Macon County

Key demographics for Macon County, Missouri (U.S. Census Bureau)

• Population size:

  • 15,209 (2020 Census)
  • ~15,000 (2023 population estimate; slight decline since 2020)

• Age (ACS 2018–2022 5-year):

  • Median age: ~44 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~22%

• Gender (2020 Census):

  • Female: ~51%
  • Male: ~49%

• Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race alone, Hispanic any race):

  • White: ~93%
  • Black or African American: ~3%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
  • Asian: ~0.3–0.4%
  • Two or more races: ~3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.5–2%

• Households (ACS 2018–2022 5-year):

  • Total households: ~6,300
  • Average household size: ~2.3
  • Family households: ~62% of households; nonfamily: ~38%
  • Owner-occupied: ~75%; renter-occupied: ~25%

Insights:

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile relative to the state and U.S.
• Predominantly White, with small Black and Hispanic populations.
• Household structure skews toward owner-occupied and family households, typical of rural Missouri.

• Scope: Macon County, Missouri (population ≈15,200; rural, low‑density county).
• Estimated email users (adults 18+): ≈9,100 (about 74% of adults), derived from county age structure, rural internet subscription rates, and typical email adoption among internet users.
• Age distribution of email users (approximate counts, share of email users):
  • 18–29: ~1,500 (17%)
  • 30–49: ~2,600 (28%)
  • 50–64: ~2,500 (28%)
  • 65+: ~2,500 (27%)
• Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors population and small female‑leading adoption).
• Digital access trends:
  • Home internet subscription ≈80% of households; fixed broadband (cable/fiber/DSL) ≈65–70%; smartphone‑only access ~12–15%.
  • Fiber availability has expanded since 2022, improving speeds in towns and along major corridors; outlying farmland still relies on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite, which depresses usage among older and lower‑income residents.
  • Public/anchor connectivity (schools, libraries, clinics) provides essential access and boosts email adoption for residents without reliable home service.
• Local connectivity facts: Service quality is notably better in and around the City of Macon and the US‑36 corridor than in sparsely populated northern/southern townships, where coverage gaps and lower speeds persist, constraining consistent email use.

Mobile phone usage in Macon County, Missouri — 2024 snapshot

Headline estimates

• Population baseline: ≈15,100 residents; ≈11,900 adults (18+); ≈6,500–6,700 households
• Adult mobile phone users (any mobile phone): ≈11,100 (about 93% of adults)
• Adult smartphone users: ≈9,700 (about 82% of adults)
• Adult basic/feature‑phone users: ≈1,300 (about 11% of adults)
• Teen smartphone users (ages 13–17): ≈950 out of ≈1,000 teens (≈95%)
• Older‑adult smartphone users (65+): ≈2,100 out of ≈3,500 seniors (≈60–62%)
• Smartphone‑only internet households (no fixed home broadband): ≈1,350 (≈21% of households)
• Households with both smartphones and a fixed home connection: ≈4,200 (≈64%)

Demographic patterns behind usage

• Age: Near‑universal smartphone adoption among teens and working‑age adults; markedly lower among 65+, who are more likely to use basic phones or share a household device. The county’s older age profile (roughly one in four residents is 65+) depresses overall smartphone penetration relative to the state.
• Income and plan type: A larger share of lower‑income households relies on smartphone‑only access and prepaid plans than the Missouri average, reflecting both affordability needs and patchier fixed broadband.
• Geography: Residents in and around Macon, Bevier, La Plata, and along US‑36 and US‑63 have higher rates of smartphone use tied to better 5G/LTE coverage; more remote townships rely on LTE and see more basic‑phone retention.

Digital infrastructure notes

• Networks present: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon all operate countywide. LTE coverage is extensive on primary roads; coverage thins on secondary roads and in low‑lying areas and timbered sections.
• 5G availability: Present in and near population centers and along US‑36/US‑63 corridors. Outside those areas, LTE remains the primary layer. Mid‑band 5G (fastest) is concentrated in town centers; low‑band 5G extends along corridors.
• Typical speeds observed by residents:
  • LTE: roughly 10–40 Mbps down in most populated areas; lower at fringes
  • 5G low‑band: roughly 20–60 Mbps down
  • 5G mid‑band (where available): roughly 100–300 Mbps down
• Fixed broadband context: Fiber is available in parts of the county (notably in and near Macon), with cable or VDSL in towns and limited or no wired options in many rural stretches. Fixed‑wireless home internet (including 4G/5G FWA) fills gaps outside town limits, contributing to the higher smartphone‑only rate.
• Public safety/first responders: FirstNet (AT&T) covers major routes and towns; coverage gaps persist off‑corridor, where agencies and residents often keep multi‑carrier redundancy.

