Madison County

Madison County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 12,626 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~12,100 (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program)

Age

• Median age: ~42.9 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~57%
• 65 and over: ~21%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50% (ACS 2019–2023)

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race alone unless noted)

• White: ~93%
• Black or African American: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Asian: <1%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%
• White, not Hispanic: ~91%

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~5,050
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~66% of households; average family size ~3.0
• Married-couple households: ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~26%
• One-person households: ~30% (about half of these age 65+)
• Homeownership rate: ~77%

Notable insights

• Small, gradually declining population with an older age profile (about one in five residents 65+)
• Predominantly White population; modest but growing multiracial/Hispanic shares
• Household sizes below the U.S. average and high homeownership typical of rural counties

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023).

Madison County, Missouri snapshot

• Population and density: About 12,600 residents (2020) across roughly 500 sq mi; ~25 people per sq mi.
• Estimated email users: ~9,800 residents age 13+ (about 78% of the population).

Age distribution of email users (share of users)

• 13–24: ~18%
• 25–44: ~30%
• 45–64: ~31%
• 65+: ~21%

Gender split among email users

• ~51% female, ~49% male.

Digital access and usage trends

• Households with a broadband subscription: ~73% (about 3,700 of ~5,100 households).
• Home device access: ~80% have a computer; adult smartphone ownership ~85%; ~13% of households are smartphone‑only.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Fredericktown and along US‑67; coverage and speeds drop in sparsely populated, wooded areas, where some households rely on mobile hotspots.
• Email is the default channel for schools, healthcare portals, employers, and government services; daily use is highest among working‑age adults, with lower but steady uptake among seniors as telehealth and benefits portals expand.

Local density/connectivity insight

• Low population density and rugged terrain raise last‑mile costs, producing patchier high‑speed availability outside the county seat; ongoing fiber builds and affordability programs are gradually improving adoption.

Mobile phone usage in Madison County, Missouri — summary with county-specific estimates, demographic context, and infrastructure, highlighting how the county differs from Missouri overall

User estimates

• Population base: roughly 12–13 thousand residents (2023 Census estimates), with about 9.5–10 thousand adults (18+).
• Smartphone users: approximately 7,800–8,200 adult users, applying rural U.S. smartphone adoption (~80%) to the county’s adult population. This is several points lower than Missouri’s overall adult adoption (mid-to-high 80s), consistent with rural-rural gaps observed by Pew Research (2023).
• Any mobile phone users (smartphone or basic/feature phone): about 9,000–9,300 adults (roughly 90–93% of adults), reflecting slightly lower take-up than statewide urban/suburban parts of Missouri.
• Mobile-only internet reliance: an estimated 10–12% of households use cellular/mobile as their primary home internet (about 500–600 households), a share that is higher than Missouri’s overall rate because of limited, patchy wireline options away from Fredericktown and the US‑67 corridor.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: The county skews older than the Missouri average, which pulls down smartphone penetration relative to the state. Typical rural adoption patterns imply:
  • Ages 13–24: very high smartphone adoption (~90–95%); heavy app/social use; low voice minutes.
  • Ages 25–64: high adoption (~85–90%); strongest 5G/home‑internet substitution behavior where coverage allows; high data consumption for video and navigation along US‑67.
  • Ages 65+: materially lower adoption (~65–75%) and more voice/SMS reliance; higher use of large‑screen/assistive settings. This segment is proportionally larger in Madison County than statewide, contributing to lower overall smartphone penetration than Missouri’s average.
• Income and device mix: Lower median household incomes than Missouri overall translate into:
  • More prepaid lines and longer device replacement cycles than the state average.
  • Higher share of budget Android devices; Apple share trails the state average seen in metro areas.
• Work and mobility: Commuting and service‑sector work centered on Fredericktown and travel along US‑67 concentrate daytime mobile traffic on that corridor; interior hollows and ridgelines show weaker signals and more call drops, unlike flatter, denser Missouri metros.

Digital infrastructure points

• Coverage and technology:
  • 4G LTE is the baseline across most populated areas; 5G low‑band coverage from AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon reaches the Fredericktown area and along US‑67. Mid‑band 5G (notably T‑Mobile) is strongest in/near Fredericktown and degrades off the highway; mmWave is effectively absent.
  • Terrain effects from the Ozark foothills create dead zones and fluctuating signal quality off main corridors; this terrain‑driven variability is more pronounced than Missouri’s metro/suburban counties.
• Capacity and performance:
  • Typical rural download speeds are serviceable for most apps (often 10–50 Mbps on LTE/low‑band 5G; higher where mid‑band 5G is present), but with greater variance and higher latency than statewide medians driven by metro performance.
  • Congestion spikes are most visible around school dismissals, weekend events in Fredericktown, and during highway incidents on US‑67.
• Carriers and products:
  • All three national carriers operate in the county; UScellular presence/roaming remains relevant in pockets.
  • Fixed‑wireless/home internet from T‑Mobile (and, in smaller footprints, Verizon) is available around Fredericktown and along US‑67; coverage recedes quickly in outlying areas.
• Wireline context and backhaul:
  • Cable broadband is primarily concentrated in Fredericktown; many outlying areas rely on older DSL or fixed‑wireless ISPs, with sporadic rural fiber buildouts. This patchwork elevates the role of mobile for primary or backup home connectivity compared with Missouri overall.
  • Backhaul for towers is a mix of fiber where highway‑adjacent and microwave links elsewhere, limiting available radio capacity off‑corridor relative to more fiber‑rich counties.

