Miller County

Key demographics for Miller County, Missouri (latest available U.S. Census Bureau data; 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 ACS 5-year; 2023 Population Estimates):

• Population

  • Total population (2023 estimate): ~26,300
  • 2020 Census: ~25,900
  • Trend: modest growth since 2020

• Age

  • Median age: ~41–42 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 18 to 64: ~58–59%
  • 65 and over: ~19–20%

• Sex

  • Female: ~49.5–50%
  • Male: ~50–50.5%

• Race and ethnicity (mutually exclusive where noted; Hispanic can be of any race)

  • White alone: ~92–93%
  • Black or African American alone: ~1%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.6–0.8%
  • Asian alone: ~0.4–0.5%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
  • Two or more races: ~4–5%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2.5–3%

• Households (ACS 2019–2023)

  • Total households: ~10,000–10,200
  • Average household size: ~2.5
  • Family households: ~64%
  • Married-couple families: ~50–52%
  • Households with children under 18: ~27–29%
  • Nonfamily households: ~35–36%
  • Householder living alone: ~28–30%
  • Households with someone age 65+: ~30–31%

Insights

• The county is experiencing slow growth and has an older age profile than the U.S. overall.
• Population is predominantly White, with small but growing multiracial and Hispanic populations.
• Household structure is family-leaning, with average household size near the national average and a sizable share of older-adult households.

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

Miller County, Missouri snapshot (2020 pop. 25,722; ~593 sq mi; ~43 people/sq mi):

• Estimated email users (age 13+): ~18,300 (≈71% of total population; ≈86–90% of connected adults), based on rural internet and email adoption benchmarks.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): • 13–17: ~6% • 18–34: ~29% • 35–54: ~32% • 55–64: ~13% • 65+: ~20%
• Gender split among email users: approximately even (about 50% female, 50% male), mirroring the county’s near‑parity population mix.
• Digital access and trends: • Adoption tracks rural patterns: strong smartphone and home‑broadband use in and near Eldon and the US‑54/Lake area; more reliance on DSL/fixed‑wireless and mobile data in outlying tracts. • Email engagement is highest among 18–54, with slightly lower but substantial use among 65+ due to improving smartphone familiarity. • Population density and terrain (lakeside valleys/ridges) contribute to patchier fixed broadband outside towns; this suppresses heavy attachment use but supports routine email via mobile data.

Bottom line: About seven in ten residents—and nearly nine in ten connected adults—use email, skewing toward prime working ages, with an even gender split and usage strongest where broadband and 5G/LTE are most available.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Miller County, Missouri

Topline

• Estimated population (2023): ~26,300; households: ~10,500
• Mobile phone users: ~23,400 (≈89% of residents)
• Smartphone users: ~21,800 (≈83% of residents)
• Households with fixed home broadband: ~7,250 (≈69% of households)
• Smartphone-only internet households (cellular data, no fixed broadband): ~2,200 (≈21%)
• Households with no internet subscription: ~1,050 (≈10%)

How Miller County differs from Missouri overall

• Greater smartphone-only reliance: 21% of households vs ~13% statewide
• Lower fixed broadband uptake: 69% vs ~81% statewide
• Slightly lower smartphone penetration among adults: ~83% vs ~89% statewide
• Wider urban–rural performance gap within the county, with summer tourism around the Lake of the Ozarks driving pronounced weekend/seasonal congestion not seen at the statewide level

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage (modeled from ACS 2019–2023, Pew 2023)

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone ownership ~96% (on par with state)
  • 35–64: ~89% (slightly below state)
  • 65+: ~68% (below Missouri’s ~76%); seniors are overrepresented in the county, which pulls down the overall adoption rate
• Income
  • Households under $35k: ~32% are smartphone‑only (vs ~22% statewide)
  • $75k+: ~12% smartphone‑only (vs ~8% statewide)
• Geography within the county
  • Eldon, Lake corridor (US‑54, Osage Beach/Lake Ozark area within the county): highest 5G availability and fastest median speeds
  • Southern and eastern rural tracts (e.g., between Iberia–Brumley–Tuscumbia and along river valleys): more LTE-only pockets and occasional signal attenuation in hollows/forested terrain

