Carbon County

Here are the most recent high-level demographics for Carbon County, Montana (rounded; primary sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census and 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates):

• Population size:

  • 2020 Census: 10,473
  • 2023 estimate: ~11,000

• Age:

  • Median age: ~49
  • Under 18: ~20%
  • 65 and over: ~22–23%

• Gender:

  • Male: ~51%
  • Female: ~49%

• Race/ethnicity (ACS; shares rounded):

  • Non-Hispanic White: ~92%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4–5%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native (non-Hispanic): ~1–2%
  • Two or more races (non-Hispanic): ~2–3%
  • Asian, Black, NHPI (each): <1%

• Households (ACS):

  • Number of households: ~4,700
  • Average household size: ~2.2
  • Family households: ~60% of households
  • Married-couple households: ~50% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~20–25%
  • Householder living alone: ~30% (about half of these age 65+)

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables including DP05 and S1101).

Carbon County, MT snapshot (est.):

• Population and density: 11,000 residents spread over ~2,000 sq mi (5 people/sq mi).
• Email users: 8,000–9,000 residents use email at least monthly (based on high U.S. email adoption and local internet subscription rates).
• Age distribution of email use:
  • 18–34: ~95% use; younger adults are near-universal users.
  • 35–54: ~95% use; heavy daily use for work/family.
  • 55–64: ~85–90% use.
  • 65+: ~75–85% use; usage grows where reliable broadband/mobile is available.
  • Teens often use school-linked accounts; participation depends on device access.
• Gender split: Approximately even male/female population; email usage parity by gender.
• Digital access trends:
  • Roughly three-quarters to four-fifths of households have a broadband subscription; a notable minority are smartphone-only.
  • Wired broadband is concentrated in towns (e.g., Red Lodge, Joliet, Bridger); many outlying areas rely on fixed wireless or satellite.
  • Mobile coverage is strongest along main corridors (US-212/US-310) with gaps in mountainous terrain; ongoing rural fiber and fixed-wireless buildouts are improving speeds and reliability.

Overall: high email penetration among connected adults, with access and consistency tapering in remote areas.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Carbon County, Montana (estimates, 2025)

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population baseline: ≈11,000 residents (2023–2024 estimate).
• Residents with a mobile phone (any type): 8,600–8,900 (≈78%–82% of total population).
• Smartphone users: 7,400–8,000.
• Wireless-only households (no landline): ≈60%–65% in Carbon County vs ≈70% statewide.
• Carrier mix among local users (including MVNOs, based on coverage-driven preference patterns in south-central MT):
  • Verizon: 55%–60%
  • AT&T (incl. FirstNet): 25%–30%
  • T-Mobile: 12%–18% Note: Many households maintain multi-carrier redundancy because of terrain-driven coverage gaps.

Demographic breakdown (and how it differs from the state)

• Age structure:
  • Carbon County skews older: ≈24%–26% age 65+ (state ≈19%).
  • Under 18: ≈20%–22% (near state level).
• Ownership by age (best-available rural-adjusted estimates):
  • 18–29: smartphone ownership ≈93%–96% (near state).
  • 30–49: ≈90%–95% (near state).
  • 50–64: ≈78%–85% (a few points below state due to rural coverage and price sensitivity).
  • 65+: ≈58%–66% (notably below state; higher basic-phone retention).
  • Teens (12–17): ≈88%–93% with a smartphone.
• Income/household patterns:
  • Slightly higher share of fixed-income and seasonal/second‑home households than the state average. This produces:
    • More basic-phone or hotspot-only setups among retirees in fringe areas.
    • Higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling at home due to weak in-home cellular signal.
• Work and travel:
  • Daytime outflow to Billings for work/errands is common; many residents connect to Yellowstone County towers during the day.
  • Tourism (Red Lodge, Beartooth Highway) drives large seasonal spikes in visitor device density not typical of most MT counties.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Radio access (coverage and 5G):
  • Macro-site coverage is strong along US‑212 (Red Lodge–Roberts–Joliet–Fromberg–Bridger) and MT‑78 (Red Lodge–Roscoe–toward Columbus), but canyons, foothills, and ranch lands have persistent dead zones.
  • 5G availability is primarily low‑band (Verizon DSS, AT&T low‑band, T‑Mobile 600 MHz) in and around towns; mid‑band 5G is patchy. mmWave is effectively absent.
  • Practical speeds:
    • In‑town: 30–150 Mbps down (5G low‑band or LTE‑A), uplink 5–25 Mbps; bursts higher where mid‑band exists.
    • Rural/open range: 1–20 Mbps down on LTE; uplink often <5 Mbps; power/terrain can drop service to zero.
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Fiber backhaul reaches key town centers; outside towns, many sites rely on microwave. Backhaul constraints can limit peak-hour capacity during tourism surges.
  • Ongoing state/federal broadband programs are extending fiber laterally from Billings corridors, but last‑mile fiber to dispersed homes remains limited.
• Fixed wireless and satellite interplay:
  • Above-average use of fixed wireless (WISPs) and Starlink compared to the state, driven by terrain shadowing and sparse fiber. Many households pair satellite/fixed wireless for home internet with Wi‑Fi calling for voice.
• Resiliency:
  • Several macro sites have limited backup power; wind/wildfire events and winter storms can cause localized outages.
  • Public safety uses a mix of VHF/LMR and commercial LTE (FirstNet on AT&T) with known dead zones in mountainous areas.

