.
• Mobile as primary home internet (estimate): 13–16% of Lincoln County households rely primarily on a cellular data plan for home internet, above the Missouri average (~11–13%). This higher reliance is concentrated outside the US‑61 corridor where cable/fiber availability thins out.

Demographic patterns behind usage

• Age structure: Lincoln County skews younger than Missouri overall (more families and working-age commuters tied to the St. Louis metro). Result: higher smartphone adoption and heavier mobile data use than the state average.
• Seniors (65+): Smartphone adoption trails younger cohorts, but the county’s smaller 65+ share than the state average means overall penetration remains elevated relative to Missouri.
• Income/commuting: A large commuter base to St. Charles/St. Louis (service, logistics, construction, healthcare) pushes demand for unlimited data plans, in-car navigation, and hotspot usage for secondary connectivity at job sites. Lower-density northern and river-bottom areas see mobile as a substitute for wireline where plans are affordable.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 5G coverage: All three national MNOs (AT&T/FirstNet, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G along the US‑61 growth spine (Troy, Moscow Mills, Winfield) and in/around towns; LTE persists as the de facto layer in outlying areas.
• Performance profile:
  • Population centers (Troy/Moscow Mills/Winfield corridor): 5G median speeds commonly in the 75–200 Mbps range with low latency on mid-band where available; strong indoor coverage in newer subdivisions.
  • Outlying townships and river bottoms: LTE frequently falls to 5–25 Mbps with higher latency; speeds fluctuate with terrain, foliage, and tower spacing.
• Coverage gaps: Notable signal variability north of Troy/Silex and near the Mississippi River floodplain due to distance from macro sites and propagation issues; carriers lean on low-band 5G/LTE for reach, with fewer mid-band sectors outside the corridor.
• Backhaul and anchor routes: Fiber backhaul tracks the US‑61 corridor into St. Charles County, improving 5G capacity in and around Troy/Moscow Mills. Away from this spine, backhaul is sparser; some sectors rely on microwave.
• Fixed broadband interplay: Charter/Spectrum cable serves the main towns; Brightspeed/CenturyLink DSL and regional fixed wireless ISPs fill gaps; this uneven fixed footprint directly drives higher mobile data reliance than the Missouri average.

How Lincoln County differs from the Missouri state pattern

• Higher smartphone and wireless-only penetration: Younger age mix and strong commuting ties yield more smartphone-centric behavior than the state average.
• Greater mobile-as-primary-internet use: Due to patchier fixed coverage outside the growth corridor, Lincoln County households are more likely than the Missouri average to depend on phone-based plans and hotspots for home broadband.
• More pronounced urban–rural split in mobile experience: The county’s mid-band 5G capacity is good along US‑61 but drops off faster than the statewide norm once you leave the corridor, creating a sharper divide in speeds/latency within a small geographic area.
• Faster 5G uptake near new housing: New subdivisions along the corridor adopt 5G home and handset plans at a higher clip than statewide, aided by better backhaul and denser sectorization; rural pockets remain LTE-first longer than the Missouri norm.

Implications

• Capacity planning should prioritize the US‑61 corridor for mid-band 5G sector adds and small-cell infill while extending low-band 5G to stabilize coverage in river-bottom and northern areas.
• Affordability programs and fixed-wireless offerings will see outsized uptake in outlying parts of the county relative to the state average, given the demonstrated reliance on cellular for primary internet.

Lincoln County, MO — social media usage snapshot (modeled 2025)

Overall penetration

• Adults using at least one social platform: 83% of adults
• Teens (13–17) using at least one platform: ~95%
• Device behavior: usage is predominantly mobile; short‑form video is the dominant format for discovery and engagement

Age groups (share using any social platform)

• 18–29: 90%
• 30–49: 82%
• 50–64: 73%
• 65+: 50%

Gender breakdown

• User base is roughly even by sex (≈51% women, 49% men), with usage tilts by platform: Pinterest and Instagram skew female; YouTube and Reddit skew male; Facebook is broadly balanced

Most‑used platforms among adults (estimated local reach; users often use multiple)

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• TikTok: 33%
• Pinterest: 35%
• Snapchat: 27%
• LinkedIn: 33%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the default local network for community news, schools, churches, youth sports, and buy/sell/trade; Groups and Marketplace drive the heaviest participation
• Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for businesses; testimonials, before‑and‑after clips, and how‑to content perform well for home, auto, and personal services
• Instagram is strong with younger families; Stories/Reels carry most reach; cross‑posting from Facebook is common but native Reels see better completion
• TikTok adoption is rising among 18–34; authentic, creator‑style content and UGC spark local discovery for food, beauty, and events
• Snapchat is primarily a private messaging channel for teens; limited organic discovery; paid lenses/AR can deliver bursts of reach around school and sports moments
• Pinterest usage is concentrated among women 25–44 for home improvement, crafts, weddings, and recipes; effective for promoted Pins by home services, decor, and retail
• LinkedIn is useful for recruiting (healthcare, skilled trades, logistics) given the commuter workforce; thought‑leadership and job posts outperform generic ads
• X and Reddit are niche reach channels: X for live news, weather, and sports; Reddit for hobbyist and DIY communities; use for listening and selective targeting rather than broad reach

Notes on method

• Figures are modeled for Lincoln County by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform‑usage rates and age‑group adoption to the county’s demographic profile (U.S. Census/ACS). They reflect best‑available estimates in the absence of county‑specific survey data.