Vernon County

Vernon County, Missouri — key demographics

Population size

• 19,707 (2020 Census, official count)
• ~19.3k (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimate), down about 7% from 2010

Age

• Median age: ~41–42 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~23%
• 18–64: ~57–58%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~50–51%
• Male: ~49–50%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023; Hispanic is any race)

• Non-Hispanic White: ~88%
• Black or African American (non-Hispanic): ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~1–2%
• Asian (non-Hispanic): <1%
• Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~5%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~8,000
• Average household size: ~2.4
• Family households: ~60%
• Married-couple households: ~45–47% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• One-person households: ~31% (about 14% are age 65+ living alone)

Insights

• Small, slowly declining population with an older age profile
• Predominantly non-Hispanic White, with modest racial/ethnic diversity
• Household structure skews toward smaller and nonfamily/one-person households, with under one-third having children at home

Vernon County, MO overview (pop. ~20,500; density ~25 people/sq. mi.)

• Estimated email users (age 13+): ~15,200 (about three-quarters of residents and roughly 9 in 10 adults).
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: 6%
  • 18–34: 22%
  • 35–54: 32%
  • 55–64: 16%
  • 65+: 24%
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male.

Digital access and usage:

• Household internet subscription rate ~70%, with fixed broadband available to roughly 80–85% of addresses; 100/20 Mbps-class service reaches about 70%. Subscription lags availability due to rural distance and cost.
• Smartphone-only internet households: ~15–20%, driving high mobile email reliance; around 80–85% of email users access mail primarily via smartphones.
• Rural dispersion limits fiber buildout; many outlying areas depend on cable/DSL or fixed wireless, with satellite as a fallback. Coverage and speeds are strongest in and around Nevada and along the I‑49 corridor.

Implications: Email penetration is mature across all adult ages, including seniors, but connectivity gaps outside population centers can reduce consistency of access and engagement in the most rural townships.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Vernon County, Missouri

Headline estimates

• Population and households: ~20,600–20,900 residents; ~8,100–8,400 households
• Active mobile subscriptions: ~26,500–28,000 lines (≈128–134 subscriptions per 100 residents, aligned with Missouri’s statewide per-capita wireless line density)
• Adult smartphone users: ~14,000–15,500 (≈85–90% of adults), slightly below Missouri’s urbanized counties but broadly consistent with rural Missouri
• Households primarily relying on mobile data for home internet: 1,400–1,700 households (≈17–20% of households), higher than the Missouri average (11–13%)

How Vernon County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher mobile-only reliance: A notably larger share of households use a cellular data plan as their primary or only home internet connection, driven by sparser fixed broadband options outside Nevada and cost sensitivity
• More variable 5G experience: 5G is present, but mid-band capacity (the “fast 5G”) is clustered around the I-49 corridor and Nevada; rural townships more often fall back to LTE or low-band 5G, yielding lower median speeds and greater indoor coverage variability than state averages
• Slightly lower smartphone uptake among seniors: Older residents are a larger share of the population than statewide, and smartphone adoption among 65+ lags the state average, modestly pulling down overall adoption rates
• Greater dependence on mobile for key tasks: Higher incidence of mobile-only connectivity translates to heavier use of smartphones for job search, telehealth, schoolwork, and government services than in metro Missouri

Demographic context shaping mobile usage

• Age structure: Seniors (65+) comprise roughly one-fifth of the population, a higher share than Missouri overall; this age mix correlates with lower smartphone adoption and a higher prevalence of basic/voice-first devices among older residents
• Income and affordability: Median household income is materially below the Missouri median, and the local poverty rate is higher than the state’s; affordability pressures increase reliance on smartphones and cellular data plans in lieu of higher-cost wireline broadband
• Education: A smaller share of adults hold a bachelor’s degree compared with Missouri overall; nationally, lower educational attainment correlates with higher rates of mobile-only internet access, a pattern that is visible locally

Digital infrastructure snapshot

• Mobile networks: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile provide countywide LTE coverage; 5G coverage is strongest around Nevada and along the I-49 corridor. Mid-band 5G (higher capacity) is concentrated near population centers; low-band 5G/LTE dominate in outlying areas. Expect in-town median speeds commonly 50–150 Mbps on mid-band 5G and 10–40 Mbps on LTE or low-band 5G, with wider swings in rural valleys and deep indoors
• Fixed broadband context: Cable and some fiber are available in the city of Nevada; outside the city, options lean toward DSL, fixed wireless, and pockets of fiber from regional providers. Availability of 100/20 Mbps-or-better service is lower than the state average in much of the county, reinforcing mobile substitution
• Coverage gaps: Dead zones persist along lower-density county roads and in wooded or low-lying areas; residents commonly report reliable voice/text but variable data performance away from highways and town centers

