Judith Basin County

Judith Basin County, Montana — key demographics

Population size

• 2,023 (2020 Decennial Census)
• About 2.1K (2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~53 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~18%
• 18 to 64: ~59%
• 65 and over: ~23% Insight: Significantly older age profile than Montana and U.S. overall.

Gender

• Male: ~53%
• Female: ~47%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~95–96%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: ~1%
• Two or more races: ~2–3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3% Insight: Predominantly non-Hispanic White population with small minority shares.

Households and housing (ACS 2019–2023)

• Households: ~900
• Average household size: ~2.2
• Family households: ~60%
• Homeownership rate: ~80%
• Median household income: roughly $60–62K
• Persons in poverty: ~8–10% Insight: High homeownership and small household sizes typical of rural, aging communities.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population count); American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household metrics).

Judith Basin County, MT snapshot

• Population 2,023 (2020) across ~1,871 sq mi; density ≈1.1 people/sq mi. Adults (18+): ~1,600.

Email usage (est.)

• Adult email users: ~1,385 (≈87% of adults).
• By age share of email users:
  • 18–24: 8% (110 users)
  • 25–44: 25% (340)
  • 45–64: 35% (480)
  • 65+: 33% (455)
• Gender split mirrors population (≈53% male, 47% female): ~735 men, ~650 women.

Digital access and trends

• Households ~900; with a broadband subscription: ~70–75%. Households with a computer: ~70–75%. Adult smartphone ownership: ~80–85%; smartphone‑only internet households: ~10–12%.
• Connectivity is constrained by very low density and terrain. Fixed high‑speed access is strongest in and around towns (e.g., Stanford, Hobson, Geyser), with outlying ranchland more often using DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. 4G/5G coverage is reliable along main highways and town centers, with gaps in valleys and remote sections.
• Email remains a primary channel for government notices, healthcare, schools, and agriculture markets; adoption is highest among 25–64, with steady gains among seniors via smartphones.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in Judith Basin County, Montana is shaped by very low population density, an older age profile, and uneven wireless/fixed broadband infrastructure. Compared with Montana overall, the county shows slightly lower smartphone penetration among adults, a markedly higher share of cellular-only households, and patchier 5G availability concentrated along major corridors.

User estimates (best-available, 2023–2024)

• Population base: ~2,000 residents; adult share is high due to an older age profile.
• Mobile phone users: ~1,500–1,650 people (roughly three-quarters to four-fifths of the population), reflecting near-ubiquitous adoption among adults and partial adoption among teens.
• Smartphone users: ~1,200–1,350 people, implying adult smartphone penetration modestly below the statewide norm.
• Households using cellular data as their primary home internet: roughly one-fifth, considerably higher than the statewide share.
• Households with no internet subscription: on the order of one in eight, above the statewide rate.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age
  • 18–34: Near-universal smartphone use; heavy reliance on messaging/social apps and hotspotting, but many commute to neighboring counties for work and coverage.
  • 35–64: High smartphone adoption; common use of multi-line family plans and Wi‑Fi calling to compensate for spotty indoor coverage.
  • 65+: Noticeably lower smartphone adoption than state average; above-average share of basic/older smartphones, with fewer app-based services. A meaningful minority rely on voice/text only.
• Income and occupation
  • Lower- and fixed-income households are more likely to be smartphone-only or cellular-only for home internet to avoid the cost of fixed broadband installs.
  • Agriculture and outdoor occupations drive strong use of push-to-talk, offline-capable apps, and rugged devices; external antennas/boosters are more common than elsewhere in Montana.
• Geography within the county
  • Towns (e.g., Stanford, Hobson, Geyser): Better LTE and some low-band 5G; higher smartphone and cellular-home-internet uptake.
  • Outlying ranchlands and breaks: Lower reliable signal and lower smartphone adoption; higher usage of satellite or no-home-internet and dependence on voice/SMS.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular networks
  • 4G LTE: Broadest and most reliable on and near US‑87/MT‑3 and within town footprints; dead zones persist in valleys, canyons, and away from highways.
  • 5G: Limited, primarily low-band 5G from national carriers along primary corridors and town centers; performance gains over LTE are modest and coverage is discontinuous outside highways.
  • Carrier mix: Verizon and AT&T provide the most consistent rural coverage; T‑Mobile presence is patchier and often reverts to LTE or partner roaming out of town.
  • Voice reliability: Wi‑Fi calling is widely used indoors; external antennas/boosters are a common mitigation in farm/ranch settings.
• Backhaul and sites
  • Macro towers clustered along highways and near towns; backhaul is a mix of microwave and limited fiber laterals. This constrains capacity upgrades and 5G mid-band deployments relative to Montana’s urban counties.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Fiber is present in select town blocks; outside of that, legacy DSL and fixed wireless predominate, with Starlink adoption growing in remote homesteads.
  • Because fixed options can be costly or slow outside towns, cellular hotspots are used as primary or backup internet more often than statewide.