How Madison County differs from Missouri overall

• Lower smartphone penetration and a higher share of mobile‑only households than the statewide average, driven by older demographics and fewer robust wireline options outside the county seat/corridors.
• More pronounced coverage and performance gaps away from highways due to hilly terrain and sparser tower density, in contrast to the more uniform service in Missouri’s metros and larger micropolitan areas.
• Higher reliance on prepaid plans and budget devices; somewhat slower device upgrade cycles than the state average.
• 5G mid‑band benefits are localized (Fredericktown/US‑67), so countywide mobile experience is closer to “enhanced LTE/low‑band 5G,” whereas Missouri’s overall metrics are buoyed by extensive mid‑band 5G in urban counties.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Population base: U.S. Census Bureau 2023 county estimates (PEP).
• Adoption rates: Pew Research Center 2023 device adoption by urbanicity; applied to county adult population to produce user estimates.
• Coverage and performance patterns: FCC Broadband Data Collection (2023–2024 filings) and carrier public coverage disclosures for technology availability; rural Missouri speed ranges based on widely observed rural performance bands.
• Wireline context: American Community Survey (2019–2023) Computer and Internet Use and Missouri provider footprints; localized availability inferred from provider service maps centered on Fredericktown and highway corridors.

These figures give a decision‑ready picture: roughly eight thousand adult smartphone users, roughly nine‑plus thousand adult mobile users in total, heavy corridor‑centric 5G, and a meaningfully higher dependence on mobile for primary connectivity than Missouri’s statewide average.

Madison County, Missouri — social media usage snapshot (2025)

Population context

• Residents: ≈12.6k; adults (18+): ≈9.8k (ACS 2019–2023 5‑year).
• Age mix (adults): 18–29 ≈15%, 30–49 ≈30%, 50–64 ≈27%, 65+ ≈28% (county skews older; ~55% are 50+).
• Gender: ≈51% female, 49% male.

How many residents use social platforms

• Adults active on at least one major platform (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.): ≈75–80% of adults, or ~7.3k–7.9k people.

Most‑used platforms (share of adults; localized estimates)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 30–35%
• TikTok: 20–25%
• Pinterest: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 15–20%
• X (Twitter): 12–15%
• Reddit: 10–12% Note: Percentages are of adults 18+ in the county. Given the older age skew, Facebook and YouTube lead, with Instagram/TikTok concentrated in younger cohorts.

Age-group usage patterns (localized from national behavior)

• 18–29: Near‑universal YouTube; heavy Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; Facebook used but secondary to short‑form video.
• 30–49: Facebook is dominant; YouTube very high; Instagram moderate; TikTok growing; Snapchat niche.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Instagram modest; TikTok emerging but still minority.
• 65+: Facebook for community/news and family; YouTube for how‑to, church, local content; limited Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown by platform (tendencies)

• Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest: skew female (Pinterest strongly so).
• Reddit, X: skew male.
• YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat: relatively balanced, slight male tilt on YouTube and slight female tilt on TikTok.

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural/older counties and reflected locally

• Community-first Facebook use: high engagement in local Groups (schools, churches, storm alerts, events), and Marketplace buying/selling.
• Video habits: YouTube for how‑to, equipment repair, outdoor/hunting, local sports, church streams; increasing consumption of Reels/Shorts/TikToks for quick entertainment and local highlights.
• Messaging and private spaces: Facebook Messenger and private groups coordinate youth sports, fundraisers, and community services.
• Trust signals: Strong response to local faces, plain‑spoken posts, and user‑generated photos; noticeable preference for local sponsorships and event tie‑ins over polished national creative.
• Mobile‑first consumption: Feed and vertical video formats perform best; evening and weekend peaks, with additional early‑morning usage among older adults.

Method and sources

• Population, age, and gender: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2019–2023 5‑year (Madison County, MO).
• Platform penetration and age/gender skews: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023–2024. Local percentages are modeled by applying Pew rates and rural/older adjustments to the county’s age structure.