Stone County

Stone County, Missouri – key demographics

Population size

• Total population: 31,076 (2020 Census)
• Latest estimate: ~32,300 (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~52 years
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18–64: ~54%
• 65 and over: ~28%

Gender

• Female: ~50.7%
• Male: ~49.3%

Race and Hispanic origin

• White alone: ~91–92%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~1.0%
• Asian alone: ~0.6%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~5%

Households and housing

• Households: ~13,600
• Average household size: ~2.33; average family size: ~2.8
• Family households: ~66% of households; married-couple households: ~54%
• Households with children under 18: ~22%
• Tenure: owner-occupied ~79%, renter-occupied ~21%

Insights

• Older-than-state/nation profile (high 65+ share, median age ~52)
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White with modest Hispanic presence
• Small household sizes, high homeownership, and many seasonal/vacation homes around Table Rock Lake

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates; Population Estimates Program 2023).

Stone County, MO snapshot

• Population and density: ~31,600 residents (2023 est.); ~67 people per square mile (2020 land area ~464 sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~24,300 adult users. Basis: ~26,200 adults (18+) with adoption aligned to U.S. usage by age.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.): 18–29: 3,100; 30–49: 5,600; 50–64: 7,500; 65+: 8,200. The county’s older profile (median age ~52) yields a large 65+ email cohort.
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, 49% male, mirroring the local population; usage rates are essentially parity by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Household broadband subscription: ~77% (ACS 2018–2022), with ~88% of households having a computer device.
  • Smartphone-only internet households: ~14%; no home internet: ~21%.
  • Connectivity is characteristically rural: pockets around Table Rock Lake and hilly terrain rely on satellite or fixed wireless; DSL/cable predominate with expanding fiber from regional co-ops/ISPs. Insights: Despite rural density and uneven fixed broadband, email penetration is high across all ages, including seniors. Expanding fiber and state BEAD-funded buildouts should lift broadband adoption and increase daily email reliability and use.

Stone County, Missouri: Mobile phone usage summary (focus on county-vs-state differences)

Key user estimates

• Population and households (ACS 2018–2022): 31,600 residents; 13,400 households
• Households with at least one smartphone: 88% (≈11,800 households). Missouri: 90%
• Adults (18+): ≈25,500
• Estimated adult smartphone users: ≈22,000 (≈86% of adults), below Missouri’s adult adoption rate (≈89%)

Demographic context shaping usage

• Older population: 65+ is roughly 30% of residents vs ~17% statewide. This skews overall smartphone adoption downward and raises the share of users on simpler or lower-cost plans
• Income and education: Median household income ≈$58,000 (below Missouri’s ≈$65,000); bachelor’s degree or higher ≈22% vs ~30% statewide. These correlate with lower multi-device ownership and a higher likelihood of relying on mobile data as the primary connection
• Household composition: Smaller/older households mean fewer multi-line family plans and a higher prevalence of single-line users compared with statewide patterns

Connectivity and subscriptions (ACS 2018–2022, S2801)

• Broadband subscription (any): 77% of households in Stone County vs 83% statewide
• Cellular data plan in the household (alone or with other service): 71% vs 75% statewide
• Cellular-only internet households (cellular data plan with no fixed broadband): 14% vs 10% statewide
• No internet subscription: 19% vs 13% statewide Implication: Stone County relies more on mobile data as a primary connection and has a larger offline segment than Missouri overall

Digital infrastructure and market characteristics

• Coverage mix: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide countywide 4G LTE outdoors; 5G is present along main corridors (notably MO-13, Branson West/Kimberling City area) but is patchier away from towns than the statewide picture
• 5G capacity: Low-band 5G is common; mid-band 5G (faster) is limited compared with Missouri’s metro corridors, keeping average mobile speeds lower and more variable across the county
• Terrain effects: Ozark hills, forest cover, and lake coves (Table Rock Lake shoreline) create signal shadowing and localized dead zones, a more pronounced issue than in much of the state
• Seasonal load: Tourism inflows around Table Rock Lake/Branson West create peak-season congestion that outstrips typical rural patterns elsewhere in Missouri
• Emergency/public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) and priority services cover primary corridors and population centers; off-corridor reliability is more dependent on site-to-terrain line-of-sight than in flatter regions
• Fixed alternatives: Lower fiber and cable density than state average sustains higher cellular-only reliance; WISPs and satellite (Starlink/Ka-band) are meaningful complements in outlying areas

