Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Montana — Key Demographics

Population size

• 12,085 (2020 Census; official count)

Age

• Median age: ~45 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Male: ~51%
• Female: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~92%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~3–4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~2%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Asian: ~0.4%
• Black or African American: ~0.3%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: ~0.1%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~4,800
• Average household size: ~2.5 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~86%

Notes

• Figures marked ACS are survey estimates and may not sum to exactly 100% due to rounding and margins of error.
• Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year; Population Estimates Program).

Jefferson County, MT – email usage snapshot

• Population and density: 12,085 residents (2020 Census) spread across 1,656 sq mi (7.3 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~10,300 residents use email (≈85% of total population; ≈92% of adults), consistent with national adoption benchmarks applied to local demographics.
• Age distribution of email users (estimated):
  • 18–34: ~22%
  • 35–54: ~38%
  • 55–64: ~19%
  • 65+: ~21%
• Gender split of users: roughly mirrors county makeup (~52% male, ~48% female), with negligible difference in adoption by gender.
• Digital access and trends:
  • Households with a computer: ~92% (ACS 2018–2022).
  • Households with a broadband subscription: ~83% (ACS 2018–2022), up roughly 10 percentage points since mid‑2010s.
  • Smartphone‑only internet households: ~9%.
  • Work‑from‑home: ~8% of workers (ACS), reflecting growing reliance on home connectivity.
• Connectivity facts: Coverage is strongest along the I‑15 corridor (Boulder–Clancy–Jefferson City) and near Helena/Butte commuting zones; sparsely populated basins and ranchland remain pockets with limited fixed broadband, increasing dependence on fixed‑wireless or satellite. Low population density is the primary barrier to universal high‑speed buildout, but ongoing state/federal investments are narrowing remaining gaps.

Jefferson County, Montana: Mobile phone usage snapshot (most recent publicly reported data through 2023–2024)

Topline user estimates

• Population and households: ~12.4K residents; ~5.0K households (ACS 2018–2022, 5-year).
• Smartphone households: 90% of households have a smartphone (≈4,500 households), slightly above the Montana average (89%) (ACS S2801).
• Households with a cellular data plan: 76% (≈3,800 households), above the Montana average (73%) (ACS S2801).
• Cellular-only internet (cellular data plan and no fixed broadband): 11% of households (≈550), below the Montana average (14%) (ACS S2801).
• No internet subscription: 9% of households (≈450), below the Montana average (12%) (ACS S2801).
• No telephone service of any kind: ~1–2% of households, slightly below the statewide share (ACS S2801).

Demographic and behavioral context

• Income and tenure: Jefferson County’s median household income is higher than the Montana average and the county has a high owner-occupancy rate. In practice, this correlates with:
  • Higher smartphone and plan adoption than the state.
  • Lower reliance on cellular-only service than the state (owners and higher-income households are more likely to maintain both fixed broadband and mobile).
• Commuter profile: Many residents commute to Helena and Butte. This produces:
  • Heavier daytime and peak-period mobile usage along I-15/I-90 corridors than the Montana average.
  • More multi-line households (work + personal) than typical rural counties.
• Age structure: The county skews slightly more working-age than the state overall, supporting higher smartphone penetration and plan diversity than the Montana average.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T-Mobile operate in the county.
• 4G LTE: Near-universal coverage along I-15 and I-90 and in/around Boulder, Clancy/Jefferson City, and Whitehall; shadow zones persist in mountain terrain and sparsely populated drainages.
• 5G: Service is concentrated along the interstate corridors and town centers:
  • T-Mobile mid-band 5G and Verizon low-band (DSS) 5G are reported along main travel corridors; AT&T 5G is present but more limited off-corridor relative to urban Montana hubs.
  • Off-corridor areas remain predominantly LTE.
• Backhaul: Middle-mile fiber follows the interstate corridors and state highways, with microwave backhaul feeding some outlying sites; proximity to Helena/Butte improves resiliency and capacity compared with many rural Montana counties.
• Public safety: FirstNet coverage aligns with primary corridors and population centers, with typical mountainous rural gaps off-corridor.

