Marion County

Marion County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 28,525 (2020 Census)
• ~28.6k (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~40.0 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22–23%
• 65 and over: ~19–20%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; race alone, regardless of Hispanic; Hispanic overlaps)

• White: ~87–88%
• Black or African American: ~6–7%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.3%
• Asian: ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Some other race: ~0.6%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~11.4–11.6k
• Average household size: ~2.3–2.4
• Family households: ~61–63% of households
• Married-couple families: ~45% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Individuals living alone: ~31% (about 13% are 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Small, slowly changing population with a modestly older age profile (about one in five residents 65+).
• Predominantly White with limited racial/ethnic diversity; Hispanic/Latino presence remains small but growing gradually.
• Household sizes are modest; a majority are family households, with a substantial share of single-person households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Marion County, MO overview

• Population and density: ≈28,600 residents; ≈64 people per square mile. Hannibal holds the majority of residents, concentrating infrastructure and service options.
• Estimated email users (18+): ≈20,900 of ≈22,300 adults (≈94% adoption).
• Gender split (users): ≈51% female (≈10,600) and ≈49% male (≈10,300).
• Age distribution of email users
  • 18–34: ≈28% (≈5,900)
  • 35–54: ≈36% (≈7,500)
  • 55–64: ≈15% (≈3,100)
  • 65+: ≈21% (≈4,400)

Digital access and connectivity

• About 82% of households maintain an internet subscription; roughly 1 in 5 lacks home broadband. Smartphone‑only access is common (≈12–15% of households), shaping mobile‑first email behavior.
• Connectivity is strongest in and around Hannibal (cable/fiber, often up to gigabit). Outside the city, more residents rely on fixed wireless or legacy DSL, with lower typical speeds and higher latency, which can limit rich-media email experiences and drive lighter, text‑forward campaigns.
• Adoption gaps are most evident among older, lower‑income, and less‑educated residents; nonetheless, email usage remains near‑universal among working‑age adults.

Method: Estimates synthesize ACS county demographics with recent Pew age‑based email adoption and rural Missouri broadband availability patterns.

Mobile phone usage in Marion County, Missouri — 2025 snapshot

Scale and user estimates

• Population: roughly 28,500–29,000 residents (stable since 2020).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): 24,000–26,000 residents (about 85–90% of the population when accounting for children and seniors).
• Smartphone users: 19,000–21,000 residents (roughly 70–75% of the total population, ~82–85% of adults).
• Mobile-only home internet households: estimated 13–17% of households in the county, a meaningfully higher share than the Missouri statewide rate (about 10–12%). This reflects reliance on cellular data where fixed broadband is limited.

Demographic breakdown of usage

• Age
  • 18–34: near-saturation smartphone adoption (~93–96%); about 5,800–6,200 users.
  • 35–64: high adoption (~88–90%); about 8,000–9,000 users.
  • 65+: materially lower adoption (~65–72%); about 4,000–4,800 users.
  • Marion County’s older age profile (share of 65+ several points above Missouri’s average) pulls down overall smartphone penetration relative to the state.
• Income and education
  • Median household income trails the Missouri average, contributing to higher use of prepaid plans and mobile-only internet, and slower device replacement cycles.
  • Lower bachelor’s-degree attainment than statewide correlates with slightly lower high-end device share and slower uptake of 5G-capable phones among late adopters.
• Race/ethnicity
  • The county is less diverse than Missouri overall; usage gaps by race are smaller than the statewide pattern because prepaid offerings reduce cost barriers across groups.
• Urban vs rural within the county
  • Hannibal/Palmyra residents show state-like adoption and 5G usage; outlying rural townships exhibit higher basic-LTE dependence and more mobile-only households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G LTE: Countywide baseline LTE from the national carriers along US 61 and the I-72/US 36 corridor, with practically continuous service in Hannibal, Palmyra, and along major arterials. Low-lying river valleys and some northern/western rural pockets still experience weak signal and capacity dips at peak times.
• 5G
  • Low-band 5G (coverage-first) from multiple carriers blankets Hannibal/Palmyra and the main corridors; it extends patchily into rural areas.
  • Mid-band 5G (capacity) is concentrated in and immediately around Hannibal (hospital, schools, commercial districts). Outside the urban core, users remain largely on LTE or low-band 5G with LTE-like performance.
• Carrier mix and rural fit
  • All three national carriers serve the county; a regional/rural carrier presence adds additional LTE/5G coverage in outlying zones. FirstNet coverage for public safety is established along primary routes and population centers.
• Backhaul and site density
  • Fiber backhaul is strong in Hannibal and along US 61; rural sectors rely more on microwave backhaul, limiting capacity during evening peaks.
  • Macro site density is lower than the Missouri average on a per-square-mile basis; most new builds in the last few years have been infill along highways and small-cell/micro upgrades in Hannibal rather than new rural macros.
• Home broadband alternatives
  • Cable and fiber are available in Hannibal/Palmyra; fixed wireless access (5G FWA) from mobile carriers is available in and around these cities and select fringe areas. Rural households otherwise lean on WISPs or satellite, reinforcing mobile-only usage for a notable minority.

