Mccone County

Key demographics for McCone County, Montana

Population

• 1,729 (2020 Census)
• 1,69x (2023 Census Bureau estimate; small rural county with slight decline)

Age

• Median age: ~49–50 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~24%
• 65 and over: ~24%

Gender

• Male: ~51–52%
• Female: ~48–49%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2019–2023)

• White alone: ~94–95%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~2%
• Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: each <1%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~2–3%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• ~750–770 households
• Average household size: ~2.3 persons
• Family households: ~60–65% of households
• Owner-occupied housing: ~78–80%; renter-occupied: ~20–22%

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

McCone County, MT (pop. ≈1,729; ≈2,643 sq mi) is among Montana’s most sparsely populated counties (≈0.65 residents/sq mi), shaping digital access and email habits.

Estimated email users: ≈1,300 residents (≈75% of population), derived from county age structure and typical rural adoption rates. Age distribution of email users:

• 13–17: ≈8%
• 18–34: ≈23%
• 35–64: ≈51%
• 65+: ≈18% Gender split among users: ≈52% male, 48% female, broadly matching the county’s sex ratio; usage rates are similar by gender.

Digital access and trends:

• Household broadband subscription ≈75–78%; ≈10–12% are smartphone‑only internet users; ≈14–16% of households lack home internet.
• Fixed broadband availability is strong at legacy 25/3 Mbps (>90% of locations) but drops at 100/20 Mbps (≈60–70%), with gaps in remote ranching areas; many households rely on fixed wireless or satellite.
• Adoption has trended upward since 2018 (roughly +7–10 percentage points), aided by state/federal rural broadband investments.
• Mobile LTE is concentrated along primary corridors; coverage is inconsistent in low‑density areas.

Implication: Email penetration is high among working‑age adults and solid among seniors, but connectivity constraints and distance increase reliance on mobile and satellite links, influencing frequency and location of email access.

Summary: Mobile phone usage in McCone County, Montana (modeled 2025 snapshot)

Key differences vs Montana statewide

• Lower smartphone and 5G uptake: smartphone penetration and 5G availability lag the statewide average, especially among residents 65+
• Higher reliance on low‑band LTE for coverage; mid‑band 5G is scarce outside Circle and highway corridors
• More basic/feature phones in active use and more landline retention than the state overall
• Carrier mix skews toward Verizon and AT&T; T‑Mobile share is notably smaller than statewide
• Greater dependence on signal boosters, Wi‑Fi calling, and satellite internet as complements to mobile service

User estimates

• Population baseline: 1,729 (2020 Census). Adults ≈1,350; total households ≈750–800
• Mobile phone users (any mobile, all ages): ≈1,340 users, ~77–80% of the total population
• Smartphone users: ≈1,090 users, ~63% of the population and ~81% of mobile users
• Basic/feature phone users: ≈250 users, ~14–15% of the population; higher share than statewide
• Wireless‑only households: ≈440 (≈55–60% of households), below the Montana average (≈65–70%)
• Carrier share (active lines, coverage‑weighted estimate): Verizon ~55%, AT&T ~35%, T‑Mobile ~7%, other/MVNO ~3%
• Primary‑internet via mobile hotspot: ~8–12% of households, materially higher than statewide due to limited fixed options

Demographic breakdown (ownership and device mix)

• Ages 18–34: mobile ownership ≈98%; smartphones ≈95% of users
• Ages 35–64: mobile ownership ≈95%; smartphones ≈85–90% of users
• Ages 65+: mobile ownership ≈75–80%; smartphones ≈55–60% of users; basic phones persist for voice/SMS reliability
• Lower‑income and remote ranching households show higher basic‑phone and prepaid plan usage than state averages
• Work profile: agriculture/energy/outdoor trades drive heavier use of rugged devices, external antennas, and PTT apps relative to urban Montana

