Moniteau County

Moniteau County, Missouri — key demographics

Population

• Total population (2020 Census): 15,473

Age

• Median age: ~39 years
• Under 18: ~24%
• 18–64: ~60%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Sex

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (2020 Census)

• White alone: ~89%
• Black or African American alone: ~2%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5%
• Asian alone: ~0.4%
• Some other race alone: ~1–2%
• Two or more races: ~6–7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~85%

Households and housing

• Households: ~5,800–5,900
• Average household size: ~2.6
• Average family size: ~3.0
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~52% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~34%
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~74%

Notes

• Population figures are from the 2020 Decennial Census; age, household, and composition figures reflect recent American Community Survey 5-year estimates. These provide a stable view for a small county while remaining current.

Moniteau County, MO snapshot (2025 est.)

• Population and density: ≈15,600 residents over ~417 sq mi (≈37 people/sq mi), predominantly rural with two small towns (California, Tipton) as connectivity hubs.

• Estimated email users: ≈12,500 residents (~80% penetration).

• Age distribution of email users (estimated):

  • 13–17: ~800 users (85% of ~900 teens)
  • 18–34: ~3,000 (96% of ~3,100)
  • 35–54: ~4,000 (94% of ~4,200)
  • 55–64: ~1,650 (88% of ~1,900)
  • 65+: ~2,900 (78% of ~3,700)
  • Under 13: ~170 (about 10% have accounts)

• Gender split: ~50% female, ~50% male among users; usage rates are effectively parity.

• Digital access and trends:

  • Households with an internet subscription: ~82% (≈4,750 of ~5,800 households).
  • Smartphone‑only internet: ~12% of households; higher in lower‑density areas.
  • Connectivity is strongest in/near California and Tipton (cable/fiber), with outer rural tracts relying more on fixed wireless/DSL and experiencing lower speeds and higher latency.
  • Trend: steady year‑over‑year gains from fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts since 2022; remaining adoption gaps are concentrated among 65+ and lower‑income households.

These estimates apply national age‑specific email adoption benchmarks to Moniteau’s population structure and local rural connectivity patterns.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Moniteau County, Missouri (focus on county-vs-state differences)

Core user estimates (2024 best-available estimates synthesized from ACS 5‑year trends, FCC coverage data, and national usage patterns for rural Missouri)

• Population baseline: 2020 Census count 16,132; adult (18+) population ~12,200–12,500.
• Adults using any mobile phone: 11,200–11,800 (about 91–94% of adults), slightly below Missouri’s ~95%.
• Adults using smartphones: 10,200–11,000 (about 84–88% of adults), about 3–6 percentage points lower than the Missouri average (~90–92%).
• Cellular-only home internet households (no wired broadband, use mobile data only): 17–22% countywide vs ~13–15% statewide.
• Postpaid vs prepaid lines: prepaid is materially higher in the county (roughly 35–45% of consumer lines) than the Missouri average (~25–30%), reflecting price sensitivity and coverage-driven carrier switching.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: smartphone adoption ~96–98% (near state), heavy app and streaming use; 5G-capable device penetration is high but actual mid-band 5G use is constrained by coverage.
  • 35–64: smartphone adoption ~90–93%, slightly below state; more bundled postpaid family plans than younger cohorts.
  • 65+: smartphone adoption ~58–65% (county) vs ~65–70% (state), with above-average persistence of basic/feature phones and more limited app portfolios.
• Income
  • < $35k households show the highest prepaid share and cellular-only home internet dependence (~25–30% vs ~18–20% statewide).
  • ≥ $75k households align closely with state-level smartphone and plan adoption, often combining postpaid unlimited with in-home fiber/cable Wi‑Fi in towns and co‑op service areas.
• Geography (intra-county)
  • Towns (California, Tipton) show near-state smartphone adoption and higher 5G use, with more reliable indoor LTE/NR.
  • Rural areas north/south of US‑50 show higher cellular-only reliance and greater switching among the three national carriers to chase usable signal/speeds.
• Platform mix
  • Android share is higher than the state average (roughly 60–65% Android vs 35–40% iOS in the county), in line with rural price sensitivity and prepaid usage, compared with a closer-to-even split statewide.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Mobile networks
  • Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, T‑Mobile; regional MVNOs active via these networks.
  • 4G LTE: practical outdoor coverage is effectively countywide along primary roads and towns; indoor coverage is reliable in population centers and more variable in low-density hollows and along the river bluffs.
  • 5G: low-band 5G covers the US‑50 corridor and towns; mid-band 5G (C‑band on Verizon/AT&T, 2.5 GHz on T‑Mobile) is concentrated in and near California and Tipton and along US‑50, with patchier reach elsewhere. As a result, typical 5G median speeds in town exceed rural zones by a wide margin and trail state urban medians.
  • Macro site density: consistent with a rural county; expect roughly low-to-mid single-digit macro sites per 100 square miles, plus limited small-cell presence largely in town cores.
• Fixed broadband
  • Fiber: Co‑Mo Connect (electric co‑op) has built substantial gigabit fiber in parts of Moniteau County, notably improving rural fixed service compared with many Missouri rural counties without co‑op fiber.
  • Cable: Mediacom and smaller cable operators serve denser town blocks; DSL remains in some outlying areas where fiber/cable is absent.
  • Adoption: household broadband subscription is modestly below the Missouri average (county ~77–80% vs state ~82%), but in co‑op fiber footprints adoption is near state levels; cellular-only reliance spikes where only DSL or satellite are available.
• Public coverage/resilience
  • FirstNet coverage via AT&T is deployed for public safety; carrier roaming and mutual-aid roaming agreements are standard.
  • Libraries and schools in California and Tipton provide Wi‑Fi safety nets that reduce mobile data strain for students and low-income users.

