Morgan County

Morgan County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 20,925 (2020 Census)
• 21,0xx (2023 Census estimate; modest growth since 2020)

Age structure (share of total population; latest Census/ACS)

• Under 5 years: about 4.5–4.7%
• Under 18 years: about 20–21%
• 65 years and over: about 25–26%

Gender

• Female: ~50.4%
• Male: ~49.6%

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

• White: ~93%
• Black or African American: ~1%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~0.8–0.9%
• Asian: ~0.3–0.4%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~4.5–4.7%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~90–91%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~8,500–8,600
• Persons per household: ~2.35
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~82%

Insights

• Older-than-average age profile: roughly one in four residents is 65+, indicating significant retirement presence.
• Population is stable to slowly growing.
• Predominantly White, with small but present multiracial and Hispanic/Latino communities.
• High homeownership and small household size reflect a largely owner-occupied, rural community.

• Scope: Morgan County, Missouri (2020 Census population 20,190; land area ≈598 sq mi; population density ≈33.8 people/sq mi).

• Estimated email users: 15,800–16,500 residents (≈78–82% of the population), derived from county population and U.S. adult email adoption rates (90%+).

• Age distribution of email users (estimated):

  • Under 18: 6–8%
  • 18–34: 22–24%
  • 35–54: 31–33%
  • 55–64: 16–18%
  • 65+: 21–23% Older adults participate widely but at slightly lower rates than younger groups; Morgan’s older-leaning population keeps the 65+ share sizable.

• Gender split: Approximately even; email use is effectively parity by gender, mirroring the county’s population.

• Digital access and connectivity:

  • Most households maintain an internet subscription (roughly three in four), with fiber and fixed‑wireless coverage expanding; legacy DSL and satellite persist in sparsely populated areas.
  • Mobile (LTE/5G) connectivity is strongest along major corridors and lakeside communities; interior rural pockets experience variable speeds and reliability.
  • Low settlement density increases reliance on mobile and fixed‑wireless options and can slow wireline upgrades, influencing email access patterns (more smartphone‑only users and intermittent high‑bandwidth availability).

Mobile phone usage in Morgan County, Missouri — summary and county–state contrasts

Snapshot and user estimates

• Population base: ~21,000 residents (ACS 2018–2022; rounded).
• Mobile phone users (any mobile): ~19,000 residents, reflecting near-universal device access among adults despite rural gaps.
• Smartphone users: ~17,000 residents. This aligns with ACS indicators showing Morgan County’s smartphone presence below Missouri’s average, but still the dominant device type for local connectivity.
• Household-level adoption: Morgan County households with a smartphone are in the low- to mid‑80% range, several points below the statewide rate, which is around 90% (ACS S2801, 2018–2022 5‑year).

Demographic factors shaping usage

• Older population: 65+ make up roughly one-quarter of residents (about 24–25%), versus about 17% statewide. This skews device mix toward simpler phones and depresses smartphone adoption relative to Missouri overall.
• Income and cost sensitivity: Median household income is materially below the state median, contributing to higher reliance on budget Android devices, longer device replacement cycles, and a greater share of prepaid plans than the Missouri average.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is predominantly White (non‑Hispanic), with limited urban immigrant inflows; this translates to fewer multi‑SIM users and lower BYOD churn compared with state urban centers.

Digital infrastructure and access

• 4G LTE: Population coverage is high (>95%) along primary corridors (US‑50, MO‑5, MO‑52, MO‑135) and in towns (Versailles, Laurie, Stover), but geographic coverage drops off in hollows/valleys and forested areas away from highways.
• 5G: Availability is present but patchy—largely low‑band 5G along highways and near towns—with population coverage materially lower than the state’s major metros. Practical 5G throughput gains are inconsistent indoors and in lake-adjacent terrain.
• Cellular-only internet households: About one‑fifth of households rely primarily on a cellular data plan (smartphone or hotspot) for home internet, notably higher than the statewide share near the mid‑teens (ACS S2801 indicators). This elevates mobile data dependence for everyday tasks.
• Fixed-broadband constraints: Slower and spottier fixed broadband in outlying areas pushes heavier mobile data loads (hotspotting, video, telehealth) onto cellular networks, especially evenings and summer weekends.
• Seasonal load: Lake of the Ozarks tourism drives noticeable, recurring peak traffic spikes, causing localized slowdowns on sector‑congested sites, a pattern less prominent at the state level.

