Deer Lodge County

Here are concise, recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates for Deer Lodge County, Montana (Anaconda–Deer Lodge County). Unless noted, figures are from ACS 2019–2023 5‑year estimates; population count from the 2020 Census, with more recent estimate noted.

Population

• 2020 Census: 9,421
• 2023 Pop. Estimate (PEP): ~9.3k

Age

• Median age: ~47 years
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Sex

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Race and ethnicity (percent of total)

• White (non‑Hispanic): ~89–91%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~3–4%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~4–5%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Black/African American: ~0.3–0.6%
• Asian: ~0.4–0.7%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1% or less

Households and families

• Total households: ~4,300–4,500
• Average household size: ~2.1
• Family households: ~52–55% of households
• Married‑couple households: ~40–45%
• Households with children under 18: ~20–25%
• Nonfamily households: ~45–48%
• Living alone: ~37–41% of households (65+ living alone ~16–19%)

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

Here’s a concise, data-informed snapshot for Deer Lodge County (Anaconda–Deer Lodge), MT:

• Population and density: 9.4K residents across ~741 sq mi (12–13 people/sq mi). Connectivity clusters in Anaconda; service degrades in outlying/mountainous areas.
• Estimated email users: 6,000–7,000 regular users. Basis: ~7.5K adults; ~80–85% online; email used by ~95% of internet users, plus some teens.
• Age distribution of email users (approx.):
  • 13–17: 5–7%
  • 18–34: 18–22%
  • 35–54: 30–36%
  • 55–64: 18–22%
  • 65+: 22–28% Skews older than U.S. average, but seniors commonly use email for healthcare, government, and commerce.
• Gender split: ~50/50 among email users (county population is roughly balanced; slight female majority likely).
• Digital access trends:
  • Households with a computer: ~85–90%
  • Broadband subscriptions: ~70–80% (DSL and fixed‑wireless prevalent; limited fiber)
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~10–15% and rising
  • Public access: library, schools, and some civic buildings offer Wi‑Fi
  • Mobile coverage: solid along main corridors; patchy in valleys/backcountry

Notes: Figures are estimates synthesized from Montana rural ACS benchmarks, FCC availability patterns, and national email usage norms (Pew).

Here’s a concise, decision-focused snapshot of mobile phone usage in Deer Lodge County, Montana, with estimates, who’s using what, and the local infrastructure context—highlighting how it differs from the Montana statewide picture.

User estimates (2024–2025 best-available estimates)

• Population base: about 9–10k residents; roughly 7.5–8.0k adults (18+).
• Any mobile phone (incl. basic phones): 92–95% of adults → about 6.9–7.5k users.
• Smartphone users: 78–82% of adults → about 5.9–6.4k users.
• Households with at least one smartphone: roughly 86–90% → about 3.7–3.9k of ~4.2–4.4k households.
• “Smartphone-only” internet households (cellular plan but no fixed home broadband): approximately 14–20% → about 600–850 households.
• No internet at home (neither fixed nor cellular): approximately 8–12% of households → about 350–500 households.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age:
  • Seniors (65+; a larger share here than MT overall) have notably lower smartphone adoption (roughly 60–70%), with higher reliance on voice/text or basic phones and shared devices.
  • Under 35s are near-universal smartphone users (>95%) and are the most “mobile-first” for media, banking, and government services.
• Income and housing:
  • Below-state-median incomes and more rental/older housing stock correlate with higher smartphone-only reliance and prepaid plans.
• Place:
  • In-town Anaconda residents show higher 5G/LTE usage and app-driven services.
  • Outlying areas (Opportunity, Warm Springs, Georgetown Lake corridors) show more signal gaps, more voice/SMS-only usage, and a higher share of households tethering phones in lieu of fixed broadband.
• Education and work:
  • Students and traveling trades (construction, resource/support services) are heavy commuters along I-90/MT-1 and depend on corridor coverage; device hotspotting for school/work is common.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage footprint:
  • Strongest along I-90 and MT-1 near Anaconda/Warm Springs; service drops in forested/mountain terrain (Pintler foothills, lake basins).
  • 5G: Predominantly low-band 5G layered over LTE in town and along the interstate; mid-band 5G (higher capacity) is limited and mainly tied to corridor sites spilling over from larger nearby markets.
• Carriers:
  • Verizon and AT&T generally provide the most continuous highway coverage and FirstNet/public-safety reach.
  • T-Mobile coverage is solid in-town and near I-90; more variable off-corridor.
• Capacity and speeds (typical, not guaranteed):
  • In-town: LTE/low-band 5G often 30–120 Mbps; mid-band 5G where present can exceed that.
  • Outlying valleys: speeds can fall below 10 Mbps or drop to voice/text only; dead zones persist behind terrain.
• Backhaul and fixed alternatives:
  • Fiber backbones follow the interstate/rail corridors; Anaconda has cable broadband (DOCSIS) and some fiber-fed nodes, while DSL/fixed wireless serve many outskirts.
  • Recent state/federal builds (ARPA/BEAD-era) target un/underserved pockets, but many non-town addresses still lack reliable wired service—sustaining smartphone-only usage.
• Public access:
  • Libraries, schools, and select civic buildings provide essential Wi‑Fi offload and device-charging hubs, especially for smartphone-only households.