What’s different from Missouri overall

• Adoption and access: Slightly lower smartphone penetration and meaningfully lower broadband subscription, with a higher share of cellular-only and offline households
• Age-driven usage: A substantially older population depresses smartphone and app-centric usage compared with Missouri’s more balanced age profile
• Network experience: More variable 5G availability and capacity because of terrain and fewer mid-band deployments, yielding larger performance gaps between highway/town centers and rural hollows than seen statewide
• Plan mix: Higher prevalence of budget and prepaid plans, and more mobile-primary households, linked to income and fixed-network availability differences

Bottom-line numbers to plan around

• ~11,800 Stone County households have at least one smartphone
• ~22,000 adult smartphone users reside in the county
• 14% of households use mobile data as their only internet connection (vs 10% statewide), and 19% have no internet subscription (vs 13% statewide)
• Expect stronger dependency on LTE/low-band 5G off the main corridors, with seasonal congestion around lake/tourism hubs more acute than the statewide norm

Notes on sources and vintage

• Core figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS 2018–2022 (Table S2801 for device and subscription metrics; 5-year estimates for demographics). Carrier availability reflects FCC coverage filings and publicly documented rural 5G deployments through 2023.

Stone County, MO social media snapshot (2024 modeled estimates)

User base and access

• Adult population (18+): ~26,500
• Social media users: ~18,300 adults (69% of adults)
• Household broadband subscription: 78%
• Adult smartphone ownership: 82%

Age mix of social media users

• 18–29: 17%
• 30–49: 32%
• 50–64: 30%
• 65+: 21%

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Female: 52%
• Male: 48%

Most-used platforms among adult social media users

• YouTube: 78%
• Facebook: 76%
• Pinterest: 37%
• Instagram: 34%
• TikTok: 24%
• Snapchat: 16%
• LinkedIn: 15%
• X (Twitter): 14%
• Nextdoor: 11%

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the local hub: highest engagement for community groups, schools, churches, county updates, and Marketplace (buy/sell/trade; boats, RVs, home goods).
• Seasonal spikes: Content and ad engagement rise late spring–summer tied to Table Rock Lake tourism and outdoor recreation; short-form video (Facebook Reels/Instagram Reels/TikTok) sees above-average reach in these months.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube usage is broad across ages for DIY, home improvement, boating/fishing, and local event info; evening and weekend watch times dominate.
• Commerce and promotions: Local businesses favor Facebook Events and boosted posts; Instagram is secondary for restaurants, lodging, and attractions; Pinterest drives mid-funnel inspiration (home, crafts, lake/seasonal).
• Private/community spaces: Closed Facebook Groups and Messenger threads carry much of the discussion; trust and engagement are strongest for posts from known local figures and organizations.
• Older-audience tilt: Higher Facebook and Pinterest share; comparatively lower TikTok/Snapchat footprint than urban peers, though 18–29s over-index on TikTok and Snapchat.
• Effective timing: Weekday early mornings (6–8 am) and evenings (7–9 pm) and weekend midday perform best for local reach.
• Targeting notes: Small-radius geo-targeting and interest clusters (boating, fishing, home improvement, church/civic) outperform broad lookalikes; Nextdoor is useful for homeowner reach but remains niche.

Notes on figures: Statistics are 2024 county-level estimates derived by weighting Pew Research Center’s U.S. platform-use rates by Stone County’s age structure and access metrics from the American Community Survey; typical confidence bands are ±3–5 percentage points.