Fallon County

Do you want figures from the 2020 Decennial Census or the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2019–2023)? I can provide both, but numbers will differ slightly by source/year.

Note: figures are estimates based on Fallon County’s small population and rural U.S. usage patterns.

• Population: ~3,000. Estimated email users: 2,300–2,600 (roughly 75–85% of residents).
• Age distribution of email users (approx):
  • Under 18: 10–15%
  • 18–34: 20–25%
  • 35–64: 45–55%
  • 65+: 15–25% (usage lower than younger groups but rising)
• Gender split among users: near-even; ~51% male, 49% female.
• Digital access trends:
  • Rural broadband and mobile coverage are concentrated in and around Baker (county seat) and Plevna; coverage and speeds drop in outlying areas.
  • Growing fiber buildouts from regional/rural providers and state/federal programs; more households gaining fixed broadband, though adoption lags urban areas.
  • Notable share of smartphone‑only internet users; email commonly accessed via mobile.
  • Public Wi‑Fi (schools, library, city buildings) remains an access point for some residents.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Very sparse: roughly 2 residents per square mile, with most people clustered in Baker; this dispersion challenges last‑mile service and contributes to patchy high‑speed options outside town centers.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Fallon County, Montana

Context

• Population: roughly 3,000 residents (2023 estimate), centered on Baker and Plevna, with large rural ranchland and oil/gas activity.

User estimates (rounded, best-available estimates based on recent rural adoption benchmarks and local industry mix)

• Unique resident mobile users: 2,350–2,550
• Smartphone users: 2,000–2,300
• Total active lines (consumer + business + IoT): 3,300–3,900
  • Rationale: in addition to personal phones, oilfield, agriculture, trucking, and small businesses contribute extra lines (fleet, sensors, hotspots).
• Prepaid share: slightly above the state average (roughly mid‑20s to ~30%), influenced by seasonal/itinerant workers and cost-sensitive households.

Demographic breakdown (directional)

• Age
  • 18–34: very high smartphone adoption (≈95–98%); heavy social/video, location, and gig/work apps.
  • 35–54: high adoption (≈90–95%); strong use of work apps, navigation, farm/ranch tools, and hotspots.
  • 55–64: moderate-high adoption (≈80–88%); larger share of basic/older smartphones and voice-first usage.
  • 65+: mixed adoption (≈60–70%); higher use of voice/SMS, medical portals, and photo sharing; some reliance on family plans.
  • Teens: most have smartphones; school/work hotspots used when fixed broadband is limited outside town.
• Income/occupation patterns
  • Oil/gas and agriculture raise the share of business-paid lines, rugged devices, and IoT/telematics relative to the state average.
  • Ranch and energy work create atypically high demand for boosters, truck-mounted gear, and offline-capable apps.
• Household patterns
  • Multi-line family plans are common in town; outlying households more likely to share or rotate hotspots for home internet.
  • Device replacement cycles are slower than in Montana’s cities; durability and coverage often prioritized over the newest features.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Carrier coverage
  • Verizon generally strongest in the eastern plains; AT&T is competitive near towns/arterials and supports FirstNet (Band 14) for public safety; T‑Mobile’s low‑band 5G “extended range” covers highways and town centers but has thinner mid‑band capacity in remote areas.
  • Expect good service along US‑12 and MT‑7 and in/near Baker and Plevna; signal fades in draws/coulees and far-flung ranchland.
• 5G profile
  • Dominated by low‑band/DSS 5G; little to no C‑band concentration outside town centers; no mmWave. Practical speeds often resemble strong LTE.
• Backhaul and fiber
  • Mid‑Rivers Telephone Cooperative provides significant fiber in and around towns and backhaul to cell sites; ongoing state/federal funds are extending rural fiber later this decade.
• Fixed wireless and satellite
  • Fixed wireless from regional providers and cooperative-led offerings fill gaps outside fiber footprints.
  • Higher-than-average adoption of LEO satellite (e.g., Starlink) on ranches and remote homes; mobile hotspots commonly used as a primary or backup connection.
• Resilience and public safety
  • Tower density is low; ice storms and power outages can impact remote sites despite generators. First responders increasingly leverage FirstNet where available; VHF/UHF radio remains essential in dead zones.