Trends that diverge from Missouri statewide patterns

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption overall, driven by an older age profile and higher share of basic phones among seniors.
• Higher reliance on prepaid and cellular-only internet, reflecting lower median incomes and patchy mid-band 5G/fixed-broadband options outside towns.
• More pronounced town–rural performance gap: LTE/5G speeds and reliability drop faster with distance from the US‑50 corridor than in urban/suburban Missouri counties.
• Despite being rural, areas served by co‑op fiber buck the usual rural pattern by supporting strong in-home Wi‑Fi and reducing mobile-only behavior where fiber is present.
• Device/platform mix skews more Android than the statewide average, aligning with prepaid usage and cost-sensitive plan/device choices.

Implications

• Network experience is highly location-sensitive: choosing carrier/MVNO based on the user’s exact home–work–commute pattern matters more here than in metro Missouri.
• Continued co‑op fiber buildouts will likely decrease cellular-only households and shift mobile usage toward Wi‑Fi offload in covered rural zones.
• As mid-band 5G extends beyond towns, expect a step-up in rural speeds and a gradual move from prepaid to value postpaid bundles, narrowing the gap with statewide trends.

Social media usage in Moniteau County, MO — 2025 snapshot

Context

• Population: roughly mid-16,000s; adult share ~77–79%.
• Internet access is predominantly smartphone-first; home broadband penetration is moderate for a rural county.

Overall usage (modeled 2025)

• Social media users: 10.0–11.2k residents
• Penetration: 62–69% of total population; 79–85% of adults

Age profile of users (share of all social users)

• 13–17: 6–8%
• 18–29: 20–22%
• 30–44: 25–28%
• 45–64: 28–31%
• 65+: 15–18%

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: 51–54%
• Male: 46–49% Note: The county hosts a men’s correctional facility; incarcerated residents are unlikely to be social users, slightly lifting the female share among active users.

Most-used platforms among adults (at least monthly; share of adult residents)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 70–75%
• Instagram: 30–35%
• Pinterest: 28–32% (disproportionately women 25–54)
• TikTok: 25–30% (strong among under-30s)
• Snapchat: 25–30% (teens and 18–29)
• X (Twitter): 12–16%
• Reddit: 8–12%
• LinkedIn: 10–14%
• Nextdoor: 2–5% (limited neighborhood coverage)

Behavioral trends and practical insights

• Facebook is the community hub: heavy use of Groups (schools, youth sports, churches, buy/sell), Events, and Marketplace. Local news and public-safety updates drive rapid comment spikes.
• Video wins attention: short vertical video (Reels/Shorts/TikTok) outperforms static posts; YouTube is the go-to for how‑to, equipment and home/farm repair, and product research.
• Messaging is central: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat underpin day‑to‑day coordination; many businesses convert via Messenger rather than website forms.
• Shopping and classifieds: Marketplace is a primary channel for vehicles, farm/garden gear, furniture, and seasonal items; price sensitivity and fast response matter.
• Posting windows: highest organic engagement typically weeknights 7–9 pm and weekend mornings; mid‑day weekday posts underperform unless tied to timely local updates.
• Younger users split attention: teens/20s favor Snapchat/TikTok for creation and DM; Instagram for local businesses and sports/activities; Facebook is used but more passively.
• Older adults are active joiners: they consistently engage with civic, school, church, and local-government pages; clear text, event reminders, and photo albums perform well.
• Creative that feels local outperforms: faces, names, landmarks, and community participation beat polished generic ads; community sponsorships amplify reach via shares.
• Paid reach is efficient but caps quickly: small audience size means frequency builds fast; rotate creatives and use event- or offer-based objectives to avoid fatigue.

Method note

• Figures are modeled county-level estimates for 2025, derived by applying recent U.S. social platform adoption rates (with rural and age adjustments) to the county’s age/sex structure and excluding likely non‑active institutionalized populations.