How Jefferson County differs from Montana overall

• Higher device and plan adoption: Smartphone households and cellular data-plan adoption are both modestly higher than the state average.
• Less cellular-only dependence: A smaller share of households rely on cellular data as their only internet, reflecting higher incomes and higher owner-occupancy than the state average.
• Fewer unconnected households: The share with no internet subscription is lower than Montana overall.
• Corridor-driven performance: Mobile experience is more bimodal than the state average—excellent along I-15/I-90 and noticeably weaker in mountainous terrain—whereas many Montana counties without dual interstate frontage see fewer high-capacity sites and less 5G.
• Commuter-driven demand: Daytime mobile traffic and multi-line usage are elevated relative to many rural Montana counties because of commuting into Helena and Butte.

Key quantitative takeaways (ACS 2018–2022 S2801 unless noted)

• Smartphone households: Jefferson ~90% vs Montana ~89%.
• Any cellular data plan: Jefferson ~76% vs Montana ~73%.
• Cellular-only internet: Jefferson ~11% vs Montana ~14%.
• No internet subscription: Jefferson ~9% vs Montana ~12%.
• Rough counts (≈5,000 households): ~4,500 smartphone households; ~3,800 with cellular data; ~550 cellular-only; ~450 with no internet.

Implications

• Network planning: Prioritize additional sites and backhaul upgrades in mountain shadow zones and off-corridor settlements; capacity augments along interstates will directly address peak commuter loads.
• Affordability and adoption: With a smaller unconnected segment than statewide, targeted outreach can close remaining gaps; ACP-style subsidies (or successor programs) and device support would likely convert much of the remaining 9% without service.
• 5G expansion: Extending mid-band 5G off the corridors to town peripheries would translate quickly into measurable user-experience gains given high device penetration and multi-line households.

Jefferson County, Montana — social media snapshot (2024–2025)

Topline user stats

• Adult social media use (any major platform, monthly): ~80%
• Daily social use: ~65% of adults
• Average platforms per adult user: ~3

Most-used platforms by adults (estimated monthly reach)

• YouTube: ~80%
• Facebook: ~72%
• Instagram: ~35%
• Pinterest: ~32%
• TikTok: ~27%
• Snapchat: ~26%
• LinkedIn: ~16%
• X (Twitter): ~14%
• Reddit: ~14%
• WhatsApp: ~15%

Age-group usage highlights

• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Snapchat ~80%; Instagram ~75%; TikTok ~70%; Facebook ~55%
• 30–49: YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~80%; Instagram ~55%; TikTok ~40%; Snapchat ~38%
• 50–64: Facebook ~78%; YouTube ~82%; Instagram ~28%; TikTok ~18%; Pinterest ~40% (especially women)
• 65+: Facebook ~66%; YouTube ~70%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~10%; Pinterest ~22%

Gender breakdown

• Overall user base: roughly balanced (≈51% women, 49% men)
• Women over-index on Facebook (+6 points), Instagram (+8), Pinterest (about 2x men), TikTok (+~3)
• Men over-index on YouTube (+7), Reddit (+8), X/Twitter (+4), LinkedIn (+4)

Behavioral trends

• Facebook is the local hub: county and school updates, community news, buy/sell/Marketplace, and neighborhood groups drive the widest reach and discussion.
• Short, mobile-first video wins: 15–45s Reels/Shorts with local faces outperform links; native uploads beat outbound links for reach.
• Peak engagement windows: 6:30–8:30 am, lunch hour, and 7–9 pm MT; weekend activity skews to mornings.
• Community-first content: High school sports, youth activities, hunting/fishing, wildfire/weather and road updates, local events, and volunteer features earn the most shares.
• Action paths: Comments, DMs/Messenger, and click-to-call are preferred over long web forms; include phone, address, and hours in posts.
• Marketplace stickiness: Strong interest in vehicles, ranch/farm equipment, outdoor gear, home improvement, and rentals.
• Cross-platform mix: Facebook + Instagram for reach and visuals; YouTube for meeting replays/how‑tos; TikTok to reach under‑35; Snapchat for teens/young adults.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Figures are modeled local estimates using Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. platform adoption benchmarks with rural adjustments and Jefferson County’s age/sex mix from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2019–2023). Use as planning estimates.
• Key sources: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use, 2024); U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019–2023; DataReportal Digital 2024: United States.