How Marion County trends differ from Missouri overall

• Lower overall smartphone penetration driven by an older population and lower median income than the state average.
• Higher share of prepaid lines and mobile-only home internet, reflecting both affordability strategies and patchy fixed-broadband options outside Hannibal/Palmyra.
• Slower and more localized mid-band 5G rollout: strong in Hannibal, modest elsewhere; statewide, mid-band has broader metro/suburban reach.
• Greater persistence of LTE as the day-to-day workhorse network outside the urban core; statewide, a larger share of users regularly experience mid-band 5G speeds.
• More pronounced capacity constraints during evening peaks in rural sectors due to microwave backhaul and wider cell footprints; less common in Missouri’s metro counties.
• Public safety and outdoor/recreation coverage needs weigh more heavily on planning (river corridors, tourism to Hannibal), influencing tower siting and priority sectors.

Operational implications

• App and content providers should expect a sizable LTE-first audience and design for variable throughput and latency; offline-first and smaller update packages materially improve experience.
• Carriers will see best returns from mid-band 5G capacity upgrades in Hannibal (schools, healthcare, retail) and targeted rural infill along MO-6, MO-168, and river-adjacent valleys where signal fades.
• Public outreach, telehealth, and government services should continue to support SMS/voice and low-bandwidth channels given the above-average share of mobile-only and prepaid users.

Notes on methodology

• User counts are derived by applying observed adoption rates for rural Missouri counties with similar age/income profiles to Marion County’s current population and household base. The mobile-only household estimate aligns with American Community Survey patterns for comparable rural counties and recent carrier FWA footprints in the Hannibal/Palmyra area.

Marion County, MO social media snapshot (modeled 2025 estimates)

Scope and method

• Figures refer to adults (18+) and are modeled by applying Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. platform-use rates to Marion County’s adult population (2020 Census base), yielding county-level estimates.

Population and user base

• Adult population (18+): ~22,300
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~18,700 (≈84% of adults)

Age mix of adult social-media users

• 18–29: 24% (4,500 users)
• 30–49: 35% (6,600)
• 50–64: 25% (4,700)
• 65+: 16% (3,000)

Gender breakdown of adult social-media users

• Women: 51% (9,500)
• Men: 49% (9,200)

Most-used platforms among adults (reach; percent of all adults in the county, with estimated user counts)

• YouTube: 83% (~18,500)
• Facebook: 68% (~15,200)
• Instagram: 47% (~10,500)
• Pinterest: 35% (~7,800)
• TikTok: 33% (~7,400)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~6,700)
• Snapchat: 27% (~6,000)
• WhatsApp: 26% (~5,800)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~4,900)
• Reddit: 22% (~4,900)

Share of local social-media users on key platforms (for context)

• Facebook: ~81% of social-media users
• Instagram: ~56%
• TikTok: ~40%
• Snapchat: ~32%
• YouTube: ~99% (nearly universal among social-media users)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first Facebook usage: High reliance on Facebook Groups, local pages, and Marketplace for news, school and church updates, buy/sell/trade, and event discovery (e.g., festivals, youth sports).
• Video dominates: YouTube is the default for how-to, home and auto repair, hunting/fishing, and local highlights; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) continues to climb for entertainment and local discovery.
• Younger vs. older split: 18–29 over-index on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for messaging and short video; 50+ concentrate on Facebook for information and family updates.
• Private sharing over public posting: Messenger, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, and Snapchat see heavy use for day-to-day communication; public posting is more periodic and event-driven.
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace and Group listings are primary for person-to-person sales; small businesses lean on Facebook Events, boosted posts, and Instagram for promotion and product showcases.
• Gender nuances: Women in the county are more active on Facebook and Pinterest; men more often use Reddit and X; YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are broadly cross-gender.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Census, ACS demographics for age/sex mix); Pew Research Center, 2024 Social Media Fact Sheet (platform reach by U.S. adults). Figures are localized estimates created by applying national platform-usage rates to Marion County’s adult population.