Saint Louis County

Saint Louis County, Missouri — key demographics (latest U.S. Census Bureau data: 2020 Census; 2018–2022 ACS; 2023 population estimate)

Population size

• Total population: 1,004,125 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~994,000 (small decline since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~40.6 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 65 and over: ~18%

Gender

• Female: ~52%
• Male: ~48%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White, non-Hispanic: ~61%
• Black or African American: ~26%
• Asian: ~5%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4%
• Two or more races: ~4%
• Other (including American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander): <1%

Household data

• Households: ~400,000
• Persons per household: ~2.36
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~71%
• Family households: ~60% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%

Insights

• The county is slightly shrinking but remains Missouri’s most populous.
• Population is older than the U.S. average, with nearly 1 in 5 residents age 65+.
• Racial/ethnic diversity is substantial, with roughly 1 in 4 residents Black and a growing Asian and Hispanic presence.
• Homeownership is high and household sizes are modest, consistent with a predominantly suburban county.

Email usage in Saint Louis County, MO

• Estimated users: About 735,000 adult email users (county pop ~0.99M; ~79% adults; email adoption ≈94% among adults).
• Age distribution of email users: 18–29: 19.5%; 30–49: 33.0%; 50–64: 26.4%; 65+: 21.0%.
• Gender split: ~52% female, ~48% male (mirrors county demographics; email adoption is effectively equal by gender).

Digital access and trends

• Home connectivity: ~91–93% of households subscribe to broadband; ~94–96% have a computer. Roughly 13–15% are smartphone-only internet users. Mobile is now the primary way residents check email, especially outside work hours.
• Network quality: Dense, highly connected county (~1,900 people per square mile). Cable DOCSIS 3.1 is near-universal; fiber availability is widespread and expanding. Typical fixed broadband speeds exceed 200 Mbps, with 1 Gbps service widely offered.
• Inclusion infrastructure: 20+ county library branches provide free Wi‑Fi, computer access, and hotspot lending, bolstering access for residents without home service.
• Trend insight: Email remains ubiquitous across all adult age groups, with the fastest growth in regular use among adults 65+, and stable near‑universal usage among working‑age adults. Affordability programs and public access points continue to narrow remaining gaps in North County and lower‑income areas.

Saint Louis County, MO mobile usage snapshot (latest available: 2023 ACS 1‑year plus 2024 operator deployments)

User estimate

• Population: ~1.0 million residents; ~405,000 households.
• Active smartphone users: approximately 850,000–900,000 residents use a mobile phone regularly (reflecting very high household smartphone availability and adult penetration typical of large urban/suburban counties).

Adoption and device/subscription status (household-level)

• Households with a smartphone: about 94% in Saint Louis County, above the Missouri statewide rate (~91%).
• Households with a cellular data plan for a smartphone/tablet/other mobile device: about 84% in the county, above the state (~79%).
• Smartphone-only internet (no fixed home internet, relies on cellular): roughly 11% in the county, lower than Missouri overall (~15%). This indicates less dependence on phones as the sole on-ramp, consistent with stronger fixed broadband in the county.
• No internet subscription at home (any kind): about 6–7% in the county vs roughly 11–12% statewide.

Demographic patterns that differ from state-level

• Age: Older adults (65+) in the county have higher smartphone adoption and home internet take-up than seniors statewide, narrowing the age gap. However, pockets of low adoption persist among seniors in lower-income tracts.
• Income: Low-income households in the county are more likely to be smartphone‑only than higher-income peers but are still less smartphone‑only than comparable low-income households statewide due to better availability of low-cost wireline options and device programs.
• Race and ethnicity: The county’s Black and Latino households show higher smartphone‑only reliance than White households, mirroring national patterns, but the absolute share of smartphone‑only is still lower than the Missouri average because fixed broadband adoption is stronger in the county’s suburbs.
• Housing/tenure: Renters are more likely than homeowners to be smartphone‑only; the renter–owner gap is smaller than the state’s due to broader apartment fiber/coax availability in the county.
• Geography within the county: West and South County suburbs exhibit near‑universal smartphone and fixed broadband adoption; parts of North County have higher smartphone‑only and higher no‑subscription rates, though still better than many rural Missouri counties.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• 4G/5G coverage: All three national MNOs (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide countywide LTE and extensive 5G. Mid‑band 5G is widely deployed:
  • T‑Mobile n41 (2.5 GHz) blanket coverage across most populated areas.
  • Verizon and AT&T C‑band mid‑band 5G are broadly available along major corridors and population centers.
  • mmWave/ultra‑wideband nodes appear in dense commercial districts and venues; coverage is targeted rather than ubiquitous.
• Capacity/backhaul: Robust fiber and HFC plant from AT&T and Charter Spectrum underpins dense macro and small‑cell sites; multiple long‑haul and metro fiber routes traverse I‑64, I‑70, I‑44, and I‑270 corridors.
• Venues and transit:
  • St. Louis Lambert International Airport (in the county) operates carrier DAS with 5G support.
  • Major medical campuses and malls typically use neutral‑host DAS for strong indoor coverage.
• Public connectivity: County library branches offer free Wi‑Fi and hotspot lending; municipalities expand Wi‑Fi in parks and civic complexes, which reduces smartphone‑only friction for residents.
• Performance relative to state: The county (as part of the St. Louis metro) generally posts higher median 5G/LTE speeds and capacity than the Missouri average due to mid‑band spectrum depth, denser site grids, and abundant fiber backhaul. Rural Missouri remains comparatively capacity‑constrained.

