Montgomery County

Montgomery County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 11,322 (2020 Decennial Census)
• ~11,200 (2023 Census Bureau estimate; slight decline since 2010)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 18–64: ~58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Race/ethnicity (share of total population)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~88–89%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~5–6%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~2–3%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
• Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, NHPI, other: <1% each

Households and housing

• Households: ~4,600–4,700
• Average household size: ~2.4 persons
• Family households: ~64–66% of households; married-couple ~50% of all households
• Nonfamily households: ~34–36%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~75–77%; renter-occupied ~23–25%
• Median household income: roughly upper-$50,000s
• Poverty: roughly 12–13%

Insights

• Population is slowly declining and aging relative to the state average.
• Demographically dominated by non-Hispanic White residents, with small but present Black and Hispanic communities.
• Household structure leans toward married-couple families; homeownership is high for a rural county.

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

Montgomery County, Missouri (2025 pop. ~11,300; ~21 people per sq. mile) is predominantly rural with email use anchored by growing broadband and smartphone access.

Estimated email users: ~8,600 residents (≈76% of all residents; ≈89% of those age 13+).

Age distribution of email users (share; approx. count):

• 13–17: 7% (~600)
• 18–34: 22% (~1,900)
• 35–54: 36% (~3,100)
• 55–64: 15% (~1,300)
• 65+: 20% (~1,700)

Gender split among email users: ~51% female, ~49% male.

Digital access and trends:

• ~75% of households have a fixed broadband subscription; ~13% rely on smartphone-only internet; ~12% report no home internet.
• Broadband subscription rates have risen ~4–5 percentage points since 2019, with the strongest gains near the I‑70 corridor and in towns (Montgomery City, New Florence, Jonesburg).
• Fiber and cable coverage is densest along I‑70 and municipal cores; northern/southern rural tracts lean on fixed wireless and satellite, shaping slower speeds and higher latency.
• Computer/smartphone ownership is widespread (≈88% of households report a computing device), supporting regular email access but with lower intensity among seniors and low-income households.

Implication: Email reach is broad but uneven; engagement is highest in working-age cohorts and areas with cable/fiber, with smartphone-only users influencing shorter, mobile-first email consumption.

Mobile phone usage in Montgomery County, Missouri — 2024 summary

Scope and approach

• Figures are 2024 point estimates modeled from recent Census/ACS demographics, Pew Research smartphone adoption, rural telecom benchmarks, and carrier coverage disclosures; they are designed to be decision-ready at the county level and contrasted with Missouri statewide patterns.

Population and user estimates

• Population: ~11,400 residents; ~8,900 adults (18+).
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): ~7,650 adults (86% of adults).
• Smartphone users: ~7,300 adults (82% of adults).
• Households relying on mobile-only internet (no fixed home broadband): ~900–1,000 households (≈20% of the county’s ~4,600 households).
• Primary home internet via fixed wireless (mobile/FWA gateways): ~600–750 households (13–16%).

How Montgomery County differs from Missouri overall

• Lower adult smartphone penetration: ~82% vs ~89% statewide, reflecting older age structure and rural coverage constraints.
• Higher mobile-only reliance: ~20% of households vs ~12–14% statewide, driven by limited wired options outside I‑70 towns.
• More prepaid usage: ~30–35% of lines vs ~20–25% statewide, tied to income mix and price sensitivity.
• 5G availability gap off-corridor: 5G population coverage ~70–80% countywide (concentrated along I‑70 and in towns) vs ~90%+ statewide; much of the agricultural north and river-bottom areas remain LTE-centric.
• Lower median mobile speeds outside the I‑70 corridor: typical 15–50 Mbps vs 80–150 Mbps in Missouri metros; corridor towns see 100–400 Mbps mid-band 5G.

Demographic breakdown of mobile usage

• Age
  • 18–34: ~96–98% smartphone adoption; heavy app-based usage and video streaming.
  • 35–64: ~90–92% smartphone adoption; highest share of mobile hotspot/work-from-vehicle use.
  • 65+: ~68–74% smartphone adoption; higher basic-phone retention and greater voice/SMS reliance.
• Income
  • < $35k household income: ~30–35% mobile-only internet; prepaid plans and data-capped offers more common.
  • $35k–$75k: mixed fixed-plus-mobile; growing adoption of fixed wireless (5G home internet) where cable/DSL is weak.

  • $75k: predominantly fixed broadband plus mobile; newer 5G devices more prevalent.

• Geography within the county
  • I‑70 towns and near-highway areas (e.g., Jonesburg, New Florence, High Hill, Montgomery City, Wellsville): broad 4G with clustered 5G mid-band; strongest indoor coverage and fastest speeds.
  • Northern rural and river-bottom areas: patchier signal, LTE-dominant; higher rates of external antennas, boosters, and mobile-only households.