Usage patterns that differ from state-level trends

• Lower smartphone penetration among seniors and a higher share of basic phones than Montana overall.
• Lower wireless‑only household rate (more residents keep a landline or VoIP due to coverage gaps and emergency reliability).
• Higher reliance on Wi‑Fi calling at home and satellite/fixed‑wireless for data, especially outside town limits.
• Larger seasonal swings: summer tourism and events (e.g., Red Lodge, Beartooth Highway opening) create congestion spikes uncommon in many MT counties.
• Slower practical 5G experience: mostly low‑band 5G with modest speed gains; mid‑band buildout lags larger MT metros (Billings, Bozeman, Missoula).
• More multi‑carrier strategies: residents and small businesses more likely to keep two SIMs/lines (e.g., Verizon + AT&T) to cope with terrain-driven dead spots.

How the estimates were derived

• Population and age structure aligned to recent ACS/Census county figures; adoption rates adapted from national/rural smartphone and wireless‑only benchmarks (Pew, CDC/NHIS) adjusted downward for older/rural mix and local coverage realities; carrier mix inferred from south‑central MT coverage footprints and first‑responder network presence. Ranges reflect uncertainty and seasonal population swings.

Implications

• Coverage investments that matter most locally: mid‑band 5G on town sites, new fill‑in LTE sites on canyon/ridge lines, more fiber backhaul to tourism pinch points, and site battery/generator upgrades.
• Programs that improve in‑building service (microcells, C‑band where feasible, Wi‑Fi calling education) will have outsized benefits relative to statewide averages.
• Expect continued above‑average uptake of satellite and fixed wireless until last‑mile fiber expands beyond town cores.

Social media in Carbon County, MT (short snapshot; estimates) Note: No official platform-by-county dataset exists. Figures below are modeled from Pew Research 2024 US usage, rural-US patterns, and Carbon County’s age mix; treat as directional.

Overall user stats

• Population: ~11,000 residents
• Social media users: ~7,100–7,700 (≈64–70% of residents; ≈75–82% of ages 13+)
• Daily users: ≈65–70% of users check at least once per day
• Device mix: ≈90–95% mobile-first; Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are primary messaging apps

Most-used platforms (adults, estimated % who use)

• YouTube: 75–80%
• Facebook: 65–70% (very high use of local Groups and Marketplace)
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 30–35% (strong among women 25–54)
• TikTok: 25–30%
• Snapchat: 25–30% (dominant for teens/young adults)
• X/Twitter: 12–18% (niche)
• LinkedIn: 10–15% (professional niches)
• Reddit: 8–12% (younger male skew)
• WhatsApp: 8–12% (family, travel)
• Nextdoor: 5–8% (most “neighborhood” talk happens in Facebook Groups instead)

Age patterns (who’s using what)

• Teens (13–17): Near-universal use; Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube lead; Instagram common; Facebook minimal except for events/teams
• 18–29: Heavy multi-platform; YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; Facebook used for groups/events
• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook core; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Pinterest growing (home, recipes, kids’ activities)
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube primary; Pinterest moderate; Instagram/TikTok lighter but rising
• 65+: Facebook for family/community info; YouTube for how‑to/news; others limited

Gender breakdown (of total users; platform skews)

• Overall users: ~51–53% women, ~47–49% men (county population is near 50/50)
• Skews: Pinterest (heavily female), Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok (slight female), YouTube (slight male), Reddit/X (male-skewed), Facebook ~even

Behavioral trends to know

• Community information: Facebook Groups/pages are the hub for road closures (Beartooth Pass), weather/wildfire updates, school sports, and local buy/sell/trade
• Seasonal lift: Summer tourism (Red Lodge/Beartooth) boosts Instagram Reels/TikTok and review activity; winter sees snow/conditions content
• Posting windows: Local peaks around 7–9 a.m., noon, and 7–10 p.m. (mobile-first, after-work checking)
• Creative that works: Short video, event flyers, trail/road updates, local faces; authenticity and utility outperform polished ads
• Trust vectors: County/city, sheriff/EMS, MDT, schools, chambers, and well-known local admins drive high engagement and shares
• Advertising notes: Best ROI from Facebook/Instagram geo-targeting around Red Lodge/Joliet/Bridger and spillover to Billings/Cody; use seasonal messaging (events, road status, lodging/dining)