How Fallon County differs from Montana statewide

• Higher line density from business/IoT: More oilfield, agriculture, and fleet/telematics lines per resident than the state average.
• Greater reliance on mobile hotspots and fixed wireless for home connectivity outside town limits; fewer households have cable/FTTH than in metro areas (Billings, Bozeman, Missoula).
• Coverage is more corridor-centric: solid along highways/towns but with broader dead zones between them; urban Montana sees denser site grids and higher 5G capacity.
• 5G is mostly low-band with limited mid-band capacity; urban counties benefit from more mid-band deployments and higher median speeds.
• Prepaid share and bring‑your‑own‑device usage slightly higher due to seasonal workers and cost/coverage tradeoffs.
• Equipment behavior skews “rugged and boosted”: above-average use of vehicle boosters, high-gain antennas, and offline-capable apps for field work.
• Seasonal traffic spikes: oil and harvest seasons create atypical, time-bound load on local sectors compared with steadier urban demand.
• Senior adoption lags more than in cities, but digital participation via telehealth and messaging is rising as coverage and devices improve.

Notes on method

• Figures are estimates derived from recent rural U.S./Montana adoption rates, county population structure, and the local industry mix (agriculture and oil/gas). For planning or investment decisions, validate with carrier coverage maps, Mid‑Rivers build plans, and state broadband office datasets.

Below is a concise, practical snapshot of social media use in Fallon County, Montana. Figures are estimates derived from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption rates, adjusted for rural usage patterns and Fallon County’s small, older-leaning population. Treat them as directional, not exact headcounts.

Population and internet context

• Population: 3,000 (2020 Census). Adult share ~70–75% (2,100–2,300 adults).
• Broadband availability/uptake is lower than urban averages but sufficient for mainstream social use; mobile data plays a notable role outside town centers.

Estimated social media user base

• Adult social media penetration: ~70–80% of adults.
• Rough count: ~1,500–1,800 adult users (plus most teens).

Age mix of users (share of local social users)

• 13–17: 10–15% (heavy on Snapchat/TikTok; light on Facebook)
• 18–29: 18–22% (omnichannel; Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok strong)
• 30–49: 28–34% (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; Messenger for coordination)
• 50–64: 22–28% (Facebook, YouTube; some Pinterest)
• 65+: 12–18% (primarily Facebook; some YouTube)

Gender breakdown of users

• Female: ~50–55% (higher engagement on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest)
• Male: ~45–50% (higher on YouTube; some X/Reddit; ag/outdoors content)

Most-used platforms locally (estimated adult reach in Fallon County)

• YouTube: ~70–80%
• Facebook: ~60–70% (Groups/Marketplace central to daily use)
• Instagram: ~25–35% (skews under 40)
• Snapchat: ~20–30% (teens/young adults)
• TikTok: ~20–30% (younger skew; entertainment/how‑to)
• Pinterest: ~20–30% of women; low among men
• LinkedIn: ~10–15% (professionals; limited)
• X/Twitter: ~10–15% (news/sports watchers; limited creator base)
• Reddit/Discord: <10% (niche)
• Nextdoor: minimal presence in this rural market

Behavioral trends and content habits

• Community-first Facebook use:
  • Heavy reliance on local Groups (school sports, 4‑H, county fair, buy/sell, road/weather alerts).
  • Marketplace is a top commerce channel for tools, vehicles, livestock equipment, and household items.
  • Messenger widely used for quick coordination (youth sports, church, volunteer events).
• Practical video on YouTube:
  • How‑to/maintenance (farm and ranch equipment, trucks/ATVs), home projects, hunting/fishing, weather.
  • Subscriptions to regional ag, outdoor, and storm channels.
• Visual and short-form for younger users:
  • Instagram for local businesses, food, fitness, and events.
  • Snapchat for day-to-day peer communication; Stories over feeds.
  • TikTok for short entertainment, recipes, ranch life, and seasonal tips.
• Timing and seasonality:
  • Peak check-ins: early morning (5:30–7:30 a.m.) and late evening (8–10 p.m.); midday spikes during winter.
  • Seasonal boosts around school sports, hunting season, county fair/4‑H, severe weather, and holiday bazaars.
• Trust and messaging style:
  • High weight on word-of-mouth; content from known locals, schools, churches, and county offices performs best.
  • Authentic, practical posts (photos of actual inventory, candid staff/event shots, quick how‑to clips) outperform polished ads.
• Commerce and calls-to-action:
  • “Message to buy/hold” and “call the store” CTAs work well; link-out conversions improve when paired with a phone number and hours.
  • Geo-targeting within 30–60 miles is effective due to regional travel for shopping/services.

Notes on methodology and confidence

• County-specific platform data are scarce; figures above are inferred from national/rural benchmarks and local demographic tendencies. Use ranges for planning and validate with page insights, Group membership counts, and ad platform reach estimates in-market.