Big Horn County

Here are concise, recent demographics for Big Horn County, Montana.

Population

• Total: ~13.6k (2023 Census estimate); 13,124 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~30 years
• Under 18: ~32–33%
• 65 and over: ~13%

Gender

• Male: ~50%
• Female: ~50%

Race and ethnicity

• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~63%
• White (alone): ~34%
• Two or more races: ~5–6%
• Black or African American (alone): ~0.3–0.5%
• Asian (alone): ~0.3–0.5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~6–8% Note: Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and overlaps with race categories.

Households

• Total households: ~4,050
• Average household size: ~3.3
• Family households: ~75–80% of households (average family size ~4.0)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5‑year estimates; Population Estimates Program (2023). Figures rounded for readability.

Big Horn County, MT email usage (estimates)

• Population baseline: roughly 13–14k residents spread over ~5,000 sq mi (≈2.5–3.0 people per sq mi). Much of the county is the Crow Reservation; connectivity is strongest along I‑90 (Hardin, Crow Agency) and weaker in remote areas.
• Email users: approximately 7,000–9,000 residents use email at least monthly. Estimate based on rural/tribal internet adoption levels and the fact that most internet users maintain an email account.
• Age mix of email users:
  • 13–24: ~15–20% (heavy mobile use; email often secondary to messaging apps)
  • 25–44: ~35–40% (work/school-driven email)
  • 45–64: ~25–30%
  • 65+: ~10–15% (lower access, but email common among connected seniors)
• Gender split: roughly even (near county population balance), with a slight female majority likely among active users.
• Access and usage trends:
  • Higher reliance on smartphones and mobile data; notable share of smartphone‑only users.
  • Home broadband adoption lags state averages; affordability and distance from fiber backbones are constraints.
  • Public access (libraries, schools, clinics) and shared-device use are important.
  • Coverage and speeds are better along I‑90 and in towns; service drops in outlying communities and rugged terrain.
  • Post‑2024 subsidy changes (e.g., ACP wind‑down) may reduce new broadband sign‑ups and increase mobile‑only reliance.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Big Horn County, Montana

Snapshot

• Rural, reservation-heavy county (population roughly 13,000; majority American Indian/Alaska Native). Fixed broadband availability and adoption are well below Montana’s average, so residents lean more on mobile for everyday internet access.

User estimates (order-of-magnitude, based on county demographics and rural/tribal adoption benchmarks)

• Unique smartphone users: approximately 8,000–9,000 residents.
• Mobile-only internet households: about 35–45% of households rely primarily on mobile data/hotspots for home internet, versus roughly 15–20% statewide.
• Prepaid share: materially higher than the Montana average; prepaid and Lifeline plans are common, reflecting lower incomes and the lapse of ACP subsidies in 2024.
• Active mobile lines: roughly 10,000–14,000 SIMs when including hotspots, tablets, and secondary lines.
• Teen adoption: near-universal among high school–age youth; heavier-than-average use of hotspots and school/community Wi‑Fi to offset weak home broadband.
• Older adults: below-average smartphone adoption; flip phones and voice/SMS remain common, but telehealth is nudging gradual uptake.

Demographic patterns that shape usage

• Tribal communities (Crow and Northern Cheyenne): higher mobile dependence due to limited wired options; more shared devices within multigenerational households; greater reliance on subsidized plans, public Wi‑Fi, and community hotspots.
• Income and affordability: more budget Android devices and prepaid plans than the statewide mix; upgrade cycles are longer due to fewer local retail/service options.
• Mobility: long rural drives mean voice/SMS reliability and coverage range are prioritized; signal boosters and Wi‑Fi calling are used to compensate for weak indoor coverage.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage pattern: strongest along I‑90 (Hardin/Crow Agency) with reliable LTE and pockets of low‑band 5G; coverage drops moving south toward Lodge Grass/WY border and west/east into canyons and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
• Carriers: Verizon typically the most reliable in rural stretches; AT&T is present and stronger near public-safety buildouts (FirstNet); T‑Mobile coverage exists mainly along primary corridors; a regional/tribal-oriented carrier (e.g., Cellular One/Commnet) serves parts of the reservations. Roaming and network handoffs are common off the highways.
• Backhaul: fiber concentration along I‑90 and into Hardin; many outlying towers rely on microwave backhaul, which constrains capacity and 5G upgrades.
• 5G status: limited. Low‑band 5G appears along main corridors; mid‑band capacity 5G is sparse compared with Montana’s larger cities.
• Public connectivity: schools, libraries, and tribal facilities provide essential Wi‑Fi; school-issued hotspots (a COVID-era practice) remain important for many students.
• Emergency communications: FirstNet sites have improved AT&T/public-safety coverage; however, dead zones persist in valleys and recreation areas.