Key trends vs. Missouri overall

• Higher adoption: More households have smartphones and cellular data plans, and fewer lack any internet subscription.
• Lower smartphone‑only reliance: Residents are less dependent on mobile as the sole connection thanks to stronger fixed broadband penetration and affordability options.
• Smaller demographic gaps: Digital divides by age, income, and race are present but narrower than the statewide pattern because of urban/suburban infrastructure density and device/affordability programs.
• Faster 5G maturation: Earlier and broader mid‑band 5G deployments and greater small‑cell use have lifted real‑world mobile performance above the state median.

Notes on data

• Household adoption figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 one‑year estimates; infrastructure points reflect 2024 carrier deployments and publicly documented venue systems. Estimates of individual users are derived by applying county adoption rates to the resident population.

Social media usage in St. Louis County, MO — concise snapshot (modeled to the county’s population using the latest Pew Research Center adoption rates and U.S. Census population mix)

Population baseline

• Residents: ≈1.0 million; age 13+ ≈830,000 (adults 18+ ≈770,000). Source: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) and typical county age mix.

Overall usage

• Adults (18+): ~83% use at least one social platform ⇒ ≈640,000 adults.
• Teens (13–17): ~95% use at least one platform ⇒ ≈56,000 teens.
• Combined 13+ social media users: ≈700,000 locally.

Most‑used platforms (modeled local reach of 13+ population; percentages reflect Pew adoption rates applied to the county)

• YouTube: 84% of 13+ (700k users)
• Facebook: 66% (545k)
• Instagram: 51% (420k)
• TikTok: 35% (290k)
• Snapchat: 29% (240k)
• Also significant among adults: Pinterest ~33%, LinkedIn ~28%, WhatsApp ~27%, X (Twitter) ~20%, Reddit ~20%

Age profile (who’s on what)

• 13–17: Near‑universal YouTube; heavy TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat; Facebook is secondary.
• 18–29: Highest multi‑platform use; deep on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; YouTube is default.
• 30–49: Broadest mix; Facebook for family/community, Instagram and YouTube for content/shopping discovery; WhatsApp used in multicultural networks.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube anchor usage; rising Pinterest and LinkedIn; Nextdoor-style neighborhood apps common.
• 65+: Roughly half use social media; Facebook is the primary network; YouTube growing for news/how‑to.

Gender breakdown (directional skews)

• Overall usage is near‑parity by gender.
• Platform skews: Pinterest and Facebook lean female; Reddit, X (Twitter), YouTube lean male; Instagram and TikTok are closer to balanced (slightly female-leaning).

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community and civic: Very active Facebook Groups around municipalities/school districts (e.g., safety updates, local elections, youth sports, severe weather). Neighborhood apps commonly used for HOA, lost/found, and city services.
• Marketplace behavior: Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups are strong; spikes during moving season (late spring–summer) and back‑to‑school.
• Events, dining, and “shop local”: Instagram Reels and TikTok drive discovery for restaurants (Clayton, Maplewood, Kirkwood, The Loop), festivals, and small retail; UGC and micro‑influencers disproportionately shape foot traffic.
• Sports and real‑time spikes: Cardinals, Blues, and CITY SC moments drive short, high‑engagement bursts on X, Instagram, and TikTok; weather events trigger county‑wide surges on Facebook/YouTube.
• Professional networks: LinkedIn use is elevated among healthcare, education, defense/aerospace, and financial services clusters in the county; recruiting and thought‑leadership content perform well.
• Timing: Peak engagement evenings (7–10 pm CT) and midday (11:30 am–1:30 pm); weekend evenings are strong for lifestyle/entertainment content.

How to interpret the numbers

• Percentages are from recent Pew Research Center studies (2024 adults; 2023 teens) applied to St. Louis County’s population profile to yield local estimates. They represent practical, defensible planning figures when true county‑only platform data aren’t published.

Sources

• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adults); Teens, Social Media and Technology (2023).
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (most recent estimates for St. Louis County, MO).