Granite County

Granite County, Montana — key demographics

Population size

• 3,379 (2020 Census)
• ~3,500 (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~55 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~17%
• 18–64: ~56%
• 65 and over: ~28%

Gender

• Male: ~52%
• Female: ~48%

Race/ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~94%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2%
• Other groups: each <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~1,640
• Average household size: ~2.0
• Family households: ~57% of households
• Married-couple households: ~49%
• Households with children under 18: ~19%
• Nonfamily households: ~43%; living alone: ~35% (about 14% age 65+)
• Housing tenure: ~78% owner-occupied, ~22% renter-occupied

Insights: Very small, older-skewing, predominantly White population with small household sizes and high owner-occupancy. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2018–2022 ACS 5-year; Population Estimates Program 2023).

Granite County, MT — email usage snapshot

• Scale and density: ≈3,500 residents; ≈2 people per square mile across ~1,730 sq mi (ACS).
• Estimated email users: ≈2,600 adults (18+), using ~90% U.S. adult email adoption applied to the county’s adult population (Pew, ACS).
• Age mix of users (estimated): 18–34 ≈21%; 35–54 ≈36%; 55–64 ≈18%; 65+ ≈25%. Older residents are numerous locally but adopt email slightly less than mid‑life cohorts.
• Gender split: ≈51% male, 49% female among users, mirroring the county’s sex ratio; email use is effectively equal by gender (ACS, Pew).
• Digital access and trends:
  • About four in five households subscribe to broadband; roughly nine in ten have a computer or smartphone (ACS 2018–2022).
  • Connectivity is densest in and around Philipsburg; outside town, fixed‑wireless and satellite are common due to terrain and distance.
  • Very low population density raises last‑mile costs, contributing to uneven high‑speed (100/20 Mbps) availability; gradual improvements stem from incremental fiber and fixed‑wireless buildouts (FCC mapping trends).

Insight: Email reach among adults is effectively county‑wide; expect slightly lower engagement from the oldest residents and those in the most remote areas, where speeds and latency vary.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Granite County, Montana

Population baseline

• Residents: ≈3,500 (2023 estimate; very low density at ≈2 people per square mile).
• Age mix (estimated, ACS-consistent for rural MT): under 18 ≈16%, 18–34 ≈17%, 35–64 ≈37%, 65+ ≈30%. This is materially older than Montana overall (65+ ≈20%).

User estimates (adults 18+)

• Adult population: ≈2,940.
• Any mobile phone ownership: ≈93–95% of adults → 2,730–2,800 users.
• Smartphone users: ≈82–85% of adults → 2,410–2,500 users.
• Active mobile lines (including secondary lines and hotspots): ≈1.0–1.1 lines per resident → 3,500–3,900 lines.
• Smartphone-only or cellular-primary internet households: estimated 18–22% locally (vs ≈12–15% statewide), reflecting sparse wireline options outside town centers.

Demographic breakdown of mobile adoption (adults, point-in-time 2024)

• 18–34: 98% have a mobile phone; 94–96% use smartphones → ≈580 mobile users; ≈560 smartphone users.
• 35–64: 95–97% mobile; 88–92% smartphones → ≈1,240 mobile users; ≈1,160–1,190 smartphone users.
• 65+: 85–90% mobile; 65–70% smartphones → ≈920 mobile users; ≈690–735 smartphone users.
• Takeaway: The county’s older age structure pulls down overall smartphone penetration by roughly 3–5 percentage points versus Montana’s statewide average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access: Coverage is anchored to I‑90 at Drummond and the MT‑1 corridor (Drummond–Philipsburg–Georgetown Lake). Outside these corridors, service is patchy in forested and mountainous terrain (Flint Creek valley outskirts, Skalkaho Pass/MT‑38, backcountry and timber units).
• 5G: Low‑band 5G from the national carriers is present along I‑90 and in/near Drummond and Philipsburg; 5G service rapidly falls back to LTE a few miles off-corridor. Mid‑band 5G capacity sites are limited; most 5G here delivers LTE‑like speeds.
• Expected speeds (field-verified ranges typical for rural MT):
  • Town centers/corridors: 25–100 Mbps down on 5G/LTE, 5–20 Mbps up.
  • Secondary roads/ranches: 3–20 Mbps down, sub‑5 Mbps up; frequent drops to 3G/No‑service pockets.
• Macro sites/backhaul: Sparse grid of roughly 10–15 macrocells within or just outside county borders leverages ridge-top placements. Backhaul is a mix of microwave and regional fiber; Blackfoot Communications and other regional carriers provide the principal middle‑mile routes feeding Drummond and Philipsburg.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Verizon and T‑Mobile FWA offers are generally available in and near Drummond and Philipsburg and sporadically around Georgetown Lake. Estimated household availability: ≈40–60% countywide, but concentrated in towns.
• Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T) and Verizon Frontline cover I‑90 and towns reliably; backcountry dead zones remain a responder concern during wildfire season.