How Big Horn County differs from Montana overall

• Higher mobile-only dependence: substantially more households use phones/hotspots as their primary internet connection than the state average.
• More prepaid and subsidy usage: prepaid/Lifeline plans and shared devices are more common; the end of ACP support has had a larger local impact than in better-wired Montana towns.
• Wider coverage gaps: service quality drops faster outside highway corridors; residents lean more on boosters and Wi‑Fi calling.
• Slower 5G transition: fewer mid‑band 5G sites and constrained backhaul slow capacity improvements relative to Montana’s urban centers.
• Younger and more tribal: a younger age profile and majority Native population translate to high teen smartphone use, device sharing, and heavier use of community Wi‑Fi—patterns less pronounced statewide.

Notes on methodology

• Estimates combine county population and age structure with rural/tribal adoption benchmarks from national surveys (e.g., Pew), FCC/NTIA availability data patterns for rural/tribal areas, and known carrier coverage tendencies in southeastern Montana. Actual figures vary by township and along terrain.

Big Horn County, MT — social media snapshot (planning estimates)

Population context

• Population ~13k; relatively young age profile; gender split roughly even. Adults (18+) ~8.5k.
• Mobile-first usage is common; Facebook Groups/Marketplace and messaging apps are central to local communication.

Overall reach

• Adults using at least one social platform: ~75–80% (≈6.4k–6.8k people).

Most-used platforms by adults (estimated share of adults)

• YouTube: ~70–80%
• Facebook: ~60–70%
• Instagram: ~30–40%
• TikTok: ~30–40%
• Snapchat: ~25–35%
• Pinterest: ~15–25% overall; ~35–45% of adult women
• X/Twitter: ~10–15%
• WhatsApp: ~10–15%
• Reddit: ~10–15%
• LinkedIn: ~8–12%
• Nextdoor: <5%

Age-group patterns

• Teens (13–17): Heaviest on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Instagram secondary; minimal Facebook posting (but some group/event use).
• 18–24: TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube; Facebook mainly for events/groups and Marketplace.
• 25–44: Facebook (+Messenger) dominant for community, buy/sell, school info; Instagram and TikTok growing; YouTube for how‑to and entertainment.
• 45–64: Facebook clearly dominant; YouTube regular; Instagram/TikTok limited but rising.
• 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for news/how‑to; other platforms niche.

Gender breakdown (users)

• Overall among social media users: ~52–55% women, ~45–48% men.
• Platform tilts: Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest skew female; TikTok slightly female; Snapchat slightly female; YouTube, Reddit, X skew male.

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: High engagement with local pages (tribal, county, schools), alerts, fundraisers, obituaries, sports, rodeo/powwow and fair events.
• Groups and Marketplace: Buy/sell, lost-and-found, ride shares, job leads; comments drive reach more than shares.
• Messaging-heavy: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat used for quick coordination; many businesses respond via DMs.
• Video-first: Short vertical video (Reels/TikTok) performs best; live streams of local sports and events draw strong concurrent audiences.
• Trust signals: Posts from known community members/pages outperform generic brand content; clear local visuals and people matter.
• Timing: Evenings and weekends perform best; youth engagement spikes after school (3–6 pm).

Notes on method

• County-level platform stats aren’t directly published. Figures above are planning estimates based on Pew Research Center’s 2024 social media benchmarks, rural/Mountain West patterns, and the county’s age mix from ACS. Validate exact reach with platform ad tools (Facebook/Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat) before campaigns.