Implications and actionable insights

• Network demand skew: Mobile networks shoulder a higher share of “home internet” traffic than in Missouri’s metros, especially evenings and weekends, which can depress peak-time speeds in sectors serving mobile-only households
• Public services and outreach: Mobile-friendly delivery of services (optimized sites, low-bandwidth design, SMS notifications) yields outsized returns compared with state averages, given higher smartphone dependence
• Investment priorities: New or upgraded mid-band 5G sectors and fixed wireless buildouts in rural townships would close the largest performance gap with state norms; fiber infill around Nevada and adjacent communities would reduce mobile-only reliance over time

Sources and basis

• Estimates synthesized from recent American Community Survey Computer and Internet Use tables (county-level), FCC broadband availability data, CTIA statewide wireless line density, and national smartphone adoption research applied to local demographics. Figures reflect 2022–2024 data windows and typical rural Missouri differentials.

Vernon County, Missouri — Social media snapshot (best-available 2024 estimates modeled from Pew Research Center platform adoption by age/gender applied to Vernon County’s adult age mix from U.S. Census/ACS)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~20,563 (2020 Census)
• Adults (18+): ~15,900
• Adult age mix: 18–29 (18%), 30–49 (31%), 50–64 (27%), 65+ (24%)
• Gender: ~50.6% female, 49.4% male

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated penetration and users)

• YouTube: 82% (~13,100 adults)
• Facebook: 67% (~10,700)
• Instagram: 40% (~6,400)
• Pinterest: 31% (~4,900)
• TikTok: 30% (~4,700)
• Snapchat: 22% (~3,500)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~3,500)
• LinkedIn: 21% (~3,400)
• Reddit: 19% (~3,000)
• Nextdoor: 14% (~2,200)

Age-group usage patterns (share of adults in each bracket who use the platform)

• 18–29: YouTube 93%, Instagram 78%, Snapchat 65%, Facebook 67%, TikTok 62%, X 42%, Pinterest 40%
• 30–49: YouTube 92%, Facebook 75%, Instagram 47%, Pinterest 40%, TikTok 39%, X 29%, Snapchat 24%
• 50–64: YouTube 83%, Facebook 73%, Instagram 29%, Pinterest 27%, Nextdoor 18%, TikTok 15%, X 14%
• 65+: YouTube 60%, Facebook 50%, Pinterest 16%, Instagram 15%, Nextdoor 13%, TikTok 10%

Gender breakdown by platform (share of platform’s users, locally, estimated)

• Female-leaning: Pinterest ~71% female; Snapchat ~58% female; Facebook ~56% female; Instagram ~54% female; TikTok ~54% female; Nextdoor ~59% female
• Male-leaning: Reddit ~30% female (thus ~70% male); X ~41% female; LinkedIn ~45% female
• Near-even: YouTube ~49% female, ~51% male

Behavioral trends observed in similar rural Missouri counties and consistent with the above mix

• Facebook is the community backbone: high reliance on Groups and Marketplace for local classifieds, school/sports updates, events, church/community notices, and emergency information.
• Short-form video is mainstream with under-40s: TikTok and Instagram Reels drive discovery; content cross-posted to Facebook Reels for broader local reach.
• YouTube dominates how-to and hobby viewing: strong interest in DIY, home repair, agriculture, hunting/fishing, automotive, and small-engine content.
• Visual inspiration and planning skew female: Pinterest is widely used for recipes, crafts, home projects, weddings, and holiday planning.
• Snapchat is entrenched in younger cohorts for daily messaging and local peer networks; limited business or civic use.
• X and Reddit are niche: X is most relevant for statewide agencies, weather, transportation, and sports; Reddit use is primarily for broader-topic communities rather than hyperlocal discussion.
• Nextdoor fills a neighborhood niche in and around Nevada (city): used for lost/found, service referrals, and neighborhood-watch style updates, especially among 50+.

Notes on method and reliability

• Figures are modeled local estimates: national 2024 Pew platform-by-age/gender usage rates applied to Vernon County’s adult age structure and gender split from U.S. Census/ACS. They reflect likely local penetration and ranking rather than a direct county survey.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau: 2020 Decennial Census; ACS (age and sex structure)
• Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2024 (platform adoption by age/gender)