How Judith Basin County differs from Montana overall

• Adoption
  • Adult smartphone penetration is modestly lower than the statewide average due to the county’s older age structure and coverage variability.
  • A higher share of households are cellular-only for home internet, reflecting limited or costlier fixed alternatives.
• Network availability and quality
  • 5G availability and capacity lag state norms; most usage remains LTE outside towns and corridors, with more frequent coverage gaps in canyons and breaks.
  • Greater reliance on Wi‑Fi calling, signal boosters, and offline-capable apps than in urban/suburban Montana.
• Digital divide
  • The county has a higher proportion of households with no home internet and a larger cohort of older residents who use voice/text-heavy patterns, widening the usage gap with the state’s metros.

Practical implications

• Carrier selection materially affects user experience; Verizon/AT&T lines typically perform best countywide, while T‑Mobile may suffice in towns but is less reliable between them.
• For households outside town grids, a dual approach—cellular hotspot plus satellite or fixed wireless—offers more consistent connectivity than a single service.
• Public safety, agriculture tech, telehealth, and education services should plan for LTE-first coverage with fallbacks for offline operation, given inconsistent 5G and fiber reach.

Judith Basin County, Montana — social media snapshot (2025)

County baseline

• Total population: 2,023 (2020 Census). Population skews older; median age is roughly low-50s. Gender mix is slightly male-leaning (~51–52% male).
• Adult (18+) population: ~1,580.

Estimated social media reach (adults 18+)

• Adults using at least one social platform (incl. YouTube): 78% (1,230 people).
• Platform mix among adults (share of adult residents using each at least monthly):
  • YouTube: 74% (1,170)
  • Facebook: 66% (1,040)
  • Instagram: 30% (470)
  • TikTok: 26% (410)
  • Snapchat: 24% (380)
  • Pinterest: 28% (440) — disproportionately women
  • X (Twitter): 18% (285)
  • LinkedIn: 15% (240)
  • Reddit: 14% (220)
  • Nextdoor: <5% (limited local penetration) Notes: Figures are modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 platform usage, adjusted for rural/older demographics typical of Judith Basin County.

Age groups and gender breakdown

• Teens (13–17): Heavy on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok; Instagram follows. Facebook is used mainly for school, sports, and community announcements.
• Young adults (18–34): Mix of Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Snapchat for messaging; Facebook for events/groups.
• Midlife (35–54): Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram usage moderate and growing; Pinterest strong among women.
• Older adults (55+): Facebook is primary; YouTube for how‑to, news, weather; lower adoption of TikTok/Instagram.
• Gender: While the population is slightly male‑leaning, the active social media user base skews modestly female due to higher Facebook and Pinterest use by women; Reddit and X skew male.

Behavioral trends

• Facebook groups are the county’s digital backbone: community alerts, school/sports updates, local events, buy/sell/barter, and ag/ranch information drive the highest engagement.
• YouTube is leaned on for practical content: equipment repair, hunting/fishing, land management, weather, and long‑form news commentary.
• Messaging over posting: Facebook Messenger and Snapchat are preferred for direct communication; many residents are “readers/lurkers” rather than frequent public posters.
• Peak activity windows: early morning and evening; weekend afternoons. Livestreaming and video calling are limited by patchy rural connectivity; short video and images perform better than long live sessions.
• Seasonal rhythms: engagement dips during calving/planting/harvest; rises in winter. Event‑based content (fairs, school sports, 4‑H) spikes participation.
• Trust and locality: Content from known local people, businesses, schools, churches, EMS, and county offices earns higher trust and shares; practical, community‑benefit posts outperform national or abstract topics.
• Discovery and commerce: Residents respond to clear value (local deals, service availability, hours/closures) and sponsorships of community activities. Marketplace and buy/sell posts are high‑traffic.
• Youth trendline: TikTok/Reels consumption continues to climb among under‑35; cross‑posting short video to Facebook increases reach to older audiences without requiring new habits.
• Low footprint platforms: LinkedIn, Reddit, and X are niche and best suited for professional networking, niche hobbies, or information monitoring rather than broad local reach.

Method and sources

• Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (Judith Basin County).
• Platform usage: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use, 2024). Percentages above are county‑level estimates derived from Pew’s rural/age patterns applied to the county’s small, older‑leaning population profile.