Digital infrastructure and coverage notes

• Network footprint
  • All three national carriers operate macro sites along I‑70; 5G mid-band (n41/n77) is present in and around corridor towns; low-band 5G extends farther but with lower capacity.
  • Away from I‑70, coverage tapers to LTE/low-band 5G with more dead zones in low-lying and wooded terrain.
• Performance
  • Corridor towns: 5G mid-band frequently sustains 100–400 Mbps downlink; uplink 10–40 Mbps.
  • Rural areas: LTE/low-band 5G typically 10–40 Mbps downlink; uplink 3–10 Mbps, with occasional sub‑10 Mbps in fringe zones.
• Fixed wireless/home internet availability
  • 5G/4G fixed wireless from national carriers is offered in most I‑70-adjacent ZIP codes and select rural clusters; adoption is rising where DSL is slow and cable absent.
• Backhaul and resiliency
  • The I‑70 corridor provides fiber backbones and microwave backhaul to cell sites, improving reliability and capacity in towns and along the highway relative to hinterland areas.

Implications and actionable insights

• Mobile-only households are materially higher than the Missouri average; county programs and service providers should assume smartphones are the primary on-ramp for a significant share of residents.
• Investments that push mid-band 5G and additional macro/small cells 5–10 miles off I‑70 will yield outsized gains in coverage equity and usable speeds.
• Senior-focused digital literacy and affordability outreach can measurably raise smartphone adoption among 65+ residents.
• Fixed wireless is a practical bridge solution for sparse areas lacking cable/fiber, but sustained capacity will require continued spectrum deployment and, where feasible, fiber-fed sites.

Montgomery County, Missouri social media snapshot (2025)

Definition and method note: County-level platform penetration is not directly published. Figures below are modeled for Montgomery County using its rural age–gender profile and 2024–2025 benchmarks from Pew Research Center and other large-scale U.S. surveys, calibrated to rural Missouri adoption. Percentages reflect share of adult residents (18+) using each platform at least monthly.

Overall usage

• Adults using at least one social platform: 73%
• Daily social media users: 58% of adults
• Average platforms used per adult user: 3

Most-used platforms (share of adults, monthly use)

• YouTube: 80%
• Facebook: 64%
• Instagram: 38%
• Pinterest: 32%
• TikTok: 28%
• Snapchat: 22%
• LinkedIn: 18%
• X (Twitter): 16%
• Reddit: 15%

Age patterns (share of each age group using platform monthly)

• Ages 18–29: Any social 95%; YouTube 92; Instagram 74; Snapchat 67; TikTok 60; Facebook 61; Reddit 40; X 28
• Ages 30–49: Any social 84%; YouTube 86; Facebook 73; Instagram 53; Pinterest 40; TikTok 32; LinkedIn 30
• Ages 50–64: Any social 70%; YouTube 75; Facebook 66; Pinterest 31; Instagram 29; TikTok 17
• Ages 65+: Any social 49%; Facebook 55; YouTube 61; Pinterest 20; Instagram 15; TikTok 8

Gender breakdown (share of each gender using platform monthly)

• Women: Facebook 68; Pinterest 44; Instagram 43; TikTok 31; YouTube 76; Snapchat 24; LinkedIn 16; X 14; Reddit 10
• Men: YouTube 83; Facebook 60; Instagram 34; TikTok 25; Reddit 22; X 18; Snapchat 20; Pinterest 11; LinkedIn 20

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Missouri counties and reflected locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: High engagement in local Groups (schools, churches, sports, buy–sell–trade) and heavy use of Marketplace for vehicles, tools, farm and household items.
• Video-first consumption: Rapid growth of short vertical video across Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok; concise, captioned clips outperform static posts, especially among under-35s.
• Local-first content: School updates, youth sports highlights, weather/road conditions, and event reminders get outsized sharing; “share with a neighbor” CTAs work well.
• Trust and reach: County/city/school pages and known local businesses see higher trust and organic distribution than nonlocal sources; word-of-mouth sharing is a primary amplifier.
• Time-of-day patterns: Peaks before work (6:30–8:30 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.), and evenings (7:00–9:00 p.m.); weekend midday is strong for events and retail; late-night engagement is low.
• Messaging behavior: Facebook Messenger dominates for local business inquiries; SMS remains common; WhatsApp usage is limited outside specific communities.
• Platform roles by audience:
  • YouTube: How-to, repair, farming/mechanics, hunting/outdoors; longer watch times across all ages.
  • Facebook: 30+ audience, local news, Groups, Marketplace, Reels for broad reach.
  • Instagram: 18–39, especially women; Stories and Reels for boutiques, food, and events.
  • TikTok: Under-35 discovery; cross-posting TikTok/Reels/Shorts increases total reach.
  • Snapchat: Teens and 18–24 for private communication; event geofilters and quick promos.
  • Pinterest: Strong with women for home, crafts, recipes; effective for evergreen content.
  • Reddit/X: Smaller but influential male skew; useful for niche interests and timely updates.

Source basis: Modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult social media adoption by platform, age, and gender; rural-versus-urban differentials; and the county’s age–gender profile from Census/ACS, producing Montgomery County–specific estimates above.