Pulaski County

Pulaski County, Missouri — key demographics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates)

Population

• Total population: ~53,400

Age

• Median age: ~28–29 years
• Under 18: ~25%
• 65 and over: ~12%

Gender

• Male: ~57–58%
• Female: ~42–43%

Race and ethnicity

• White alone: ~72%
• Black or African American alone: ~13–14%
• Asian alone: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~1%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: <1%
• Two or more races: ~7–9%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~10–12% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race.

Households

• Number of households: ~18,500–19,000
• Average household size: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~65–70% of all households
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~50% (renter-occupied ~50%)

Insights

• Fort Leonard Wood heavily shapes the profile: younger median age and a markedly higher male share than state/national norms.
• Racial/ethnic diversity is above the Missouri average.
• Housing patterns show a relatively high renter share consistent with a large military presence.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 (5-year). Estimates rounded for clarity.

Pulaski County, Missouri (est. 52,600 residents; ~95 people/sq mi) has high email adoption shaped by the Fort Leonard Wood corridor’s young, mobile population.

Estimated email users: 46,600 (≈89% of residents; ≈94% of adults).

Age distribution of email users (est.):

• 13–17: 3,500 (7%)
• 18–34: 18,600 (40%)
• 35–64: 20,500 (44%)
• 65+: 4,000 (9%)

Gender split among email users (est.): 54% male (25,200), 46% female (21,400), reflecting the county’s military presence.

Digital access and connectivity:

• ~88% of households have an internet subscription.
• Fixed broadband is strongest along I‑44 (Waynesville–St. Robert–Fort Leonard Wood), where ≈80% of households can get 100 Mbps–class service; rural north/south areas rely more on DSL/satellite with lower speeds.
• ~18% of households are smartphone‑only, indicating mobile‑first communication behavior.
• 4G/5G coverage is robust along the I‑44 corridor; hilly, wooded terrain creates spotty service in outlying areas.

Insights: A younger, slightly male‑skewed population drives very high email use among 18–34 and 35–64 cohorts. Seniors participate at lower rates but are rising as broadband expands. Dense development along I‑44 underpins stronger connectivity than the county’s rural fringes.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Pulaski County, Missouri

Overall scale and adoption

• Population baseline: about 53,000 residents and roughly 20,000 households.
• Active mobile lines: 61,000–65,000 (≈115–123 lines per 100 residents), tracking above a typical rural-county profile due to a large military presence and high device churn.
• Smartphone users: 38,000–41,000 residents (≈73–78% of total population, ≈88–90% of adults).
• 5G-capable devices: 28,000–32,000 (≈72–78% of smartphone users), higher than the statewide average because the county skews younger and upgrades more frequently.
• Smartphone-only households (no home broadband): 3,600–4,400 (≈18–22% of households), above the Missouri average (≈14–16%), reflecting high renter turnover around Fort Leonard Wood and budget-conscious plans.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • 18–34: significantly overrepresented versus Missouri overall; smartphone adoption ≈96–98%, heavy video, gaming, and social usage.
  • 35–64: adoption ≈90–92%, strong BYOD for work and childcare coordination among military families.
  • 65+: adoption ≈70–75%, slightly above Missouri’s senior adoption, boosted by veteran and retiree communities using telehealth and messaging to stay connected with deployed family.
• Income and housing:
  • Median household income trails the state, and renter share is elevated near Waynesville–St. Robert; both correlate with higher mobile-only internet reliance and prepaid/MVNO plan usage (≈25–30% of lines vs ≈22–24% statewide).
• Race/ethnicity:
  • The county is more diverse than Missouri overall due to the base. Mobile dependence is notably high among Black and Hispanic households (mobile-only internet ≈22–30%), driven by affordability and flexibility.
• Data consumption:
  • Typical monthly mobile data per smartphone: ≈22–28 GB, 15–25% higher than the state average, reflecting heavy streaming, short-term trainees, and frequent off-base mobility.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage:
  • Interstate 44 corridor (Waynesville–St. Robert–Fort Leonard Wood) has strong multi-carrier coverage with widespread low-band 5G and mid-band 5G in population centers.
  • Outlying rural areas and valleys see LTE-only service and occasional dead zones; coverage is notably weaker along low-density roads and in hilly terrain.
• Performance:
  • Along I-44 and on/near Fort Leonard Wood: 5G mid-band downlink commonly 150–300 Mbps during off-peak; LTE fallback 10–50 Mbps.
  • Rural fringes: 5–25 Mbps LTE typical; single-digit Mbps and reliability issues in some hollows and forested areas.
• Carriers and networks:
  • T-Mobile: broad mid-band 5G on the corridor; strong speeds in town.
  • Verizon: solid LTE footprint and C-band 5G in denser nodes; good highway reliability.
  • AT&T/FirstNet: robust public-safety coverage and Band 14 presence; 5G+ more localized.
• Backhaul and anchors:
  • Fiber and cable backhaul along I-44 support upgraded macro sites; additional small cells and on-base solutions boost capacity during training cycles.
  • Public Wi‑Fi and school networks exist in town centers, but are sparse in rural areas, reinforcing mobile dependence.

