Shelby County

Shelby County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 6,103 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: about 45 years
• Under 18: ~21%
• 18 to 64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~23%

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (percent of total population)

• White alone: ~94%
• Black or African American alone: ~2–3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0–1%
• Asian alone: ~0–1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2%

Household data

• Total households: ~2,600
• Persons per household (average): ~2.3
• Family households: ~64% of households
• Married-couple families: ~50% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~25%
• Nonfamily households: ~36%
• Householders living alone: ~32% (about 15% age 65+)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Figures are official Census/ACS statistics and may include standard sampling error for ACS-based items.

Summary for Shelby County, Missouri (estimates based on 2020 Census/2019–2023 ACS and Pew U.S. email adoption rates)

• Population and density: ~5,900–6,100 residents; ~12 people per square mile (very low-density rural county).
• Estimated email users: ~4,600–4,800 residents use email regularly (driven by ~90%+ adult email adoption applied to local age mix).
• Age distribution of email users (share of users):
  • 18–34: ~22%
  • 35–54: ~31%
  • 55–64: ~17%
  • 65+: ~30%
• Gender split of email users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors local adult population).
• Digital access and connectivity:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~70–75% of households.
  • Cellular-only internet at home: ~12–16%.
  • No home internet: ~20–25% (above Missouri average, consistent with rural counties).
  • Access is strongest in/around towns like Shelbina and Shelbyville and along primary corridors; more gaps in outlying areas.
  • Low population density increases last-mile costs, slowing fiber buildout; reliance on fixed wireless and mobile data is higher than state urban areas.

Insights: Email penetration is high among connected adults, but overall usage is capped by below-average home internet availability and an older population share, which moderates adoption among 65+.

Shelby County, Missouri — mobile phone usage snapshot (2025)

Core context

• Population: ~6,100 residents; ~2,600–2,700 households; predominantly rural with an older age profile (roughly one-quarter 65+).
• Implications for mobility: Rural geography and an older population tilt usage toward voice/LTE reliability, with slower 5G uptake than Missouri overall.

User estimates

• Total mobile phone users: 4,700–5,000 individuals (roughly 77–82% of residents).
• Adult users (18+): ~4,300–4,700 with a mobile phone; ~3,900–4,300 use smartphones.
• Seniors (65+): ~60–70% smartphone adoption; ~85% with any mobile phone.
• Teens (12–17): ~85–95% have a mobile phone; ~80–90% use smartphones.
• Households with a smartphone: ~85–90% (about 2,250–2,400 households).
• Mobile-only internet households (rely primarily on cellular, no fixed broadband): ~20–25% of households, higher than Missouri’s average.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age: Highest smartphone penetration among 18–44; adoption declines with age, but voice/LTE phone ownership remains high even among seniors.
• Income: Lower-income households show above-average reliance on mobile data for home internet and hotspotting; prepaid and budget plans see stronger uptake than state averages.
• Education: Smartphone adoption rises with education, but the gap narrows due to necessity-driven use for work scheduling, telehealth, and school communications.
• Race/ethnicity: The county is overwhelmingly White; mobile-only reliance is driven more by rural infrastructure limits than by demographic disparities seen in statewide figures.
• Occupation: Agriculture, logistics along US-36, healthcare, and small retail rely heavily on LTE for field connectivity, payments, and dispatch.

Digital infrastructure

• Coverage baseline: 4G LTE is the workhorse and is generally available in towns and along primary corridors (notably US-36 and MO-15), with spotty coverage on secondary roads and in low-lying areas. Wi‑Fi calling remains important for in-building coverage.
• 5G status: 5G is present in and near population centers and along the main highway corridor, but mid-band 5G coverage remains patchier than statewide norms. LTE still carries the majority of traffic countywide.
• Carriers: Nationwide carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) serve the area; regional presence and roaming supplement coverage at the fringes. Low-band spectrum (600/700 MHz) underpins rural reach; mid-band (2.5 GHz/C-band) availability is improving but not yet ubiquitous.
• Speeds and capacity: Typical rural profile—good outdoor LTE/low-band 5G for voice/basic data, with performance dips indoors and in terrain-shielded areas; mid-band 5G capacity appears in towns/corridors but is inconsistent across the countryside.
• Backhaul: Fiber backhaul concentrates along highways and into towns; microwave backhaul persists at more remote sites, contributing to variable peak-hour performance.
• Fixed-wireless interplay: LTE/5G-based fixed wireless is a common substitute where fiber/cable are limited, reinforcing mobile-only household patterns.
• Resilience: Weather and power events can isolate pockets with single-tower dependence; residents and businesses often employ signal boosters to stabilize links.