Digital infrastructure points

• Radio access/coverage:
  • Dominant layers are low‑band LTE (700/850 MHz) from Verizon and AT&T; T‑Mobile 600 MHz present but patchy outside Circle and along MT‑200/MT‑13
  • 5G: limited low‑band/DSS pockets near Circle and along major corridors; mid‑band (C‑band/2.5 GHz) is minimal to absent in most of the county
  • Expect dead zones in sparsely populated rangeland and along breaks near the Missouri/Fort Peck area; in‑vehicle coverage is markedly better than indoor coverage without boosters
• Capacity/performance:
  • Typical LTE download speeds 5–25 Mbps in town/corridors, frequently <5 Mbps at range; 5G, where present, often behaves like enhanced LTE
  • Network load spikes during seasonal events and harvest periods can depress speeds in and around Circle
• Public safety:
  • FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) presence along primary routes and in town; priority access improves reliability for first responders compared with consumer networks
• Backhaul and fixed broadband context:
  • Mid‑Rivers Communications provides fiber in and immediately around Circle and some outlying routes; DSL and fixed wireless remain common beyond fiber footprints
  • Starlink and other satellite options see measurable uptake (≈6–10% of households), used alongside mobile for coverage redundancy
• Equipment patterns:
  • Above‑average use of high‑gain antennas, vehicle boosters, and Wi‑Fi calling to stabilize service at farm/ranch locations

How McCone differs from Montana overall

• Smartphone penetration ~5–10 percentage points lower than the state average, driven by older age mix and coverage constraints
• Wireless‑only households ~7–12 points lower; landlines persist via cooperative telcos
• T‑Mobile market share materially lower; Verizon/AT&T duopoly stronger than in urban Montana
• 5G availability and mid‑band capacity notably behind statewide rollouts; practical experience remains LTE‑like for most users
• Higher reliance on mobile hotspots and satellite for primary home connectivity, reflecting sparser fiber/cable footprints

Implications

• Device choice, coverage aids (boosters), and plan selection (Verizon/AT&T postpaid or MVNOs with those networks) have outsized impact on usability compared with most Montana counties
• Incremental infrastructure—additional low‑band sites, highway infill, and fiber backhaul upgrades—would yield disproportionate benefits versus urban‑style mid‑band densification in the near term

Social media in McCone County, Montana (2025 snapshot)

Population baseline

• Total residents: 1,729 (2020 Census)
• Approximate adults (18+): ≈1,350

Overall usage

• Adults online (any internet access): ≈82% of adults (≈1,105 people)
• Adults using social media: ≈72% of adults (≈970 people)
• Daily social media users: ≈58% of adults (≈780 people), or ~80% of social media users

Most-used platforms among adults (share of all adults; multi-platform use common)

• YouTube: ≈78% (≈1,050 adults)
• Facebook: ≈66% (≈890)
• Facebook Messenger: ≈60% (≈810)
• Instagram: ≈34% (≈460)
• Pinterest: ≈30% (≈405)
• TikTok: ≈23% (≈310)
• Snapchat: ≈20% (≈270)
• LinkedIn: ≈18% (≈245)
• X (Twitter): ≈17% (≈230)
• Reddit: ≈12% (≈160)
• WhatsApp: ≈14% (≈190)

Age profile (share using at least one social platform)

• Teens (13–17): ≈95%
• 18–29: ≈88%
• 30–49: ≈83%
• 50–64: ≈72%
• 65+: ≈48% Key platform tilt by age
• Under 35: heavier on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; near-universal YouTube
• 35–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest notable among women; Instagram moderate
• 65+: Primarily Facebook and YouTube; minimal TikTok/Snapchat

Gender breakdown (among adult social media users)

• Overall users: ≈53% women, 47% men
• Platform skews: women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X

Behavioral trends observed in rural Great Plains counties like McCone (applicable locally)

• Facebook is the community backbone: local groups, school/rodeo/fair updates, Marketplace for farm/ranch gear and vehicles, and event promotion; boosted posts outperform broad ads
• YouTube is the how-to and downtime channel: equipment repair, ag/weather, hunting/outdoors, faith content; longer sessions on home broadband/Wi‑Fi days, shorter mobile sessions in-field
• Visual sharing is pragmatic: Instagram used by younger adults and small businesses; most local businesses cross-post to Facebook for reach
• Short-form video is growing but targeted: TikTok adoption concentrated under 35; creator activity around ranching, rodeo, hunting, trucks; sharing to Facebook Reels common
• Messaging is concentrated: Facebook Messenger is the default; SMS remains heavy; WhatsApp used for out-of-area family ties
• Participation patterns: consumption > creation; trust flows through known local connections; posts peak early morning and late evening; seasonality around calving/planting/harvest and hunting season
• Connectivity shapes behavior: patchy broadband drives lower live-streaming, more downloading/watching later; image/video quality often reduced for upload reliability

Method and sources

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates for McCone County derived from: U.S. Census 2020 population; Pew Research Center 2023–2024 national platform adoption by age/gender and rural vs. urban differentials; and USDA/NTIA rural internet adoption patterns. Percentages are applied to the county’s adult population to produce local counts.