How Pulaski County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher smartphone adoption and 5G device penetration, driven by a younger, more transient, and more tech-forward military population.
• Larger share of smartphone-only households and prepaid/MVNO lines, tied to renter density, income mix, and short-term residence patterns.
• Higher per-line data usage (≈22–28 GB/month vs ≈18–22 GB statewide) due to streaming, gaming, and on-the-go connectivity.
• More pronounced urban–rural performance gap: very strong along I-44 and on base; noticeably weaker off-corridor because of terrain and sparse tower density.
• Faster upgrade cycle: devices and plans refresh more often than the state norm, keeping 5G adoption elevated.

Key takeaways

• Expected smartphone users: roughly 39,000 (±2,000), with 5G-capable devices in the low 30,000s.
• Mobile-only internet reliance is materially above the Missouri average, especially among renters and younger households.
• Infrastructure is best-in-class on the I-44 spine and on/adjacent to Fort Leonard Wood, while rural gaps persist; this bifurcation is sharper than statewide patterns.
• Carrier competition is active, with FirstNet/AT&T strong for public safety, T‑Mobile leading mid-band 5G capacity in town, and Verizon maintaining broad highway reliability.

Pulaski County, MO: social media usage snapshot (2025)

Context

• Population: roughly 53,000 residents, anchored by Fort Leonard Wood. The local audience skews younger and slightly more male than Missouri’s average because of the military population and associated families.
• Age mix (high level): larger 18–34 cohort than the state overall; solid 35–54 family segment; smaller 65+ share than Missouri average.
• Gender: slightly male‑skewed overall; most family/household decision roles online still split or female‑led (notably for shopping, schools, activities).

Most‑used platforms and likely local reach

• YouTube: ~80–85% of adults
• Facebook: ~65–70%
• Instagram: ~45–50%
• TikTok: ~30–40% (higher on the lower end of that range among 30–49; higher among 18–29)
• Snapchat: ~25–30% (concentrated under 35)
• WhatsApp: ~20–30% (family communications; some use among international/military families)
• X (Twitter): ~20–25% (news, weather, traffic, sports)
• Pinterest: ~30–40% (female‑skewed; projects, home, events)
• LinkedIn: ~20–25% (civilian professionals, contractors)
• Reddit: ~20–25% (male‑skewed; hobbies, gaming, tech) Note: County‑level platform shares are not officially published; figures reflect 2024 US adoption benchmarks applied to Pulaski County’s young/military‑skewed profile.

User stats by age group (behavioral focus)

• Teens/18–24: heavy on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; video‑first browsing; quick comments/reactions; follows local food, fitness, thrift, and events; uses Snapchat/IG DMs for coordination.
• 25–34: mixes Facebook Groups/Marketplace with Instagram and TikTok; discovery via Reels/shorts; frequent event RSVPs, childcare/school info, PCS/relocation tips, buy‑sell‑trade.
• 35–54: Facebook is the hub (Groups, school alerts, youth sports), plus YouTube for how‑to and product research; Instagram for local businesses and family content.
• 55+: Facebook for community/news and family; YouTube for tutorials, outdoor and home content; lighter use of Instagram; minimal TikTok/Snapchat.

Gender patterns

• Female‑leaning activity: Facebook Groups (schools, events, buy/sell), Instagram Stories/Reels, Pinterest (home, crafts, recipes), community volunteering and school communications.
• Male‑leaning activity: YouTube (repairs, tools, outdoor, fitness), Reddit (hobbies, tech), X for sports/news; Facebook still broadly used across genders.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger and SMS dominate cross‑age coordination; WhatsApp within international/military family networks.

Behavioral trends and content norms

• Facebook Groups and Marketplace are central for PCS moves, housing, childcare, gear resale, and local alerts (Waynesville/St. Robert/FLW communities).
• Short‑form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery; authenticity and utility beat high polish. How‑to, before/after, quick guides, and locally recognizable landmarks perform best.
• Event‑driven engagement spikes (school schedules, graduations, training cycles, local festivals, weather events). Official accounts (schools, city, County, MoDOT, NWS) see fast resharing during advisories.
• Peak local activity windows: lunch (11 a.m.–1 p.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.), with weekend morning surges for events and Marketplace.
• Strong word‑of‑mouth effects: recommendations in Facebook Groups can meaningfully shift foot traffic; responsive comment moderation and quick DMs materially improve conversion.
• Ad formats that work: geo‑targeted Facebook/Instagram placements to Waynesville–St. Robert and on‑post/off‑post radii; lookalikes based on engagement with school, outdoor, and moving/relocation interests; YouTube in‑feed for how‑to and product research.

Key takeaways

• Facebook and YouTube are the reach workhorses; Instagram and TikTok are the growth/awareness engines for under‑40.
• Lean into Groups, Marketplace, and short video for utility and discovery.
• Tailor by life stage: PCS/relocation and family logistics for 25–44; skills/outdoor/how‑to on YouTube for men 25–54; community and family updates on Facebook for 45+.