How Deer Lodge County differs from the Montana statewide picture

• Slightly lower smartphone adoption among adults: driven by an older age profile and more fixed-income households, compared with Montana’s higher-education/younger metro hubs (Bozeman, Missoula, Billings).
• Higher smartphone-only reliance: a bigger slice of households use cellular as their primary/only home internet than the MT average, because fixed broadband outside Anaconda is patchier.
• More pronounced terrain-driven gaps: despite being on I‑90, mountainous areas create sharper off-corridor dead zones than the statewide average suggests.
• Slower 5G capacity rollout: mid-band 5G is less prevalent than in Montana’s major metros; low-band 5G/LTE does most of the work locally.
• Public-safety and travel reliance: corridor coverage is disproportionately important here for commuting and emergency access, more so than in flatter counties with broader plains coverage.

Notes on method and uncertainty

• Estimates synthesize recent ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns, FCC mobile availability maps, Pew Research smartphone adoption, and known local geography. Figures are rounded ranges to reflect sampling error and year-to-year changes.
• For planning, validate site-specific coverage and current builds with carrier maps, local ISPs, and the Montana Broadband Office project lists.

Below is a compact, best-available picture of social media use in Deer Lodge County, MT. Exact county-level platform shares aren’t publicly tracked; figures are estimates extrapolated from recent Pew Research (U.S./rural adults, 2023–2024) and the county’s age profile.

User stats (order-of-magnitude)

• Population: roughly 9.5–10.5k; adults (18+): ~7.8–8.6k.
• Adult social media users: ~5.5–6.5k (about 70–75% of adults).
• Including teens (13–17), total social media users: ~6.5–7.5k.

Age groups (share of local users and typical platform mix)

• 13–17: smaller cohort but very high usage. Heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat; Instagram strong; Facebook minimal.
• 18–29: near-universal social media. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead; YouTube universal; Facebook for events/groups and Messenger.
• 30–49: high use. Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram growing; TikTok moderate; Pinterest notable among parents.
• 50–64: strong Facebook and YouTube; Pinterest moderate; Instagram light-to-moderate; TikTok emerging via cross-posts.
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube primarily; lower multi-platform use; rely on groups/pages and Messenger.

Gender breakdown (tendencies)

• Overall users are roughly 50/50 by gender.
• Female-skewed activity: Facebook Groups/Marketplace, Pinterest, local event pages.
• Male-skewed activity: YouTube (outdoors/mechanics/how‑to), Reddit, X.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is common across genders.

Most-used platforms (adults; estimated share using each)

• YouTube: 70–80%
• Facebook: 60–70%
• Instagram: 30–40%
• TikTok: 25–35%
• Snapchat: 20–30% (mainly under 35)
• Pinterest: 30–40% (female-skewed)
• X (Twitter): 15–20%
• LinkedIn: 10–20% (lower due to local industry mix)
• Reddit: 10–15%
• Nextdoor: 5–10% (coverage may be patchy; Facebook Groups often fill this role)

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Facebook Groups/pages are the hub for local news, school sports, events, obituaries, wildfire/road/weather updates, and buy/sell/trade.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace is heavily used; local business promos perform better in groups and through geo-targeted posts than generic brand pages.
• Outdoor/lifestyle content: Strong engagement with hunting/fishing, hiking, off‑road, DIY/home repair, and “how‑to” YouTube content.
• Messaging > public posting: Many interactions shift to Facebook Messenger for coordination and word-of-mouth.
• Time-of-day peaks: Early morning (7–8:30 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.); weekend spikes around events and sports.
• Seasonal patterns: Winter indoor time boosts overall activity; late summer/fall see spikes tied to wildfires and hunting season.
• Platform roles:
  • Facebook = community coordination and local reach.
  • YouTube = tutorials, outdoor gear, local history/features.
  • Instagram = visuals for food, events, tourism; Stories/Reels growing.
  • TikTok = younger discovery/entertainment; local creators emerging but niche.
  • Snapchat = teen/young adult daily comms; limited brand opportunities.
• Trust and verification: Rumor control matters; posts citing local institutions (county, schools, emergency services) earn higher engagement and trust.

Notes on method

• Percentages are county-scaled estimates based on Pew’s U.S./rural adoption rates and Deer Lodge County’s older-than-average age structure; actual figures may vary. For precise campaign planning, validate with page/group insights, local ad tests, and short surveys.