How Macon County differs from Missouri overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: ≈82% of adults vs a higher statewide rate (mid‑80s). The county’s older age structure and rural settlement pattern are the main drivers.
• More basic‑phone retention: ≈11% of adults use a basic phone vs a smaller share statewide, concentrated among 65+ and farm or outdoor workers who favor durability and battery life.
• Higher smartphone‑only internet reliance: ≈21% of households vs a lower statewide share (mid‑teens). This reflects sparser wired broadband and affordability constraints.
• Slower and less ubiquitous 5G: 5G is corridor‑ and town‑centric in the county, while Missouri’s metros enjoy broader, faster mid‑band 5G footprints. As a result, Macon residents lean on LTE more often and see greater speed variability.
• Greater coverage variability by micro‑location: Signal quality shifts noticeably with terrain, vegetation, and tower line‑of‑sight compared with the more uniform experience in urban/suburban Missouri.

Key takeaways

• Around 11,000 adults in Macon County use a mobile phone, and roughly 9,700 use a smartphone; usage is nearly universal among teens but meaningfully lower among seniors.
• The county over‑indexes on smartphone‑only connectivity and LTE reliance relative to Missouri, due to older demographics, rural geography, and uneven fixed broadband.
• 5G access is improving along US‑36/US‑63 and in towns, but LTE remains the de facto network for many daily use cases outside those areas.
• These differences will persist without continued mid‑band 5G build‑out beyond town centers and expanded fiber or robust fixed‑wireless coverage into the county’s rural townships.

Sources and method (synthesized): U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5‑year for population/households), Pew Research Center (2023 adult and teen smartphone adoption, rural differentials), FCC National Broadband Map and carriers’ public coverage maps (2023–2024) to localize 5G/LTE availability, plus statewide mobile performance reporting to bound speed ranges. Figures shown for Macon County are 2024 estimates derived by applying rural and age‑specific adoption rates to the county’s population mix and ground‑truthing with local infrastructure patterns.

Macon County, MO social media snapshot (2025)

What’s measured and how

• County-level, platform-by-platform user statistics are not directly published by the platforms or official agencies. Figures below are best-available, planning-grade estimates tailored to Macon County by applying 2024 Pew Research Center social media usage rates (by age, gender, rural residency) to the county’s 2019–2023 ACS demographic profile and typical rural broadband adoption. Insights reflect rural Midwestern behavior patterns observed in comparable counties.

Population and connectivity

• Residents: ≈15,000 (ACS 2019–2023)
• Households with home internet (any, including cellular/broadband): ≈80–85% (ACS S2801 patterns for rural Missouri)
• Practical implication: social reach is high but still limited by pockets of low broadband and data-capped mobile plans.

Overall social media reach (residents age 13+ who use at least one social platform)

• Estimated penetration: 70–75%

Most-used platforms in Macon County (share of residents 13+ who use the platform; ranges reflect age/gender mix and rural adjustments)

• YouTube: 76–82%
• Facebook: 64–71%
• Instagram: 30–36%
• TikTok: 27–33%
• Pinterest: 22–28%
• Snapchat: 20–26%
• X (Twitter): 12–16%
• LinkedIn: 12–15%
• Nextdoor: 2–4%

Age-group usage profile (share within each age group using any social media)

• 13–17: 95–98% (heavy on Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube; Instagram secondary; minimal Facebook)
• 18–29: 90–95% (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok lead; Facebook for events/groups)
• 30–49: 80–88% (Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram/TikTok moderate; Snapchat for parents with teens)
• 50–64: 65–75% (Facebook, YouTube; Pinterest among women)
• 65+: 45–55% (Facebook for community/news; YouTube for how‑to and entertainment)

Gender breakdown of social users

• Overall user base: ≈52–54% women, 46–48% men
• Platform tilt: Facebook and Pinterest skew female; YouTube skews slightly male; Instagram/TikTok modest female lean; LinkedIn and X modest male lean.

Behavioral trends and local patterns

• Facebook is the community hub: high engagement with local groups, schools, churches, events, and Marketplace; posts with names/places recognizable to residents overperform.
• YouTube usage is practical: DIY, farm/rural equipment, hunting/fishing, small-engine repair, weather, and high-school sports highlights attract sustained views.
• Short-form video is growing but pragmatic: TikTok/Instagram Reels perform when they’re local, useful, or people-focused; dance/challenge content is less salient than “how-to” and “what’s happening” clips.
• Daypart engagement: spikes early morning (6–8 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.), and late evening (8–10 p.m.); weekend mornings and Sunday evenings are strong for community posts.
• Commerce is local-first: Facebook Marketplace is the default for buy/sell/trade; local service providers find success with before/after visuals and prompt messaging.
• News and weather drive peaks: severe-weather alerts and school/road updates produce rapid surges in Facebook page and group traffic.
• Privacy and civility matter: closed groups (schools, churches, youth sports, civic) see higher, more constructive engagement than public comment threads.
• Professional networking is light: LinkedIn usage exists but is limited; recruitment response rates improve when cross-posted to Facebook groups and school channels.

Notes on interpretation

• Figures are estimates anchored to Pew Research Center “Social Media Use in 2024” and the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 demographic structure for Macon County, adjusted for rural adoption. Use ranges for planning and benchmarking; platform ad tools will report precise, current audience counts at the time of campaign setup.