How Morgan County differs from Missouri overall

• Lower smartphone penetration: Household smartphone adoption trails Missouri by several percentage points, driven by an older age structure and lower incomes.
• Higher cellular-only reliance: A substantially larger share of households depend on cellular data as their primary home connection than the state average, making mobile networks a critical utility.
• Slower 5G depth: 5G presence exists but is thinner and more corridor‑bound than in Missouri’s metro counties; mid‑band depth and indoor performance lag state norms.
• More pronounced coverage gaps: Off‑corridor dead zones and terrain‑related shadows are more common than statewide averages, affecting voice reliability and emergency call quality in pockets.
• Device/plan mix: Greater cost sensitivity supports a higher share of prepaid, budget devices, and extended device lifecycles compared with state urban markets.

Notes on sources and methodology

• Counts and percentages derive from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year estimates (S2801 “Types of Computers and Internet Subscriptions”) for device and cellular-plan indicators, Census population baselines, and FCC mobile coverage filings for availability patterns. Figures are rounded for clarity and interpreted at the county scale to emphasize differences from Missouri’s statewide profile.

Morgan County, Missouri — Social Media Snapshot (2025)

Headline usage (adults 18+)

• Any social platform (monthly): 79%
• Most-used platforms (share of all adults 18+):
  • YouTube: 74%
  • Facebook: 62%
  • Pinterest: 32%
  • Instagram: 26%
  • TikTok: 21%
  • Snapchat: 18%
  • X (Twitter): 12%
  • LinkedIn: 10%
  • WhatsApp: 9%
  • Reddit: 8%
  • Nextdoor: 6%

Age breakdown (share of each age group using at least one platform monthly)

• 18–29: 94%
• 30–49: 86%
• 50–64: 72%
• 65+: 51%

Top platforms by age (share of each age group)

• 18–29: YouTube 94%, Instagram 68%, Snapchat 64%, TikTok 59%, Facebook 53%
• 30–49: YouTube 87%, Facebook 72%, Instagram 43%, TikTok 31%, Pinterest 38%
• 50–64: YouTube 70%, Facebook 65%, Pinterest 29%, Instagram 21%, TikTok 15%
• 65+: YouTube 56%, Facebook 44%, Pinterest 21%, Instagram 11%, TikTok 8%

Gender breakdown (share of each sex)

• Any platform: Women 81%, Men 77%
• Platform skews:
  • Facebook: Women 66%, Men 58%
  • YouTube: Women 72%, Men 76%
  • Pinterest: Women 49%, Men 14%
  • Instagram: Women 29%, Men 22%
  • TikTok: Women 23%, Men 19%
  • X (Twitter): Women 9%, Men 14%
  • Reddit: Women 4%, Men 12%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the community backbone: Groups and Marketplace dominate for local news, school and athletics updates, events, referrals, and buy-sell-trade activity.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube for DIY, auto/home projects, hunting/fishing, and product research; Facebook Reels and TikTok for quick entertainment. Cross-posting short-form video from TikTok/YouTube to Facebook is common to reach older audiences.
• Private sharing over public posting: Messenger, Snapchat, and text threads capture much of the day-to-day sharing; many residents are more likely to watch than post.
• Local commerce responsiveness: Offers, giveaways, and timely event reminders outperform brand-only updates. Service businesses see strong results with before/after videos and customer testimonials.
• Seasonality and timing: Engagement lifts around school calendars, holidays, and Lake of the Ozarks tourism windows, with evening and weekend video peaks.
• Niche use: X (Twitter) is used by a small cohort for sports and Missouri politics. LinkedIn skews to education, healthcare, and public-sector roles and is used more for job search than daily conversation.

Method note

• Figures are modeled county-level estimates derived by weighting 2023–2024 Pew Research U.S. platform adoption by age and sex to Morgan County’s 2023 American Community Survey age/sex profile. Values rounded to whole percentages; expect approximately ±3–5 percentage points variance.