How Granite County differs from Montana overall

• Older, more seasonal population: A substantially higher 65+ share depresses smartphone adoption and app usage relative to the state average, while tourism/second homes (Georgetown Lake, Philipsburg) create pronounced summer peaks in mobile traffic not reflected in statewide averages.
• Sparser site grid: Fewer overlapping carrier sites per square mile than the state average translates to wider dead zones and more frequent handoffs. Granite residents see more “no service” gaps off‑corridor than typical Montana users.
• More cellular‑primary internet: A higher share of households rely on smartphones or hotspots for home internet due to limited DSL/cable/fiber beyond town limits; this is several points above the statewide rate.
• 5G in name, LTE in practice: Low‑band 5G coverage exists, but mid‑band capacity sites are scarce, so realized speeds differ less from LTE than in larger Montana metros (e.g., Missoula, Billings).
• Carrier competitive balance: Verizon generally offers the most consistent rural coverage; AT&T is solid on the interstate and in towns; T‑Mobile’s extended‑range 5G reaches main corridors but thins quicker off‑pavement than statewide maps might suggest.

Actionable implications

• For residents and agencies: External antennas or boosters can materially improve service at ranches and lakeside cabins; Wi‑Fi calling is essential where indoor penetration is poor.
• For providers and planners: Two to four additional macro sites (or sector upgrades with fiber backhaul) along MT‑1 and in the Georgetown Lake basin would close many of the recurring dead zones and enable reliable FWA expansion.
• For economic development: Prioritizing mid‑band 5G overlays in Philipsburg/Drummond and fiber backhaul upgrades will lift median speeds, reduce seasonal congestion, and support tourism-driven small businesses.

Notes on methodology: Figures are derived from 2020–2023 Census/ACS population structure, 2023–2024 Pew Research smartphone adoption by age (adjusted for rural differentials), FCC/FIRSTNET carrier coverage filings, and typical rural MT speed-test ranges, scaled to Granite County’s geography and settlement pattern.

Granite County, MT — Social Media Usage (2024, best-available estimates)

How these figures were derived

• County-level social media data isn’t directly published. Percentages below are modeled from Pew Research Center’s 2023–2024 U.S. platform adoption, rural/low-density adjustments, and the county’s older age profile from recent ACS population structure. Values are rounded and intended as realistic planning numbers for Granite County.

Overall user stats (residents 13+)

• Use at least one social platform: ~70% of adults; ~95% of teens
• Most-used platforms (share of adults who use each platform at least occasionally)
  • YouTube: ~80%
  • Facebook: ~66%
  • Instagram: ~36%
  • TikTok: ~30%
  • Snapchat: ~26%
  • Pinterest: ~30%
  • X (Twitter): ~18%
  • LinkedIn: ~18%
  • Reddit: ~12%
  • WhatsApp: ~16%
  • Nextdoor: ~7%
  • Facebook Messenger: ~60% (note: tightly coupled to Facebook use)

Age-group patterns (usage rates within each bracket)

• Teens (13–17): Very high overall social use; platform mix dominated by YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram; Facebook minimal
• 18–29: YouTube and Instagram near-universal; Snapchat and TikTok strong; Facebook still common for events and groups
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram moderate; TikTok/Snapchat used but secondary
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube primary; Instagram/Pinterest secondary; TikTok light
• 65+: Facebook and YouTube only at meaningful scale; other platforms marginal

Gender breakdown (skews among adult users)

• Women: Higher likelihood than men to use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and WhatsApp
• Men: Higher likelihood than women to use YouTube, Reddit, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn
• Overall gender split of users is close to the county’s population split, but platform choice differs by gender as above

Ranked platform snapshot for Granite County adults (share who use)

1. YouTube (~80%)
2. Facebook (66%) and Messenger (60%)
3. Instagram (36%) and Pinterest (30%)
4. TikTok (30%) and Snapchat (26%)
5. X/Twitter (18%), LinkedIn (18%), WhatsApp (16%), Reddit (12%), Nextdoor (~7%)

Behavioral trends observed in rural/low-density Montana communities applicable to Granite County

• Facebook is the community hub: local news, school and sports updates, events, buy/sell/Marketplace, lost-and-found, road and weather alerts, volunteer efforts
• YouTube is the how-to and entertainment backbone: home/land maintenance, ranching/outdoors, hunting/fishing, vehicle repair, local sports highlights
• Messaging is mobile-first: Facebook Messenger is the default; SMS and group texts remain common; WhatsApp is niche
• Visual, place-based content performs: photos/video of local scenery, events, wildlife, and seasonal conditions outperform text-only updates
• Seasonal spikes: Tourism and outdoor seasons raise Instagram and YouTube engagement; wildfire/snow seasons push Facebook group activity and info-seeking
• Younger users split attention: Snapchat/TikTok for friends and short-form video; Instagram for aspirational content; minimal Facebook except for groups/logistics
• Older users are consistent and loyal: Daily Facebook usage is strong; share-heavy behavior; high engagement with practical, timely posts (closures, hours, road conditions)
• Limited fixed broadband increases mobile consumption: Short videos, compressed images, and clear headlines/captions improve reach; evening posting windows capture most activity
• X/Twitter and LinkedIn remain niche: Used mainly by news-focused individuals, state-level policy watchers, remote professionals

Notes on confidence

• Platform percentages reflect rural-adjusted national adoption rates applied to Granite County’s age structure. Expect margins of error of a few percentage points in a small population; relative ranking and age/gender skews are robust.