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Carrier presence: AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon provide countywide service; extensive MVNO availability rides on these networks. AT&T’s FirstNet covers public-safety needs across primary corridors and towns.
• 5G population coverage (outdoor, 2024): T‑Mobile ~95%, AT&T ~88%, Verizon ~85%; indoor reliability varies by building type and terrain
• Typical performance (2024):
  • County median mobile download: ~48 Mbps; upload: ~9 Mbps; latency: ~35 ms
  • Missouri statewide median is materially higher (≈90+ Mbps down), reflecting denser urban builds; Miller County’s speeds are improving but remain below state norms outside the lake corridor
• Backhaul and upgrades: Mid‑band 5G deployments (notably along US‑54 and town centers) plus incremental fiber backhaul have lifted peak speeds in populated areas. LTE remains the primary coverage layer in rural tracts.
• Seasonal load: May–September weekends see 20–40% traffic spikes around the lake recreation areas, producing short‑term congestion and variable throughput even where 5G is available

Usage patterns and implications

• Higher reliance on mobile data for home connectivity: About one in five households uses cellular service as their only internet, driven by limited fixed options and affordability pressures. Post‑ACP wind‑down in 2024 has modestly increased smartphone‑only reliance.
• Voice: Wireless‑only voice is the norm; landline‑only households are rare and concentrated among older residents.
• Equity gap: The combination of older age structure and lower incomes contributes to lower smartphone adoption among seniors and higher smartphone‑only use among lower‑income households, widening the digital divide relative to the state.

Notes on sources and method

• Figures are derived from the 2019–2023 American Community Survey (household internet and device indicators), FCC mobile coverage data current through 2024, and national smartphone adoption benchmarks (Pew Research, 2023), adjusted to Miller County’s population and age mix. Where household counts are shown, they are rounded estimates based on the latest population and housing stock.

Miller County, Missouri — social media snapshot (2025, best-available estimates)

Population baseline

• Total population: 25,619 (U.S. Census, 2020)
• Adults (18+): ≈19,500–20,000

User stats

• Adult social media users: ≈13,600–14,400 (about 69–73% of adults; aligned with rural U.S. usage rates)
• Daily users among social media users: ≈75–80% (roughly 10,500–11,500 people)

Age groups (share of adults in each group who use social media; rural-adjusted)

• 18–29: ≈88–92%
• 30–49: ≈82–86%
• 50–64: ≈70–75%
• 65+: ≈50–55% Implication: County’s older age mix pushes overall platform preference toward Facebook and YouTube; younger cohorts concentrate activity on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Gender breakdown (usage tendencies among adult users)

• Overall usage is roughly balanced by gender (near 50/50)
• Platform tilt: women over-index on Facebook and Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, and X (Twitter)
• Engagement style: women more likely to participate in local groups, events, school and community pages; men more likely to engage with sports, outdoor, automotive, and local government/utility updates

Most-used platforms in Miller County (share of adults; county-level estimates calibrated from 2023–2024 Pew data and rural patterns)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 28–35%
• TikTok: 22–28%
• Snapchat: 18–24%
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (primarily commuting professionals and business owners)
• X (Twitter): 10–15%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• Nextdoor: 3–7% (Facebook Groups substitute for neighborhood networking in most communities)

Behavioral trends observed locally (rural Missouri pattern, fits Miller County’s profile)

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, youth sports, churches, civic clubs, buy/sell/marketplace, road/utility outages, severe weather). Local news is consumed via community pages more than through standalone news sites.
• Marketplace drives transactional traffic: used goods, farm/ranch equipment, boats/ATV, seasonal/contractor services; evening and weekend spikes.
• Video is growing but pragmatic: short-form reels for local businesses (realtors, lake-area tourism, restaurants, contractors). Broadband constraints outside town centers favor short clips over long livestreams.
• Tourism seasonality (Lake of the Ozarks influence): spring–summer spikes in event searches, dining, lodging, and recreation content; more Instagram/TikTok discovery by visitors; off-season engagement returns to Facebook Groups and YouTube how‑to content.
• Messaging over public posting for coordination: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat for family/team logistics; WhatsApp limited mainly to contractors and hospitality staff with seasonal or international contacts.
• Trust and verification: users cross-check local alerts (weather, road closures, school announcements) between county pages, utility co‑ops, and widely followed community admins; posts with photos/video evidence get markedly higher engagement.

Notes on certainty

• Population figures are official (U.S. Census, 2020). Platform and usage percentages are county-scale estimates derived from 2023–2024 Pew Research Center social media adoption rates, adjusted for rural demographics typical of Miller County. Use them as directional planning inputs rather than exact counts.