How Shelby County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher reliance on mobile as primary home internet: Mobile-only household share is several points above the statewide average, reflecting fixed-broadband gaps.
• Slower 5G transition: A larger share of traffic stays on LTE; mid-band 5G coverage and indoor 5G availability lag urban/suburban Missouri.
• More coverage variability: Greater incidence of dead zones off main corridors and heavier dependence on low-band spectrum for reach.
• Slightly older device mix and longer upgrade cycles: A modestly higher share of basic phones and older smartphones than state averages due to age and income mix.
• Greater use of prepaid/value plans and hotspots: Budget plans and hotspotting are more prevalent than in metro Missouri, tied to affordability and limited wired alternatives.

Bottom line

• Shelby County’s mobile landscape is defined by reliable LTE on primary routes, selective 5G capacity in towns/corridors, and above-average dependence on cellular for home connectivity. Compared with Missouri overall, the county sees more mobile-only households, slower 5G penetration, and more pronounced coverage gaps away from highways, with demographic and occupational patterns that keep voice/LTE stability paramount.

Social media usage in Shelby County, Missouri (2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Total population (2020 Census): 6,103
• Adults 18+: ≈4,760 (≈78% of population)

Overall usage

• Estimated social media users (13+): ≈3,900 people
• Adult penetration (18+): ≈75% use at least one platform (≈3,570 adults)
• Daily use among adult users: ≈75–80% use daily
• Typical breadth: adults use about 2–3 platforms on average

Most‑used platforms in the county (adult reach, 18+; percent of adults)

• YouTube: ~70%
• Facebook: ~64%
• Facebook Messenger: ~54%
• Instagram: ~28%
• Pinterest: ~28% (skews female, 35–65)
• TikTok: ~21%
• Snapchat: ~17% (concentrated under 30)
• X (Twitter): ~11%
• LinkedIn: ~11%
• Reddit: ~9%

Age profile (share of each group using any social platform; platform tendencies)

• Teens 13–17: very high use (YouTube ~95%, Snapchat ~75%, TikTok ~70%, Instagram ~65%, Facebook ~30%)
• 18–29: very high use (YouTube ~90%, Instagram ~70%, Snapchat ~60%, TikTok ~55%, Facebook ~55%)
• 30–49: high use (Facebook ~75%, YouTube ~80%, Instagram ~40%, TikTok ~25%, Pinterest ~35%)
• 50–64: moderate‑high (Facebook ~78%, YouTube ~70%, Pinterest ~30%, Instagram ~20%, TikTok ~15%)
• 65+: moderate (Facebook ~65%, YouTube ~55%, Pinterest ~20%, Instagram/TikTok each ≤15%)

Gender breakdown (adult users)

• Female: ~54% of users; more active on Facebook and Pinterest; slightly higher on Instagram
• Male: ~46% of users; more active on YouTube, Reddit, and X

Behavioral trends

• Community and events: Facebook Groups/Pages anchor local life (schools, churches, county offices, HS sports, 4‑H/FFA, county fair). Events, cancellations, and fundraisers get fast uptake and shares.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is heavily used for vehicles, farm/ranch equipment, tools, furniture, and local services; recommendations flow through Groups.
• Content formats: Photos and short native videos outperform external links. Live streams and score updates for school sports see strong engagement. YouTube is the go‑to for how‑to, repair, weather, and ag content.
• Timing: Engagement peaks before work/school (≈6:30–9:00 am) and evenings (≈7:00–10:00 pm). Sunday early afternoon and weekday evenings are reliable windows for posts and ads.
• Trust dynamics: Local admins, coaches, pastors, first responders, and county offices are high‑credibility amplifiers. Local news largely flows via Facebook posts from radio/newspaper pages.
• Data/frugality: Some users ration mobile data; concise text + image or sub‑60‑second videos perform better off‑Wi‑Fi. Downloadable flyers and phone‑call CTAs convert well.
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook/Messenger: community coordination, news, Marketplace, service discovery
  • YouTube: tutorials, weather, product research
  • Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat: youth/young‑adult socializing, sports highlights, local trends
  • Pinterest: home, crafts, recipes; midlife women
  • LinkedIn/X/Reddit: niche, lighter footprint; professionals, news junkies, hobby forums

Notes on figures

• Counts and percentages are best‑available local estimates derived from Shelby County’s demographic structure (2020 Census/ACS) calibrated with 2023–2024 U.S. rural social‑media usage patterns (e.g., Pew Research) and rounded for clarity. Multiple‑platform use means platform percentages sum to more than 100%.